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Research project

Establishment of a National Network on Musculoskeletal Ageing

Project overview

Our overall aim is to establish a new national network which will underpin a step change in musculoskeletal ageing research capacity and strategy, by identifying: key tractable research priorities; developing an integrated multi-disciplinary grouping to address the identified research gaps; providing a platform to disseminate best practice; supporting Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to build research capacity and ensure longevity to current UKRI investments; and coordinating an ongoing programme of innovative studies to identify, develop and translate findings from our discovery science to clinical impact. Crucially the network will contribute to delivering the government Grand Challenge target of 5 more years of independent living by 2035, by identifying approaches to maintain mobility in old age. The network will bring together the scientific excellence of the three principal applicants. Focusing on the leading chronic non-communicable disorders of bone, muscle and joint (osteoporosis, sarcopenia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), the integration of these groups will galvanize a truly bench to bedside approach to provide a strong evidence base for health policy, underpinning a step change in UK musculoskeletal ageing research capability/capacity, and promoting increased healthspan.

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Cyrus Cooper

Prof Rheumatology Clinical Epidemiology
Research interests
  • Key research contributions have been:
  • discovery of the developmental influences which contribute to the risk of osteoporosis and hi…
  • demonstration that maternal vitamin D insufficiency is associated with sub-optimal bone miner…
Connect with Cyrus

Email: cc@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Other researchers

Professor Nicholas Harvey

Director/Professor
Research interests
  • Lifecourse epidemiology of osteoporosis and fragility fractures
  • Understanding mechanism and development of novel interventions across lifecourse to prevent f…
Connect with Nicholas

Email: nch@mrc.soton.ac.uk

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs

Menopausal hormone therapy reduces the risk of fracture regardless of falls risk or baseline FRAX probability - results from the Women's Health Initiative hormone therapy trials
Mattias Lorentzen, Helena Johansson, Nicholas Harvey, Enwu Liu, Liesbeth Vandenput, Carolyn J. Crandall, Jane A. Cauley, Meryl S. LaBoff, E.V. McCloskey & John A. Kanis, 2022, Osteoporosis International, 33(11), 2297-2305
DOI: 10.1007/s00198-022-06483-y
Type: article
Role of Vitamin D supplementation in the management of musculoskeletal diseases: update from an European Society of Clinical and Economical Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) working group
Thierry Chevalley, M.L. Brandi, Kevin D. Cashman, Etienne Cavalier, Nicholas Harvey, Stefania Maggi, Cyrus Cooper, Nasser M. Al-Daghri, Oliver Bock, Olivier Bruyère, Mario M. Rosa, B. Cortet, Alfonso Jose Cruz-Jentoft, Antonio Cherubini, Bess Dawson-Hughes, Roger A. Fielding, Nicholas Fuggle, Philippe Halbout, John A. Kanis, J.M. Kaufman, Olivier Lamy, Andrea Laslop, María Concepción  Prieto Yerro, Regis Pierre Rademecker, Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan, Thierry Thomas, Nicola Veronese, Marten de Wit, Jean Yves Reginster & Rene Rizzoli, 2022, Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 34(11), 2603-2623
DOI: 10.1007/s40520-022-02279-6
Type: review
Cardiovascular disease and mortality sequelae of COVID-19 in the UK Biobank
Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, Jackie Cooper, Ahmed Salih, Betty Raman, Aaron Mark Lee, Stefan Neubauer, Nicholas C Harvey & Steffen E Petersen, 2022, Heart, 109(2), 119-126
DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321492
Type: article
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community-dwelling older adults
Ilse Bloom, Jean Zhang, Julia Hammond, Gregorio Bevilacqua, Wendy Lawrence, Kate A Ward, Cyrus Cooper & Elaine M Dennison, 2022, PLoS ONE, 17(10 October)
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275486
Type: article
Osteoporosis treatment in Austria-assessment of FRAX-based intervention thresholds for high and very high fracture risk
Hans P. Dimai, Helena Johansson, Nicholas C. Harvey, Mattias Lorentzon, Enwu Liu, Liesbeth Vandenput, Astrid Fahrleitner-Pammer, Peter Pietschmann, Christian Muschitz, Eugene V. McCloskey & John A. Kanis, 2022, Archives of Osteoporosis, 17(1)
DOI: 10.1007/s11657-022-01175-w
Type: article
General comorbidity indicators contribute to fracture risk independent of FRAX
Gregory A Kline, Suzanne N Morin, Lisa M Lix, Eugene V McCloskey, Helena Johansson, Nicholas C. Harvey, John A Kanis & William D Leslie, 2022, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac582
Type: article
Effect of discordant hip bone density on incident fracture risk
William D. Leslie, Suzanne N. Morin, Lisa M. Lix, Eugene V. McCloskey, Helena Johansson, Nicholas C. Harvey & John A. Kanis, 2022, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 37(10), 2018-2024
DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.4672
Type: article