Osteoporosis is the commonest metabolic bone disease whereby bone quality and strength deteriorates increasing fracture risk. Optimal predictive and diagnostic biomarkers are limited, highlighting the need for more robust discovery studies to improve patient management. Metabolomics, as products of metabolism, represent an innovative research niche that has the ability to identify specific and sensitive biomarkers of bone health.
Researchers from the University of Malta will be investigating more than 200 metabolites in several well-phenotyped Maltese families with early-onset osteoporosis as part of the MetaBone (Metabolomics to identify novel biomarkers for Bone disease) project. This will be made possible thanks to the Research Excellence Programme (2021), with a €50,000 grant awarded by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST).
The research team consists of Dr Melissa Marie Formosa who is the principal investigator from Department of Applied Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking (CMMB), Dr Jean Paul Ebejer (CMMB), Professor Josanne Vassallo (Department of Medicine and CMMB), and Mr Donald Friggieri (Department of Applied Biomedical Science and CMMB). The project aims to identify metabolites that are potentially implicated in the development of osteoporosis and other bone-related phenotypes.
Metabolomics is an emerging omics science involving the comprehensive and systematic profiling of metabolites from tissue, cells or biological fluids. Metabolites are small molecules that can be reaction intermediates or products of physiological metabolism. They have a multitude of functions ranging from signalling, energy conversion, epigenetic influences, and stimulatory and inhibitory biological activities. The unique feature of metabolites is that they indicate what is currently taking place in the organism, be it in health or disease. Changes in the DNA, RNA and protein expression can impact metabolite levels. For this reason, metabolomics could reveal significant information on the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolism, human traits and disease.
For further information about the MetaBone project, kindly contact Dr Melissa Formosa. Project MetaBone was financed by the Malta Council for Science & Technology, for and on behalf of the Foundation for Science and Technology, through the Research Excellence Programme.
