NIAMS National Institute of Arthritis and

Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

About Our Strategic Plan

NIAMS MISSION

The NIAMS mission is to support research into 

the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis

and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; training 

of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this 

research; and dissemination of information on 

research progress in these diseases.

STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL

The goal of the plan is to advance and 

accelerate research into the causes, treatment,

and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal

and skin diseases. The ultimate goal of these 

efforts is to develop patient-centered, 

personalized ways to improve outcomes and 

thereby “turn discovery into health.”

CROSS-CUTTING THEMES 

AND RESEARCH AREAS

Many scientific challenges and opportunities 

within the NIAMS mission are not unique to 

any one field, disease, or scientific or clinical 

discipline. Rather, they transcend disease- and 

tissue-specific boundaries, have broad impact 

across many diseases and conditions, and can 

therefore serve as a framework to organize 

science across the assorted fields within the 

Institute’s purview. In addition to four crosscutting themes, the Institute’s research portfolio 

includes five core areas: Systemic Rheumatic 

and Autoimmune Diseases; Skin Biology and 

Diseases; Bone Biology and Diseases; 

Muscle Biology and Diseases; and Joint Biology, 

Diseases, and Orthopaedics.

NIAMS 

MISSION 

Shared mechanisms

in health and 

among diseases 

Patient-centric 

approaches 

to health and 

disease

Health and 

disease 

in diverse 

populations

Precision medicine 

for arthritis and 

musculoskeletal 

and skin diseases 
BONE BIOLOGY AND DISEASES 

RESEARCH

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• BONE BIOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY,

AND DEVELOPMENT

• INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY

• SKELETAL DEVELOPMENT

AND HOMEOSTASIS

• GENETICS, GENOMICS, AND

EPIGENETICS OF BONE MASS

AND FRACTURE RISK

• MECHANISMS OF BONE DISEASES:

PRECLINICAL AND

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

• THERAPEUTIC MECHANISMS

• IMAGING AND BIOMARKERS OF

BONE QUALITY AND FRACTURE RISK

• CLINICAL RESEARCH FOR RARE

BONE DISEASES

• CLINICAL RESEARCH FOR

OSTEOPOROSIS

PROGRAM SUMMARY

NIAMS supports studies on the control of bone remodeling 

(bone formation, bone resorption) and mineralization, as well 

as the effects of hormones, growth factors, and cytokines on 

bone cells. The Institute has overseen several large epidemiologic 

cohorts to characterize the natural history of osteoporosis and 

identify genetic and environmental risk factors that contribute 

to fracture. NIAMS also supports clinical trials to test the 

effectiveness of interventions to prevent fractures associated 

with osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases. In addition, 

the NIAMS Bone Biology and Diseases programs support 

research on the causes, pathophysiology, and treatment of less 

common bone diseases, such as osteogenesis imperfecta and 

Paget’s disease of bone, as well as a wide range of developmental 

disorders of the skeleton, many of which are genetic.

• Bone Biology, Metabolic Bone Disorders, and

Osteoporosis Program

• Clinical, Integrative Physiology, and Rare Diseases

of Bone Program

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT

NIH Pathways to Prevention Workshop

In October 2018, NIAMS, the National Institute on Aging, and 

the NIH Office of Disease Prevention hosted a Pathways to 

Prevention Workshop on the Appropriate Use of Drug Therapies 

for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention to identify research gaps 

and suggest focus areas that could move the field forward. 

Strategies for disseminating and implementing workshop 

findings are being developed by federal agencies to improve 

public health in FY 2020 and beyond. 

For More information

Read the full NIAMS Strategic Plan:

https://www.niams.nih.gov/about-niams/

strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024

NIAMS Website: www.niams.nih.gov 

Contact NIAMS: NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov