About the Society

ESPE Working Groups

The Bone and Growth Plate Working Group

Background

The ESPE Bone and Growth Plate Working Group was formed in 2009 as a result of the fusion between the ESPE Bone Club (formed in 2000) and the ESPE Growth Plate Working Group (EUROGROP, formed in 2000).

Aims

The ESPE Bone and Growth Plate Working Group brings together clinical and experimental scientists and physicians actively involved in studies of paediatric bone, mineral and growth plate disorders. Key aims include the nurturing and development of future generations of basic and clinical scientists and dissemination of  new knowledge in the field of bone, mineral and growth plate research. This is achieved through advancing active research, especially based on wide-scale collaboration, and by promoting knowledge and education, in order to optimize the care of children with bone-related disorders.

Current Coordinator:
Wolfgang Högler - UK

Committee members:
A.M. Boot - Netherlands
G Haussler - Austria
O. Makitie - Finland
O Nilsson - Sweden
N.J. Shaw - UK
Lars Sävendahl - Sweden
J-M Wit - Netherlands

Meetings

Meetings will be held annually during the ESPE Meetings and will include presentations, group discussions and planning of joint research projects.

Organisation & coordination

There is an annual business meeting to plan future scientific sessions and collaborative research.

Current activities

ESPE Research Unit Group on Molecular Regulation of the Growth Plate:
In 2006 a collaborative project of two groups participating in the ESPE Growth Plate Working Group (Leiden, Stockholm) together with the Dept of Human Genetics in Heidelberg started, supported by an ESPE-Research Unit grant. The main objectives of the research proposal were obtaining a genome wide overview of gene expression patterns in the human growth plate which can be used to unravel various/multiple hypothesis regarding growth plate regulation and pubertal maturation. A longitudinal microarray analysis of two growth plate samples of one patient in early and mid-puberty showed a direct role for GH, IGF-I and RUNX2 in growth plate maturation. Furthermore, microarray data are available from a larger set of growth plates and from human mesenchymal stem cells that differentiate into the chondrogenic lineage. Other studies were carried out by culturing growth plates specimens in vitro. For further details we refer to the website and the attached PDF.

Download PDF (384kb)

Grants, awards and any other recognition received

The ESPE Bone Club and  ESPE Growth Plate Working Groups received several Research Unit Grants which has resulted in several papers.

Contact for further information

PD Dr Wolfgang Högler
Clinical Lead, Dept of Endocrinology & Diabetes
Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Birmingham
Steelhouse Lane
Birmingham
B4 6NH, United Kingdom
Tel: ++44 121 333 8189
Fax: ++44 121 333 8191
Email: wolfgang.hogler@bch.nhs.uk