Press Release

A nuclear ‘gatekeeper’ that regulates bone formation (Press Release)

An investigation of a rare developmental disorder helps clarify how signals that regulate bone formation enter the cellular nucleus.

Bi-allelic loss of function variants of TBX6 causes a spectrum of malformation of spine and rib including congenital scoliosis and spondylocostal dysostosis. ( Press Release: Japanese)

Identification of CSF1R as a causal gene for a new interesting syndrome affecting skeleton and brain. ( Press Release: Japanese)

Identification of genetic factors relating to disease susceptibility and smoking habit. ( Press Release: Japanese)

Identification of susceptibility genes for heel bone mineral density in East Asian. ( Press Release: Japanese)

Our paper: "Takeda et al. Compound heterozygosity for null mutations and a common hypomorphic risk haplotype in TBX6 causes congenital scoliosis" is selected as a front cover of "Human Mutation".

Identification of a gene associated with progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (Press Release: Japanese)

Identification of new susceptibility gene for OPLL of the Spine (Press Release:Japanese)

Identification of new susceptibility gene for osteosclerotic metaphyseal dysplasia. (Press Release:Japanese)

The genetic roots of adolescent scoliosis (Press Release)

Finding the roots of a spinal condition (RIKEN Research)

Researchers use iPS cells to show statin effects on diseased bone (Press Release)

Cell reprogramming recapitulates type II collagenopathy in cells and mice (Press Release)

Identification of new susceptibility gene for Coffin-Siris Syndrome (Press Release:Japanese)

Identification of new susceptibility loci for OPLL (Press Release:Japanese)

Getting ahead of the curve

Connecting the genetic dots on connective tissue disorders

Identification of new susceptibility gene for LDD, CHST3 (Press Release)

Identification of new polymorphism for AIS (Press Release)

Identification of new susceptibility gene for AIS, GPR126 (Press Release)

Identification of new susceptibility gene for SEMD-JL1 (Press Release)

Connecting the genetic dots on connective tissue disorders (RIKEN Research)

Uncovering the gene for a rare skeletal disease (RIKEN Research)

Dr. Ikegawa received the Japan Society of Human Genetics (JSHG) award


left) At the award ceremony together with president of the JSHG Annual meeting, Prof. Kayoko Saito
right) Snap at the award winning lecture

Identification of new susceptibility genes for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, LBX1

A break for bone disease research (RIKEN Research)

Health Society Award

Mr. Shingo Kawamura, one of our founder members and a visiting researcher, received the 7th Health Society Award (co-sponsored by the Japanese Nursing Association and Johnson & Johnson Co.) because of his commitment and volunteer works in our Consortium. He was invited to the Emperor Prince’s Palace on the next day of the reception and talked with Prince and Princess.

The Outstanding Paper Award

The Outstanding Paper Award was been given from the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) to the oral presentation (by Dr. Kazuhiro Chiba) in its annual meeting on April, 2010 at Auckland, New Zealand.

OARSI China

Together with a collaborator and a good friend, Prof. Qing Jiang in the Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, we organized The 1st OARSI (OsteoArthritis Research Society International) China Forum in Nanjin China. This is the first international research meeting for osteoarthritis in China. More than 100 researchers, both clinical and basic, gathered and made hot discussion.


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Identification of a new SNP for knee osteoarthritis by a whole genome association study

Our works were published in Newton (Japanese Science Magazine)

Getting to the bottom of lower-back pain (RIKEN Research)

New progress from a point venture(RIKEN Research)

The discovery of novel risk factors for osteoarthritis illuminates a probable role for the immune system in the pathology of this joint disorder

Common variants in DVWA on chromosome 3p24.3 are associated with susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis

Identification of new susceptibility genes for lumbar disc herniation, THBS2 and MMP9

GDF5 is a global gene for osteoarthritis

Genes, disease and ethnicity (RIKEN Research)

Our works were published in Newton (Japanese Science Magazine)

SLC35D1 is critical to chondroitin sulfate synthesis in cartilage and skeletal development in mouse and human (RIKEN Research)

"COL11A1" are new suscpectibility gene of lumbar disc problems

Develop a new OA model mouse

Asporin is a suscpectibility gene of the osteoarthritis beyond the racial wall

New suscpectibility genes of osteoarthritis; GDF5 (Growth Differentiation Factor 5) (RIKEN Research)

Identifying the chromosome region of susceptibility genes of osteoarthritis; the new step toward the understanding of etiology and pathology and toward the innovative therapy of the disease (Press Release) More info

Our work were published in a Clinical Genetics

Understanding slippage: genetic variations and lumbar disc problems (Press Release)

A susceptibility gene to the most common form of human arthritis (Press Release)

Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases
Center for Integrative Medical Sciences
RIKEN (The institute of Physical and Chemical Researches), JAPAN.