Remodeling-mediated 3D adaptation in cortical bone microarchitecture

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The bones of land animals (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) are living organs with the ability to respond to changes in the physical demands placed upon them. This mechanism, known as 'functional adaptation', acts to ensure that bones are optimized to be sufficiently strong but not unnecessarily heavy. Adaptation can involve both changes in the overall shape of bones (modeling) as well as internal modification of the bone tissue (remodeling). My research program focuses on the latter process - remodeling - which is the primary mechanism of change in mature bones after growth has ceased. The overarching aims of my research are to better understand how and why the microscopic architecture of the dense outer (cortical) shell of bones is modified under normal and modified loading conditions. A key innovation of my research is the use of high magnification three-dimensional imaging technology (micro-CT) capable of visualizing bone microarchitecture down to a cellular level. Within the current phase of my research, specific projects are focused on understanding 1) the relationship between microscopic structure and loading patterns within individual bones, 2) the organization of individual cellular-level remodeling events and 3) the effect of altered loading on microscopic structure. Ultimately, my research program will advance our knowledge regarding the biology of bones and will provide an important new opportunity for interpreting the function of bones in both present and past species. The data generated will have wide ranging applications in bone research including understanding bone as a 'material' (engineering) and understanding the evolution of bone as a tissue (palaeontology). Further, a number of human bone diseases are related to the remodeling process (e.g. osteoporosis). Therefore, improving our understanding of the normal function of remodeling and how this process evolved may provide vital clues that will improve our capacity to combat bone disease in the future.