Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Bone
The laboratory Pharmacology of Bone was established in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in 1994. The main focus of our research is on the function of osteoclasts and their pathogenic role in metabolic and metastatic bone diseases. Our goals are to further understand: 1. Signal transduction pathways in osteoclast activation, in particular, the role of src kinase domains in osteoclast function, 2. The interaction between osteoblasts and osteoclast in osteoporosis, 3. The influence of bone microenvironment on tumor metastasis 4. Drug discovery: identification of novel therapeutics for the inhibition of osteoclast activity and ultimately the prevention of the progression of osteoporosis and bone metastases.
We have established four separate in vitro model systems, in which we can study osteoclast differentiation and resorption. These systems provide an opportunity to do comparative in vitro experiments with osteoclast derived from mice, rabbits, and humans. The goals of our projects are to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms regulating bone metabolism and tumour metastases and to find novel therapeutic targets.