View all research projects
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

Analysis of comorbidities, clinical outcomes, and parathyroidectomy in adults with primary hyperparathyroidism
Kristian F. Axelsson, Marit Wallander, Helena Johansson, Nicholas Harvey, Liesbeth Vandenput, Eugene McCloskey, Enwu Liu, John A. Kanis, Henrik Litsne & Mattias Lorentzen, 2022, JAMA Network Open, 5(6)
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.15396
Type: article
Assessment and management of imminent fracture risk in the setting of the fracture liaison service
M. Kassim Javaid, Nicholas Harvey, Eugene V. McCloskey, John A. Kanis & Cyrus Cooper, 2022, Osteoporosis International, 33(6), 1185-1189
DOI: 10.1007/s00198-021-06284-9
Type: letterEditorial
Association of shorter leucocyte telomere length with risk of frailty
Vasiliki Bountziouka, Christopher P. Nelson, Veryan Codd, Qingning Wang, Crispin Musicha, Elias Allara, Stephen K. Kaptoge, Emanuele Di Angelantonio, Adam S. Butterworth, John R. Thompson, Elizabeth Curtis, Angela M. Wood, John N. Danesh, Nicholas Harvey, Cyrus Cooper & Nilesh J. Samani, 2022, Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 13(1), 1741-1751
DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12971
Type: article
Patient preferences for lifestyle behaviours in osteoporotic fracture prevention: a cross-European discrete choice experiment
Charlotte Beaudart, Annelies Boonen, Nannan Li, Sandrine Bours, Stefan Goemeare, Jean Yves Reginster, Christian Roux, Bernie McGowan, A. Diez-Pérez, Rene Rizzoli, Cyrus Cooper & Mickaël Hiligsmann, 2022, Osteoporosis International, 33(6), 1335-1346
DOI: 10.1007/s00198-022-06310-4
Type: article
Potential adverse effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on bisphosphonate efficacy: an exploratory post hoc analysis from a randomized controlled trial of clodronate
Z. Zheng, Helena Johansson, Nicholas Harvey, M. Lorentzon, Lisbeth Vandenput, E. Liu, J A. Kanis & E. V. McCloskey, 2022, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 37(6), 1117-1124
DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.4548
Type: article
Update of the fracture risk prediction tool FRAX: A systematic review of potential cohorts and analysis plan
Lisbeth Vandenput, H. Johansson, E. V. McCloskey, E. Liu, Kristina E. Akesson, F.A. Anderson, R. Azagra, C.L. Bager, Charlotte Beaudart, H.A. Bischoff-Ferrari, E. Biver, Olivier Bruyère, J.A. Cauley, J.R. Center, R. Chapulat, C. Christiansen, Cyrus Cooper, Carolyn J. Crandall, Steven Cummings, J.A.P. da Silva, Bess Dawson-Hughes, A. Diez-Pérez, Alyssa B. Dufour, J.A. Eisman, Petra J.M. Elders, S. Ferrari, Y. Fujita, S. Fujiwara, C.C. Glüer, I. Goldstein, D. Goltzman, V. Gudnason, J. Hall, D. Hans, M. Hoff, Rosemary J. Hollick, Martijn Huisman, M. Iki, S. Ish-Shalom, G. Jones, M.K. Karlsson, Sundeep Khosla, D.P. Kiel, W-P Koh, F. Koromani, M.A. Kotowicz, H. Kroger, T. Kwok, Olivier Lamy, Arnulf Langhammer, Bagher Larijani, Kurt Lippuner, D Mellström, Thomas Merlijn, A. Nordstrom, P. Nordstrom, T.W. O'Neill, B. Obermayer-Piestch, Nicholas Harvey, J A. Kanis, C. Ohlsson, E.S. Orwoll, J.A. Pasco, F. Rivadeneira, B. Schei, A.M. Schott, E.J. Shiroma, K. Siggeirsdottir, E.M. Simonsick, E. Sornay-Rendu, R. Sund, K.M.A. Swart, P. Szulc, J. Tamaki, D.J. Torgerson, N.M. Van Schoor, T.P. van Staa, J.C. Vilas, N.J Wareham, N.C. Wright, N. Yoshimura, M.C. Zillikens, M. Zwart, M. Lorentzon & W.D. Leslie, 2022, Osteoporosis International, 33(10), 2103-2136
DOI: 10.1007/s00198-022-06435-6
Type: review
Early life vitamin D depletion and mechanical loading determine methylation changes in the RUNX2, RXRA, and osterix promoters in mice
Nevena Krstic, Nick Bishop, Elizabeth Curtis, Cyrus Cooper, Nicholas Harvey, Karen Lillycrop, Robert Murray, Robert Owen, Gwen Reilly, Tim M. Skerry & Steph Borg, 2022, Genes & Nutrition, 17(1)
DOI: 10.1186/s12263-022-00711-0
Type: article