Understanding why adolescent scoliosis develops and how to prevent it
Official title: Developmental Mechanisms of Human Idiopathic Scoliosis
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11350942 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research collaboration is studying why adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) happens and how it progresses, with the goal of finding ways to prevent and better treat it for affected children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2016 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,285,836 |
| NIH project number | 5P01HD084387-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11350942 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with or at risk for AIS could benefit from future discoveries and therapies identified by this program.
✕Less likely to help
Children without AIS or a known risk may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
This program brings together experts to identify genetic and developmental factors that lead AIS, using human data and zebrafish models to explore how spine changes begin. Researchers will study tissue origins, timing of disease onset, and the way genes in non-coding regions influence AIS development. The work combines gene discovery in humans, animal modeling, and genomic analysis of spine development after birth to uncover actionable targets. The effort aims to translate findings into strategies that could prevent progression or improve treatments for AIS in kids.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to earlier detection and new preventive or targeted therapies for AIS in children.
How similar studies have gone: Past work has identified genetic factors for AIS, but precise mechanisms and preventive strategies remain largely unproven, making this approach innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wise, Carol a — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wise, Carol a
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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.