Accomplishments
Participants in this program have made a number of important scientific discoveries. Among them are:
1. Identification of the major regulator of osteoblast differentiation and bone formation, RUNX2 (Gerard Karsenty) 2. Identification of the role of fat cells and the hormone leptin in the regulation of bone formation (Patricia Ducy and Gerard Karsenty) 3. Identification of Osterix, an osteoblast transcription factor that is necessary for normal bone formation and mineralization (Benoit de Crombrugghe) 4. Definition of the physiologic role of the hormone calcitonin (Ana Hoff, Gilbert Cote, Robert F Gagel) 5. Identification of the relationship between intravenous bisphosphonate use and osteonecrosis of the jaw (Ana Hoff and Robert F Gagel) 6. Characterization of the role of TRAF6 in RANK receptor signaling and the development of inhibitors targeting this molecule to inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption (Bryant Darnay) 7. Characterization of the role of CRTAP, a gene responsible for bone collagen modification, and definition of its role in the osteogenesis imperfecta (Roy Morello and Brendan Lee)
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