Sugar-related damage in bone and fracture risk in type 2 diabetes

Effects of Advanced Glycation Endproducts on Type 2 Diabetic and Fragility Fractures

NIH-funded research Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · NIH-11320887

This project looks at how sugar-related molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in bone may make fractures more likely in people with type 2 diabetes.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRensselaer Polytechnic Institute NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Troy, United States)
Project IDNIH-11320887 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be asked to help researchers compare bone from people with and without type 2 diabetes to look for chemical changes linked to fractures. The team measures known AGEs like pentosidine and a non‑fluorescent AGE called CML in human bone samples and correlates those levels with bone toughness and mineral content. They also run laboratory tests to see how CML changes the way mineral crystals form and bind to collagen in bone. By comparing diabetic and age‑matched non‑diabetic bones, they aim to find markers that better explain why fractures happen in diabetes.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with type 2 diabetes—particularly older adults worried about bone fractures—would be the most relevant candidates.

Not a fit: People without diabetes or those whose fractures are caused by major high‑impact trauma are unlikely to get direct benefit from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better tests that identify people with type 2 diabetes who are at higher risk for fragile fractures and inform prevention or treatment strategies.

How similar studies have performed: Prior studies linked the AGE pentosidine to bone fragility with mixed results, while measuring CML in bone is a more recent and promising approach that is less tested.

Where this research is happening

Troy, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.