Skeletal Adaptation and Development Laboratory

Lab Director
Vanessa R Yingling
voice: 215- 204-0082
fax: 215-204-4414
yingling@temple.edu

Mission

Our overall goal is to understand the development of peak bone strength and how to avoid age and disease related fractures.  Specifically, the role of exercise, hormones and nutrition in peak bone mass development.

To help students develop peak bone strength by understanding the factors that optimize bone development. 

To train students to be good scientists and advance their individual career goals.   

To emphasize integrity and accurate data collection and reporting of results. 

To work in an environment committed to “teamwork"

Research Focus

The current focus in the laboratory is on the role of endocrine status, nutrition, and exercise in the development of peak bone strength. I aim to learn whether peak bone strength is diminished due to factors during growth and adolescence and if this deficit has long term consequences.  Specifically, how environmental factors affect reproductive and somatic growth and the resultant effect on bone structure and strength.

At any given time, half of the girls and women in America are on a diet while millions exercise regularly.  Many exercise and restrict their diets.  A high proportion of these women experience either primary or secondary amenorrhea (i.e. absence of menstrual cycles).  These conditions affect the estrogen levels and may cause a progressive and apparently irreversible loss of bone mass over time.  Bone structure, a critical element for bone strength may also be adversely affected.  Energy restriction appears to be the trigger for a cascade of metabolic responses that ultimately leads to an increase in bone resorption and formation and thus decreased bone mass and increased fracture incidence in humans.  However, an animal model will afford inquiry into the structural changes that occur; we plan to replicate the paradigm of the seminal work by Loucks and collegues.  Through research on bone strength development, we will contribute to a better general understanding of the communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts in structure development and on the timing of optimal interventions during development.