The Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health (ICMH) was established at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2017 to address the serious need to prevent and treat musculoskeletal disease. The center’s mission is to discover and develop new treatments, cures, preventative strategies, diagnostic tools and technologies to address the increasing burden of bone, muscle and cartilage disorders.

Diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, bones, muscle and joints result in significant health costs in terms of pain and suffering, loss of work and productivity, and accelerated death. Musculoskeletal diseases represent a huge financial burden to the United States health care system and are the leading cause of disability. In 2011, the cost of musculoskeletal diseases was estimated at $796.3 billion, or 5.7 percent of the US National Gross Domestic Product. A tremendous need exists for new approaches for treating musculoskeletal diseases.

The center includes outstanding, internationally known researchers in the areas of basic, translational and clinical musculoskeletal research at Indiana University, Purdue University, and other academic institutions throughout the United States. These scientists are making important discoveries in the laboratory to be used to treat patients with metabolic and genetic musculoskeletal diseases, bone and muscle cancer, and trauma and tissue regeneration and to determine how to harness the benefits of exercise.

The Center for Musculoskeletal Health works to foster relationships with others in the field by hosting renowned speakers, providing leadership and collaboration within the research teams, and by developing technology and services in the basic and clinical cores.