Learn how you can support osteoarthritis research.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee may affect individuals of any age and is the leading source of disability in older adults.  Furthermore, the prevalence of knee OA is expected to rise with increased possibility for joint injury through greater participation in sports, improved longevity and the upsurge in obesity.  Knee OA may take as little as a few years or as long as several decades to develop and involves cartilage loss and bone restructuring leading to abnormally shaped joint bones, loss of function, and pain.

Improving our ability to accurately predict an individual's risk of developing severe OA and to monitor progression of OA would lead to early intervention.  By decreasing the debilitating, life-altering effects of this disease, early therapeutic intervention can lead to a better quality of life.  The OA Biomarkers Project, an important new research study sponsored by a public-private partnership through the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium, is designed to identify and classify biological markers (measurable physical traits also called "biomarkers") of progression of knee OA.  Research for this study will be conducted by an international team of leading OA scientists and clinicians and will utilize the extraordinary resources of the NIH Osteoarthritis Initiative.  The potential impact of this project is significant; the OA biomarkers identified may be used to categorize individuals at risk of developing severe OA, to develop new measures for clinical progression of the disease, and to develop new treatment options for the prevention of OA progression.

Get involved. Partner with us.

To learn more about partnership opportunities and how you can support the OA Biomarkers Project contact:

Paris L. A. Moore
Phone:  (301) 443-2103
E-mail: pmoore [at] fnih [dot] org

Or click here to support the OA Biomarkers Project through an online gift; be sure to check “OA Biomarkers Project” under the “Gift Designation” section.