NIH-funded research R01 grant

Understanding Bone Weakening After a Fracture

Official title: Systemic Bone Loss Following Fracture in Humans

Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11099880 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project looks at how a broken arm might affect bone strength throughout the body in both younger and older adults.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Francisco
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Francisco, United States)
Project startSeptember 30, 2023
Project endMay 31, 2028
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$862,577
NIH project number5R01AG078347-03
Project IDNIH-11099880 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates for this work are human patients between 20-40 years old or 60-80 years old who have recently experienced a humerus fracture.

Less likely to help

Patients who have not experienced a recent humerus fracture or who fall outside the specified age ranges may not directly benefit from this particular research.

What this research studies

When you break a bone, it might not just be that one spot that's affected; your entire skeleton could experience some bone loss. We want to understand how much bone is lost and how long it takes for bones to recover after a humerus (upper arm) fracture. We will use advanced imaging techniques to see these changes in bone density and structure. Our goal is to find out if older individuals experience more severe or longer-lasting bone loss compared to younger people after a fracture.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent future fractures by understanding and addressing widespread bone weakening after an initial break.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in mice have shown a systemic bone loss response after fracture, but this phenomenon has not yet been thoroughly investigated in humans.

Where this research is happening

  • University of California, San Francisco
    San Francisco, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Kazakia, Galateia J — University of California, San Francisco
  • Study coordinator: Kazakia, Galateia J

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Urine cadmium and bone health in older adults

    This project looks at whether long-term cadmium exposure, measured in urine, is linked to bone loss and fractures in older adults.

    NIH research State University New York Stony Brook · Stony Brook, United States · NIH-11420047

  • Mechanisms of bone loss after a fracture

    A study at UC San Francisco will look at why bones elsewhere in the body lose mass after a fracture by analyzing blood to find biological clues.

    NIH research University of California, San Francisco · San Francisco, United States · NIH-11386666

  • Systemic bone loss after fracture in humans

    This project tests how a fracture in people affects bone loss across the body over time, especially comparing younger and older adults.

    NIH research University of California, San Francisco · San Francisco, United States · NIH-11369808

  • Blood PFAS levels and bone loss in older adults

    This project will look at whether common environmental chemicals called PFAS in blood are linked to bone thinning and higher fracture risk in older adults.

    NIH research University of Massachusetts Amherst · Hadley, United States · NIH-11324617

  • Cadmium exposure and bone health in older adults

    This project looks at whether long-term cadmium exposure is linked to bone loss and fractures in older men and women.

    NIH research State University New York Stony Brook · Stony Brook, United States · NIH-11184369

  • The link between urine cadmium levels and bone health in older adults

    This study is looking at how cadmium in urine might affect bone health and increase the risk of fractures in older adults, and it will track participants over 20 years to see how their bones change over time.

    NIH research State University New York Stony Brook · Stony Brook, United States · NIH-11182199

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.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.