Of mice and women: Defining the role of estrogen in regulating sex specific bone matrix composition, bone strength and mechanisms of skeletal repair

Bone adapts to mechanical loads by changing its overall geometry, microstructure and tissue properties such as degree of mineralisation.

These functional bone adaptations are closely coupled to the bones' vascular health, maintaining overall bone strength and fracture resistance. There is an acknowledged divergence in age-related bone fracture risk between men and women.

Further, sexual dimorphism in fracture risk has been reported in young active individuals, with lower limb fracture occurrence reported to be 3-fold higher in women than men during military training.

This PhD studentship will combine state-of-the-art imaging techniques, mechanical testing and finite element modelling to assess bone microstructure and function following extreme exercise regimes used within the military to better understand and predict fracture risk in men and women.

It will also explore new technologies (phage-display) for stratification of fracture repair and bone regenerative treatments by gender.