Proceedings of the Post-Genome Analysis for Musculoskeletal Biology Workshop.

Presentations at this workshop spanned the spectrum from basic science to clinical studies. A major emphasis of the discussion centered on genetic studies in humans, and the limitations and advantages of such studies. The power of coupling studies using human data with functional follow-up studies in pre-clinical models such as mice, rats, and zebrafish was discussed in depth. The advantages and limitations of mice and zebrafish for faithfully modelling aspects of human disease were debated, specifically in the context of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, adult-onset auto-immune disease, and osteosarcopenia. There remain significant gaps in our understanding of the nature and etiology of human musculoskeletal disease. While therapies and medications exist, much work is still needed to find safe and effective interventions for all patients suffering from diseases associated with age-related deterioration of musculoskeletal tissues. The potential of forward and reverse genetic studies has not been exhausted for diseases of muscles, joints, and bones.