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For Immediate Release September 27, 2000 For More Information Contact: Lyn Mettler, (317) 274-7711 lmetter@iupui.edu

IUPUI RESEARCHER RECEIVES $1.5 MILLION TO STUDY NEW GENE'S RELATIONSHIP TO BONE DISEASES

INDIANAPOLIS - An IUPUI professor and his research team have identified a new gene that will help them to study bone growth - an underlying factor in diseases such as osteoporosis and periodontal disease.

Dr. Joseph Bidwell, who holds an appointment in both the IU schools of Medicine and Dentistry at IUPUI, recently received two grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling more than $1.5 million to continue his studies in these areas.

Previous studies show that exercise or certain hormones like parathyroid hormone (PTH) cause bones to grow as well as cause their cells to change shape. While looking for the connection between this bone growth and the cell's shape, Bidwell and his team discovered the new gene which they believe is the missing link. Later, an independent team in Japan also found the gene and identified the DNA sequence. By examining the activity of the gene, they hope that someday scientists can learn to control it and thus, regulate bone growth.

"Although scientists can never be certain ultimately how their research can be used to treat disease, I am excited that this information could have applications in the treatment of osteoporosis, fibrosis, periodontal disease and even cancer," said Bidwell. "As the baby boomers get older, osteoporosis, in particular, is going to become a major problem in America."

Although Bidwell's research primarily involves studying the gene's response to exercise and PTH in bone cells, the new gene has been found in other types of cells.

"It appears that this gene has many functions, including a role in cell division," said Bidwell. "Therefore these studies could have relevance in understanding cancerous cell growth."

Biomedicine is a second career for Bidwell, whose first vocation was marine biology. He holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and completed postdoctoral programs at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester; Columbia University, New York; and the Mayo Graduate School, Rochester, Minn. He has been a faculty member at the IU medical and dental schools for seven years and was awarded tenure in 1999.

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