HSS scientists conducting research in this area are uncovering the nature of bone – how it thrives, how it degenerates, and how it interacts with soft tissues like cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, as well as orthopaedic devices such as implants. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate bone structure and function is critical for determining how and why skeletal disorders occur and for developing new treatments for these disorders. Scientists in this area are performing cutting-edge research to enhance mobility and improve quality of life for patients affected by bone disorders such as spine instability, fractures, developmental deformities, arthritis, and osteoporosis.
The mission of the Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program is to define cellular and molecular mechanisms important in musculoskeletal tissue destruction and to develop novel approaches to preventing tissue destruction in patients with arthritis and related diseases.
The Musculoskeletal Integrity Program's mission is to determine the biological, biochemical, and biomechanical mechanisms involved in musculoskeletal tissue development, degeneration, and repair, and to use that information to develop therapies to prevent or correct conditions in which these processes are impaired.