Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health

The Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health brings together basic, clinical and data-driven scientists, clinicians, trainees and partners to accelerate discoveries that predict, prevent and treat bone, muscle and joint disease.

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News Spotlight
Rickie Witte, Amrou Awaysheh, Jill Fehrenbacher, Melissa Kacena and Orsa Britton stride down the hallway of an orthopedic research and manufacturing facility

IU-led coalition named NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana to advance treatment of musculoskeletal health conditions

The IU-led NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana has been selected as a NSF Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine). The initiative will build a regional innovation ecosystem in Indiana focused on the care and treatment of musculoskeletal health conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis, and acute and interventional needs like bone fractures and traumatic injuries.

Read the press release

Learn about IMPACT

Event Spotlight
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Annual ICMH Conference

East, West and Healthcare Excellence: Integrative Approaches to Musculoskeletal Health from Pediatrics to Geriatrics

Aug. 28-29

In partnership with IU Indianapolis, the School of Health and Human Services, and Jaseng Medical Academy, join ICMH for an international conference exploring integrative approaches to musculoskeletal health across the lifespan. The 2026 program brings together researchers, clinicians and health professionals for academic exchange, clinical innovation and global collaboration in Indianapolis.

The Alexander Hotel
333 S Delaware St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Learn more

Register now

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Our Vision is Bold

At the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, we're not just about advancing science. We're about improving lives.

138+
investigators
$45M+
2025 grant funding (IU investigators only)
413
new publications in 2025
6
thematic research teams

About the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health

The Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health (ICMH) addresses 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. 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.

Make a Difference

Philanthropic support is vital in our effort to conduct groundbreaking research and make a meaningful impact on patient lives. Online giving is simple and secure. Learn more about philanthropic options to advance musculoskeletal research today.

Drs. Econs and White discuss research results in the lab

Research

Musculoskeletal center researchers are building on IU School of Medicine’s well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s most knowledgeable group of physician scientists focused on bone biology and musculoskeletal disorders. Researchers and clinicians working with the Indiana Center for the Musculoskeletal Health span four universities and continue to focus on international collaboration. Membership in the Indiana Center for the Musculoskeletal Health is growing. 

a student prepares a sample in the plotkin lab

Education

The Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health is invested in the training and education of the next generation of researchers in musculoskeletal health. Utilizing an extensive network of experts in the fields of bone, muscle, and bone and muscle interactions, the center supports a musculoskeletal health PhD program and post-doctoral training. 

members of the clinical research team stand together in the clinic space

Service Cores

Research service cores are available to support Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health investigators and collaborative medical research partners working in this area of medicine. Support for research involving animal imaging and analysis, musculoskeletal histology, musculoskeletal biobanking, and clinical care and mobility is currently available. Researchers in the center received funding of a clinical grant that focuses on developing and sustaining the Indiana Core Center for Clinical Research (in Musculoskeletal Disorders).