Personalized osteoporosis care based on bone turnover
Official title: Novel precision medicine approach to treatment of osteoporosis based on bone turnover
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11178457 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will match osteoporosis treatments to adults with age-related low bone turnover so they can get the most helpful medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $426,897 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG072797-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178457 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are middle-aged and older adults with age-related osteoporosis or unexplained bone loss who may have low bone turnover.
✕Less likely to help
People with menopause-related high-turnover osteoporosis or those already doing well on standard antiresorptive drugs may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team wants to figure out whether your bone loss is driven by low versus high bone turnover so treatments can be chosen to fit that biology. They note that age-related osteoporosis often has low bone turnover and does not respond well to standard antiresorptive drugs, while anabolic medicines may work better for these patients. Because bone biopsy is difficult, the researchers plan to use less invasive markers and clinical tests to identify turnover status and guide therapy. The goal is to create a precision approach so the right people receive anabolic or antiresorptive treatment instead of a one-size-fits-all plan.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more effective, personalized therapies that reduce fractures and improve bone health in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows anabolic treatments can help when bone formation is low, but using non‑biopsy methods to guide therapy is relatively new and not yet widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rao, Madhumathi — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Rao, Madhumathi
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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.