|
The National Osteoporosis Foundation
Research Program
The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) seeks to expand the understanding of osteoporosis through its Research Program that awards annual grants in support of projects in translational and clinical research investigating the epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.
This Research Program is in keeping with the NOF mission to prevent osteoporosis and related fractures, to promote lifelong bone health, to help improve the lives of those affected by osteoporosis and to find a cure through programs of awareness, advocacy, public and health professional education and research.
NOF RESEARCH AGENDA
According to the US Surgeon General, osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans or 55 percent of the people 50 years of age and older. In the US today, 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis.
In the United States, the cost of osteoporosis in terms of human suffering and healthcare dollars is enormous. In 2005, more than two million incident fractures occurred at a cost of $17 billion. Total costs, including prevalent fractures are more than $19 billion. Annual fractures and costs are projected to rise by almost 50% by 2025. The most rapid growth is estimated for people 65-74 years of age, with an increase exceeding 87%. Increases of nearly 175% are projected for Hispanic and other minority populations.
Progress has been made in recent years in expanding the understanding of the disease in postmenopausal Caucasian women, yet, a great deal is still unknown about the primary prevention of this disease, how best to achieve peak bone mass in children, as well as the epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease in other populations, including men, minority women and premenopausal women.
Due to this gap in knowledge concerning osteoporosis care, the Foundation has established its research agenda to encourage scientific inquiry into the following.
- Clinical syndromes of abnormal bone remodeling causing skeletal fragility
- Bone quality studies in humans
- Studies to improve the ability to predict risk of fracture
- Clinical studies of the mechanisms of regulation of bone remodeling rates
- Clinical studies of targeted (mechanically driven), and untargeted (non-mechanically driven remodeling)
- The impact of hormone replacement therapy in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in diabetic women
- Optimal calcium intake in minority women
- Genetic factors affecting bone mass and bone metabolism
- New preventive/treatment approaches based on molecular biology
- Cost-benefit analyses of osteoporosis prevention, diagnostic, and treatment techniques
- Hip fracture rates in minority men and women
- Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in men
- The intensity, duration, frequency and type of exercise effective for prevention of osteoporosis or osteoporotic fracture
- Effective measures of screening for and treating risk factors for falling
- Means for maximizing peak bone mass in children, adolescents and young adults
NOF encourages financial support of its Research Program through donations and bequests. While much progress has been made in learning more about osteoporosis, NOF continues to advocate for expanded support for medical research and education to increase the understanding of the disease in all populations. If you are interested in making a donation to NOF’s research program please visit our Donations page.
NOF ANNUAL RESEARCH GRANTS
To enhance the opportunities of new investigators and support scientific research on osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment, NOF supports 3-5 translational or clinical research projects annually.
2008 Research Grant Recipients
Click here for information regarding the
2009 Research Grant Program
Translational research is defined as the process of applying ideas, insights, and discoveries generated through basic scientific inquiry to the treatment or prevention of human disease.
Clinical research is conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects. Also included are epidemiological and behavioral studies as well as outcomes research and health services research.
Applications for research grants may be submitted by new investigators at the beginning or early stages of their faculty careers. Eligible applicants must have an MD, PhD or equivalent degree, be within 4 years post-completion of their post-doctorate, medical residency, fellowship or equivalent training period, have US citizenship or permanent resident status and be affiliated with a US- based not-for-profit academic or research institution.
Applications for both pilot and research projects supplemental to an ongoing funded project will be considered for funding under this grant program. NOF will also consider innovative projects which do not meet the criteria for NIH or other traditional grant programs.
NOF does not award scholarship, fellowship, or student project grants.
A one page letter of intent detailing the goals, methods, and scope of the proposed research project, the qualifications of the applicant and his/her institution to perform this work, and institutional support for the project must be submitted in advance of the grant application. Grant application instructions will be made available to selected applicants.
Grant Cycle Timeline:
Call for Letters of Intent - October 15th
Letters of Intent Submission Deadline -November 17th
Call for Grant Applications - December 19th
Grant Applications Submission Deadline - February 23rd (5pm ET)
Award Announcement - June 1st
Award Activation Date - September 1st
 2009 Research Grants Program
 Top
of the
page
|
