Because of the aging of the general population in all developed countries, the prevalence of osteoporosis is increasing worldwide and the fight against this disease has important consequences in terms of public health. This has prompted the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and Servier to build a partnership to encourage young scientists to engage in cutting-edge research in bone disease, and increase awareness and understanding of osteoporosis. With this aim, they created a grant designed to support investigators under the age of 40 in original research projects on osteoporosis of high scientific value and international relevance. The winning project will be supported by an unrestricted ¿40 000 grant from Servier.

Created in 2000, this grant has had laureates from Italy, Ireland, Australia, China, and USA. The international relevance is perfectly illustrated by the work of HW Deng et al [1] who won the award in 2004. Deng and colleagues evaluated the extent to which ethnicity affects bone mineral density (BMD) by comparing the association of six markers for five candidate genes with BMD variation in two populations of different ethnicity: Caucasian and Chinese. Polymorphisms of the calcium-sensing receptor, the estrogen receptor and PTH were associated with BMD variation at some skeletal sites in either males or females. The polymorphisms indicated clear distinctions between the associations depending on ethnicity, gender, and skeletal site. Ethnicity appears to have a larger effect on the total population BMD variation in females than in males. It may account for about 2% of total population BMD variation at the spine in females and about 1% at the hip in males and females. The results of this study suggest that significant interethnic differentiation at some loci may contribute to the significant interethnic differences in BMD.

If you are under 40 and are active in osteoporosis research, apply before March 3, 2008. It is worth it.

1. Deng HW, et al. Chin Med J. 2005;118:1235-1244.