Osseosurface Electronics for Monitoring Bone Health in Osteoporosis
Official title: Osseosurface Electronics: Chronic Wireless Battery Interfaces for Osteoporosis Treatment and Discovery
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11321718 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new battery-free, implantable bone sensor will provide real-time data about bone health in animal models to help develop better treatments for osteoporosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $450,206 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR082394-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11321718 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with osteoporosis or osteopenia in whom bone health monitoring could inform treatment decisions (note: this study is conducted in animal models).
✕Less likely to help
Patients are not directly enrolled in this animal study and would not receive direct benefits from participation.
What this research studies
This project develops osseosurface electronics that can be grown into bone and stay implanted for weeks to monitor bone quality. It will test permanent interfacing and sensing in rodents, using calcium phosphate ceramics to attach the device to bone. Daily treadmill activity and advanced image analysis will be used to validate sensing accuracy and relate it to bone health and gait patterns. A second sensing method, thermal conductivity, will be added to capture additional information about bone quality to support future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this technology could lead to better understanding and monitoring of bone health, potentially guiding more effective osteoporosis therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous devices have shown promise in real-time bone health readouts in animal models, with ongoing work to validate durability and data fidelity.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gutruf, Philipp — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Gutruf, Philipp
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.