Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MEMETic (Mechanobiologically mimetic model systems for study of Bone disease (MEMETic))
Reporting period: 2022-03-01 to 2023-08-31
A particular challenge for the international research field, has been that most current understanding of bone mechanobiology and pathophysiology has been derived either using 2D cell culture, which fails to capture vital biomechanical aspects of bone that govern bone biology, or animal studies, whose biology differs from that of humans. So, existing approaches cannot fully capture, or account for both human biological and mechanical factors, and this project seeks to address this challenge.
The global objective of the MEMETic project is to provide a paradigm change for studies of bone disease and therapeutics by consolidating, and significantly advancing, our novel approaches to develop advanced ex vivo models that recreate in vivo biomechanical cues in a living and multicellular 3D environment to replicate the mechanobiological function of bone. The MEMETic models are applied to advance understanding of osteoporosis and a new osteoporosis therapy (sclerostin antibody). A unique multidisciplinary approach, combining cell and molecular biology with biomechanical and mechanobiological techniques, is enabling these important advances, and consolidating a world leading mechanobiology research program.