Funding the future

Some of the brightest minds in the scientific community are interested in carrying out research into osteoporosis and as a charity, we’re determined to fund the most promising of these projects. Through the grant schemes, the ROS invests money in research that aims to bring about real improvements to the lives of people living with osteoporosis, now and in the future.

About the research grants

We’re the only UK funding body solely focused on research into osteoporosis, and thanks to the money so generously donated by our supporters, we’ve been able to invest over £6 million in osteoporosis research since the charity was established in 1986.

Last year, the charity received a record number of applications from researchers requesting support for pioneering projects that aligned with our research themes and priorities.

How do you involve the patient viewpoint?

We always aim to put the patient voice at the heart of our research. The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) is a national membership organisation of leading medical and health research charities that regularly reviews grant processes to ensure they are operating at a high standard.

In 2021 we were delighted to be commended by the AMRC’s Review Audit Committee for how we include the views of people without a scientific background, in our grant review process.

In addition to external review processes, the ROS also has a Research Grants Assessment Panel (RGAP) made up of scientific and non-scientific members, to reflect a fair balance of experience, and different disciplines.

Our RGAP's non-scientific members have all been affected by osteoporosis and provide a unique and valuable perspective for reviewing research project proposals. They play a particularly important role in answering questions such as:

• Is the research question important to people affected by osteoporosis?
• Is the research exploring potential benefits that would be helpful to people affected by osteoporosis?
• Is information provided for participants clear and easy to understand?
• Would participants be willing to take part in the project? Or will it inconvenience them so much that they are unlikely to agree to take part?
• Did the researchers seek the advice of people affected by osteoporosis when they planned their research? What difference did this make?

These questions are not often addressed by researchers and clinicians who tend to focus more on questions about the research methods, the project plan and value for money.

Tell us a bit about the previous grant winners and how their projects are progressing.

The research we’ve previously funded has been broad and far-reaching, enabling us to build a more complete picture of osteoporosis.

From the record number of applications we received last year, the ROS invested in five new Project Grants, an Early Career Grant and an Innovative Grant.

Our new Project Grants will be exploring prevention of fractures (broken bones) through screening and assessment, helping people start and stay on effective treatments and improve our understanding of rare conditions such as pregnancy associated osteoporosis.

We spoke to one of the researchers awarded funding as part of last year’s grants round.

Professor Stuart Ralston from the University of Edinburgh submitted a research proposal into creating an infrastructure to improve understanding and outcomes of pregnancy associated osteoporosis.

Professor Stuart Ralston said:

“I am delighted that we have been awarded this project grant by the Royal Osteoporosis Society to increase understanding of pregnancy associated osteoporosis (PAO). Although this is a rare condition, it is truly devastating for women who are affected.

“The Royal Osteoporosis Society funding will allow us to establish a UK-wide network of women who have been affected by the condition with the aim of getting an accurate picture of the risk factors for the disease at the time of first diagnosis, as well as tracking its impact on bone health and general health throughout life.

“By creating this infrastructure we hope to develop tools to assess the risk of developing PAO as well as identifying the best forms of treatment.”

Find out more about our current research projects.

What will you be looking for in this year’s applicants?

Even before the pandemic, the treatment gap between people with a diagnosis and those receiving treatment for osteoporosis, was startlingly wide. It is estimated that around two-thirds of people are missing out on the treatment they need. Since then, NHS backlogs have widened that treatment gap even further.

At the beginning of the year the ROS launched its new strategy, Breaking the Silence, aimed at raising awareness, inspiring action among the public and policymakers, and demanding change for the millions of people living with osteoporosis. This year’s ROS research grants will be awarded to projects which align with our new strategy and help to improve care, lead to quicker and more accurate diagnosis and overcome barriers to wider practice. We also welcome projects which focus on reducing health inequalities in osteoporosis care.

We encourage applicants to bring together a strong collaborative research team to develop a proposal which aligns with the charity’s strategy and includes a clear plan for public and patient involvement and engagement.

Learn more about our 2022 research grants.

More information

For updates on the research projects we support, follow us on social media at
@royalosteosoc