https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Lecka-Czernik+B

My laboratory has a long-standing interest in studying skeletal homeostasis during aging and in conditions of impaired energy metabolism. Our research has been focused on the role of PPARG nuclear receptor in regulation of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lineage allocation and determination of bone and fat cross talk. Since PPARG regulates both energy metabolism and the fate of MSCs, we hypothesize that changes in fat metabolic status (e.g. impairment in fat function during aging and in diabetes or improvement due to increased insulin sensitivity and energy dissipation) correlate with either decline or improvement of bone mass/quality, respectively. We have demonstrated extensively in a variety models (e.g. aging, diet-induced obesity, or activation with either full or partial PPAR agonists, or genetic alteration of energy metabolism balance) that manipulation with PPARG activity has differential effects on adipocytic/osteoblastic fate of MSCs and bone mass. Most recently, we have discovered that PPARG is abundantly expressed in osteocytes and is a target for antidiabetic drugs which act as a ligand for this nuclear receptor. We have devoted the last 3 years to collecting evidence on PPARG function in osteocytes, which led us to development of current proposal. Overall, these efforts have led to the prospect that different activities of PPARG can be individually targeted in osteocytes which may provide bases for development of a new therapy with a premise to be beneficial for treatment of senile osteopenia and impairments in energy metabolism, simultaneously. Since 1997 my research has been continuously supported by funds from NIH and the American Diabetes Association. I am actively involved in educational activities to propagate research in the area of bone and energy metabolism by acting as an Editor of the book Diabetic Bone Disease published by Springer (2016), Guest Editor of Bone Special Issue on Bone Marrow Adiposity: Form, Function and Relation to Bone Remodeling (2018), Guest Editor for Current Osteoporosis Reports Special Issue on Bone Marrow and Adipose Tissue (2018), and as a member of ASBMR Work Group to Promote Communication with Diabetes Researchers which had organized the first joint ADA/ASBMR Symposium at the ADA 76th Scientific Session (2016) titled “Stick and Stones Can Break My Bones: What About Diabetes?”. I also have been actively involved in planning of several scientific sessions/meetings in the area of bone, aging, marrow adiposity and energy metabolism, as listed below.