Fact Sheet

[ Press Release 2012-35 ]

Investing in research

The Harper Government is investing $7 million to support three bone health research teams through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Principal Investigator	Project Title	CIHR Funding (over 5 years)
Dr. Joy MacDermid McMaster University	Evidence-based fracture management supports to optimize fracture recovery, future bone health and optimal physical activity after distal radius fracture.	$2,461,199
Dr. Michael Glogauer University of Toronto	Identifying Novel Markers of Alveolar Bone loss: Developing New Diagnostic Approaches for the Most Prevalent Forms of Bone Loss.	$2,077,551
Dr. Robert Young Simon Fraser University	New Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets and Technologies for Bone Health.	$2,500,000
Total		$7,038,750

The teams were funded through a peer-reviewed research funding competition led by the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis. The competition responded to research priorities identified at a Bone Health Consensus Conference, convened with stakeholders in 2009.

Importance of bone health

• Human bones are constantly being broken down and reformed in a process called remodelling. Men and women reach peak bone mass in their mid-thirties.
• Aging or certain diseases can interfere with the remodelling process, weakening bones and increasing the risk of fractures.
• Osteoporosis is a common disorder that causes thinning of the bones and leads to fractures most commonly in the wrist, hip and spine. Osteoporosis affects 1.5 million Canadians over 40.
• In periodontal or gum disease, bacteria attack the soft tissues and bone that support the teeth, causing bone loss and eventually to the loss of teeth.