Molecular mechanisms of bone mineralization

With an ageing population, degenerative skeletal diseases represent one of the major social and health challenges, causing the highest number of premature deaths and disabilities in the EU and worldwide. Despite their social and economic impact, the mechanisms of bone formation and regeneration remain largely unknown. Trying to contribute to close this knowledge gap, my line of research is defined in three pillars: 1) a deeper understanding of the role of mineralization regulators (non-collagenous proteins and proteoglycans) that triggers mineralization in the vertebrate skeleton, 2) an evaluation of the structural and biochemical changes at the mineral-collagen interface associated with abnormal expression of these regulators, and 3) a biomimetic approach directed to the development of osteocompatible materials for biomedical applications.