Understanding bone-resorbing cells to treat bone diseases
Official title: Osteoclast programming and reprogramming during osteoclastogenesis
Funded at Hospital for Special Surgery · NIH-11137689 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to uncover how bone-resorbing cells, called osteoclasts, are controlled, which could lead to new ways to help people with conditions like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hospital for Special Surgery NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $416,654 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR083374-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137689 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is relevant for patients with conditions characterized by excessive bone loss, such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lytic bone metastasis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose bone diseases are not primarily driven by osteoclast dysregulation may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Our bones are constantly being rebuilt, with special cells called osteoclasts breaking down old bone. When these cells don't work correctly, it can lead to too much bone loss, contributing to diseases like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. We are looking closely at the genetic instructions within human osteoclasts to understand what makes them unique and how they are regulated. By finding specific control points, called super-enhancers and non-coding RNAs, that are active only in osteoclasts, we hope to develop new treatments that target these cells precisely. This approach could help prevent or slow down bone loss without affecting other healthy cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, more targeted treatments for bone diseases by specifically controlling the cells responsible for bone breakdown.
How similar studies have gone: While the concept of targeting cellular regulators is established, identifying and targeting super-enhancers and specific non-coding RNAs in osteoclasts for therapeutic development represents a novel and largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
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Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park-Min, Kyung-Hyun — Hospital for Special Surgery
- Study coordinator: Park-Min, Kyung-Hyun
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.