Tatiane Vilaca

I graduated from Medical School and trained in Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil. I undertook a research Master’s in Translational Medicine at the Federal University of Sao Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) and completed my PhD at the University of Sheffield. During my PhD, I studied bone health in diabetes. Since completing my PhD, I have worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Sheffield.

I am interested in the effects of chronic diseases and medications on bone and the underlying mechanisms. I have vast experience in systematic reviews, with several publications on the effect of chronic diseases on the risk of fractures. I have led four systematic reviews, three on the risk of fractures in diabetes and chronic kidney disease and another on osteomalacia following repeated iron infusions. I have also participated in other reviews, investigating the risk of fractures in Parkinson’s disease and microRNA profile in sarcopenia and obesity. These projects result from several collaborations within the University of Sheffield (e.g., ScHARR) and international groups from the USA and Denmark.

I am particularly interested in the effects of diabetes and obesity on bone health. I investigated several aspects of bone health in this diabetes, including microarchitecture using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography, the effects of neuropathy and other potential mechanisms associated with bone fragility in this disease, such as the role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). I have also investigated the endocrine mechanisms associated with favourable bone structure in obesity and the interplay between fat and bone.

Recently, I have worked on a family mapping study in hypophosphatasia (HPP), the FAME study, in collaboration with the Sheffield Children’s Hospital. I characterise musculoskeletal features and mineral metabolism in people with HPP, a rare bone disease.

I am involved in the FNIH-ASBMR-SABRE Project (Study to Advance BMD as a Regulatory Endpoint). This multidisciplinary international initiative aims to change the regulation on the requirements for osteoporosis drug approval from reduction in clinical fractures to treatment-related changes in BMD, which would encourage the development of new drugs.