A UK resource of new models of bone and mineral disorders

A systematic breeding programme will create new mouse strains to uncover the genetic roots of common bone and joint diseases. Nearly everyone will develop a bone, joint, or mineral disorder—such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, gout, or kidney stones—at some point. Many of these conditions have a genetic component, but scientists lack the animal models needed to pinpoint the specific genes involved. This programme addresses that gap by breeding mice until they develop disease-relevant traits, then identifying the responsible genes. Because many experiments possible in mice are impossible in humans, this approach can reveal causal mechanisms that human studies alone cannot. If successful, this work will produce a publicly available UK resource of new mouse models for bone and mineral disorders. Researchers could use these models to test potential treatments, screen drugs, and understand why some people are more susceptible than others. The ultimate impact would be new therapies for conditions that currently have limited treatment options, affecting millions of people. This is fundamental science with a clear translational pathway—it does not promise immediate cures, but it builds the essential experimental toolkit needed to develop them.