New funding awarded towards osteoporosis research

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) supports some of the brightest minds in the sector by providing researchers and scientists the opportunity to apply for funding. Our research grants fund studies that will improve our knowledge of osteoporosis and bring us closer to a future without the condition.

For many years, the ROS has funded research, bringing together expertise in the field from across the UK and the world. In the last two years, the ROS has sponsored over £609,000 in research projects, helping to play a vital role in reducing health inequalities in osteoporosis care.

Today, the ROS announced four new research projects it will be funding, chosen from last year’s applicants, covering topics such as; the recognition and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with neurological disease, improving accessibility of effective tools to identify undiagnosed spinal fractures and the role of pharmacists in primary care follow-up.

The ROS and all successful grants sponsored by the charity, put the voice of people living with osteoporosis at the heart of their work, consulting with patients and members of the public to make sure all proposals address the urgent gaps in osteoporosis care. 

The new research projects the ROS will be funding this year are:

• REFRAIN-PD study: REducing FRActures IN Parkinson’s Disease
• Translation of Vfrac: improving accessibility throughout the UK
• Use of Vfrac in community pharmacies: A feasibility study
• PHORM Study: PHarmacist led Osteoporosis Review for optimising Medicines

For more information about each of the successful projects, visit our current research projects page.

Dr Emily Henderson, Associate Professor in Ageing and Movement Disorders, Honorary Consultant Geriatrician at the University of Bristol is Principal Investigator on one of this year’s successful research projects.

Dr Henderson, ROS grant recipient, said:

“We are thrilled to accept this award from the Royal Osteoporosis Society. People with Parkinson's and similar conditions are often at high risk of sustaining a broken bone. We see the devastating consequences of fractures in our clinical practice.

“This grant will enable us to undertake research to better evaluate fracture risk and intervene most effectively with simplified pathways of care in this population of people who are particularly susceptible to breaking bones. We anticipate that this funding will make a tangible and meaningful difference to the lives of people who are living with Parkinson's and osteoporosis now.”

Dr Caroline Sangan, Research Manager at the ROS, said:
“The contributions we make through the ROS grants round will help to improve our knowledge of osteoporosis and as a result, the lives of millions of people living in the UK.

“Researchers are the next generation of future leaders in the field and given the right support, they will go on to develop new treatments, tools for prevention and improvements in care that will have a lasting impact on the lives of people with osteoporosis for generations to come. Congratulations to each of this year’s successful projects!”

This year, the ROS will continue its record investment in research, with the launch of the third consecutive grants round, and for the first time widening the remit to cover research and innovation, aimed at addressing ‘How better care can be delivered’.

Read more about the research we support