A Cell-Based Analysis Platform to Screen Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods against Osteoporosis

The project will build a new tool for the identification of food constituents which can be used to prevent or treat osteoporosis. The new tools will be in the form of a cell culture system which contains human bone cells. These cells will be cultured under laboratory conditions in which they display activities relevant to the development of osteoporosis. These activities will be measured when the bone cells are exposed to new food materials, so that the system identifies those food constituents which may bring health benefit if incorporated into the diet. An important feature of the new test system will be the ability to apply mechanical stress to the bone cells, just as happens constantly in the body. This innovation will encourage bone cells to behave in culture as they do when inside the bone, and in doing so, should make food test results predict accurately their health benefit. In doing so, this new laboratory tool will reduce the need for animal testing of new foodstuffs, and make nutritional trials of functional foods more cost-effective, through early selection of candidates likely to give health-benefit, and de-selecting those destined to fail before major expense is incurred.