University of Southern Denmark. Odense, Denmark

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Morten Frost is a physician-scientist who employs a human-centric approach to identifying mechanisms of common and rare metabolic bone diseases. The research is conducted at the Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, University of Southern Denmark, which strives to drive meaningful change for patients by integrating clinical and basic research approaches. The current research activities involve skeletal health in type 1 and 2 diabetes; consequences of mitochondrial function on bone formation; and the short and long-term skeletal effects of incretin hormones GIP and GLP-1 and incretin analogues. 

Massachusetts General Hospital, USA

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Marc Wein, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, an Associate Member of the Broad Institute, a Chen Institute MGH Research Scholar, and a principal faculty in the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. He is a practicing endocrinologist with expertise in osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases. His laboratory studies molecular and cellular mechanisms that control bone remodeling and mineral metabolism. He received his MD and PhD from Harvard Medical School and completed his clinical training in internal medicine and endocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He currently serves as Deputy Editor for the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, and has received the 2024 Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering and additional wards from American Society of Bone and Mineral Research, the American Society of Clinical Investigation, and the Harrington Discovery Institute.

University in Leuven, Belgium

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Geert Carmeliet started her doctoral work, as medical doctor, in the Centre of Human Genetics and obtained her PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Certification in Paediatrics at the KU Leuven, Belgium. She is Professor in Medicine, has been involved in training and teaching medical students and PhD students and has been Chairman of the Division of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven.

The lab (www.Mebodd.com) investigated the importance of vitamin D signalling and angiogenesis in bone development and disorders, but focusses now on how oxygen and nutrient supply might control skeletal cell fate and function. Our research aims to understand how cell metabolism regulates the fate and functioning of different skeletal cell types using in vivo van in vitro approaches. Besides investigating bone development  we also want to understand how disturbed skeletal cell metabolism contributes to bone pathologies such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and bone metastasis and how targeting skeletal cell metabolism can improve tissue engineering approaches for large bone defects.

University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

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Based at the Faculty of Dentistry at Otago University for the last 18 years Dr Coates runs projects primarily examining angiogenesis, osteogenesis and stem cells. The team has conducted significant research in the field of dental bioengineering with a focus on novel antimicrobial grafting constructs. Dr Coates also has current stem cell research projects examining dental pulp, adipose-derived, and periosteal-derived stem cells. She has over 80 peer-reviewed publications, 4 patents, and has supervised to completion 24 doctoral students. She currently has 8 doctoral students working on a variety of projects. She will be joined in this presentation by her current PhD students Dina Abdelmoneim and Asrar Elahi sharing their research.

Mater Research, Brisbane, Australia

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Dr John Kemp leads the Musculoskeletal Genomics Group at Mater Research. His research aims to identify new biological mechanisms that can be targeted therapeutically to improve skeletal health. Dr Kemp first developed a keen interest in genetics while studying a bachelor’s degree in genetics at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). After completing his Honours Degree, he secured a scholarship from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne to study a master’s degree in medical genetics. Dr Kemp was subsequently awarded a Wellcome Trust PhD studentship in molecular genetics and life-course epidemiology from the University of Bristol. After completing his doctorate, he relocated to Australia and secured a NHMRC fellowship. During his postdoctoral studies he published numerous papers on osteoporosis genetics in high-impact journals, including Nature Genetics. His work identified hundreds of regions in the human genome associated with bone mineral density, offering significant potential for uncovering new mechanisms that regulate skeletal health.

Edith Cowan University, Melbourne, Australia

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Dr Cassandra Smith is a dedicated clinician-researcher and Accredited Exercise Physiologist with over a decade of clinical experience. She is a National Heart Foundation and Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow based at the Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute, Edith Cowan University. Dr Smith completed her PhD in 2022 and her current research investigates why, with age, bone is lost from the skeleton while calcium accumulates in blood vessels—focusing on the influence of menopause and its potential role in the sex disparity observed in cardiovascular disease. Her research program is guided by a consumer-driven approach that incorporates lived experience and community engagement to ensure real-world relevance—optimising interventions that not only save lives but also enhance their quality.