The University of California San Diego has announced a three-year, $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation in support of research on the role of inflammation in skeletal development.

The grant will assist collaborators at UC San Diego, Montana State University, and Clemson University in an investigation of inflammation in skeletal development from birds to mammals. Specifically, the laboratory at UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences focuses on developmental and evolutionary processes using laboratory mice and jerboas, three-toed relatives of the mouse with elongated hind limbs.

Earlier research found that when chickens were treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, important evolutionary bone fusion was halted. If a similar inhibition were to be observed in humans, it could raise questions about the impact of corticosteroids or other anti-inflammatories on skeletal growth, particularly in children. In addition, the team will explore a concept called necroptosis, which is a form of cell death in living bodies.

“We’re still learning which fusions are susceptible to anti-inflammatory drugs,” said Montana State University assistant research professor Dana Rashid. “This is really important to know, especially for kids who are on long-term corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs. We need to know what’s happening with their skeletons.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Tanto Yensen)