MRC and Arthritis Research UK call for applications for £2.5m Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research
15 December, 2010
The Medical Research Council (MRC) and Arthritis Research UK have committed £2.5million to establish a new research centre for musculoskeletal ageing. Universities and Institutions are being encouraged to apply to run the facility. The centre will investigate the causes and processes of musculoskeletal ageing, working towards delivering effective new treatments to combat the musculoskeletal decline which occurs as people age, such as exercise routines and recommendations on nutrition, as well as new drugs.
The new facility will bring together the brightest minds in the field to become an international centre of excellence, drawing on a multidisciplinary team of scientists, physiologists and clinical professionals specialising in musculoskeletal tissues, such as muscle, bone and cartilage; nutrition, physical activity, functional assessments and rehabilitation.
The £2.5million will support the costs of establishing, developing and maintaining the centre for an initial period of five years. Scientists at the centre will need to obtain further grants from the MRC, Arthritis Research UK and other funders to conduct their studies.
The research carried out at the centre will be dependent on the successful Institution and its proposal, however examples of research focus include:
Professor Stephen Holgate, chair of MRC Population and Systems Medicine Board, said:
“As we grow older we expect to become frailer. We recognise musculoskeletal decline as a common feature of ageing and a fact of life for most of us. But while we have substantial knowledge of tissue growth and repair processes, there’s a critical need to transform this knowledge into new treatments for our ageing population. The musculoskeletal system requires a wider understanding than can be obtained by simply studying individual tissues and working in silos. The new centre will drive forward collaboration by uniting experts from across the UK and increasing our capacity to answer the pressing research questions in this field.”
Arthritis Research UK’s medical director Professor Alan Silman, said:
“Arthritis Research UK is committed to supporting research into healthy musculoskeletal ageing to maximise physical function as we get older. This joint centre offers us a wonderful opportunity to bring together scientists from several different disciplines and further our knowledge in this increasingly important area in the 21st century.”
The closing date for the first stage of centre applications is 23 February 2011. The final outcome will be announced in November 2011. More information on the call can be found at: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Calls/index.htm.
ENDS
