John P. Bilezikian, MD

Dr. Bilezikian oversees a very active program of clinical investigation in a number of different metabolic bone diseases. The group of investigators who work with him includes Drs. Ethel Siris (Madeline Stabile Professor of Clinical Medicine and Director, Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center); Elizabeth Shane (Professor, and Director, Transplantation Bone Disease Program); Shonni Silverberg (Professor), Carolyn Becker (Associate Clinical Professor and Associate Director, Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center), Etah Kurland (Assistant Professor); and Mishaela Rubin (Instructor). Drs. Bilezikian and Silverberg head the longest and largest prospective study of primary hyperparathyroidism that has ever been conducted. With continuous NIH support, it is now in its twentieth year. With Drs. Silverberg and Rubin, promising new non-surgical approaches to primary hyperparathyroidism are being explored. These investigators have also developed research projects related to the cardiovascular, cognitive, and nutritional aspects of primary hyperparathyroidism. Drs. Bilezikian, Silverberg, and Rubin are also studying a clinical problem that is opposite to that of primary hyperparathyroidism, namely parathyroid hormone deficiency (hypoparathyroidism). Drs. Kurland and Bilezikian are studying osteoporosis in men with particular interests on clinical, histomorphometric, densitometric, genetic and therapeutic elements. Dr. Siris is the medical director of one of the largest epidemiologist surveys of skeletal ever conducted. Dr. Shane (see her separate listing) is one of the pioneers in the investigation of bone loss that occurs after organ transplantation. She is also conducting a study of osteoporosis in premenopausal women. Dr. Becker is heading a study of the patient who has sustained a fragility fracture of the hip. She is interested in the challenges of identifying such patients in an inpatient setting and developing therapeutic approaches with which fracture healing can be accelerated. With Drs. Ronald Katz and Ciao, Dr. Bilezikian conducts a laboratory-based research project focused upon the cellular and biochemical mechanisms of parathyroid hormone and bisphosphonate action.