COLLEGE STATION, Texas — According to the CDC, the life expectancy for people with Down Syndrome has grown from 10 years in 1960 to 47 years in 2007 thanks to medical advancements.
Today, three researchers at Texas A&M's Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, have been studying bone regeneration to help these individuals lead easier lives.
People with Down Syndrome have lower bone mass, making them more vulnerable to fractures and injuries that cannot heal.
“Collectively we also work on standard types of fractures, so if a person with Down Syndrome gets a fracture how is that gonna heal, how is that gonna repair? So, the three grants together provide a massive opportunity for the people with Down Syndrome in the local community and the researchers to collaborate about the consequences of trisomy 21,” Dr. Larry Suva, one of the lead researchers and head of the Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology department, explained.
In a collaborative effort and $5.6 million in grants between them, these researchers are trying to find out if bone regeneration is the key to helping people with Down Syndrome recover from fractures.
Dr. Lindsay Dawson, a specialist in regeneration biology said, “We’re looking at the gene expression that governs bone-forming cells and bone-degrading cells and we’re trying to piece together or tear apart what’s causing these bone alterations. We’re hoping to try to identify treatment strategies that will help people with Down Syndrome across the life span.”
The new project was made possible by discoveries that both humans and mice can regrow the ends of their fingertips.
“Once we identify those genes then we can start looking for new drugs or new approaches,” Dr. Weston Porter, another VTPP professor said.
These scientists are motivated by the Down Syndrome community in Brazos Valley which has helped them understand the impact of their work.
Dr. Suva finalized, “The community is asking us for muscle skeletal help, and we think that’s a heck of a question we should investigate it, and that back and forth is what biomedical science should be about its what we try to do.”
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