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Farasat Zaman

Senior research specialist

Research description

Osteoporosis and bone growth failure in chronic paediatric diseases

The overall aim of these studies is to address unanswered core bone health questions such as osteoporosis/bone growth failure in the paediatric patients with chronic diseases and exposed to high dose glucocorticoid therapy. Some 20% of paediatric patients treated with GCs experience multiple peripheral fractures, bone pain and vertebral compression fractures. We are currently investigating following disorders in which GCs are frequently used:

  • Inflammation
  • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
  • Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

Impaired bone health is often present at diagnosis in these disorders, but poorly understood Severe osteoporosis is a frequent finding 1-3 years post diagnosis. Understanding the pathophysiology of disordered bone health/osteoporosis following glucocorticoids treatement in chronic conditions such as ALL, inflammation and DMD will lead to development of better treatment strategies in affected children.  We are also investigating novel molecules/peptides in combination with GCs to prevent osteoporosis and bone growth failure in infllamtion, ALL and DMD.