BBDC

Michelle Fynan, PhD, LMHC, is a mother of two daughters, age seven and four. She and her daughters are diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type I, the mildest form of OI, which is characterized by bone fractures that often result from minor trauma. Here, Michelle shares her journey with OI, from adolescent struggles to finding her purpose as an OI activist and researcher.

Chaya Nautiyal Murali, MD, is a pediatric geneticist at Baylor College of Medicine and a member of the Brittle Bone Disorders Consortium (BBDC). She is also an accomplished essayist, using her creative writing skills to highlight themes of identity, inheritance, and family through the lenses of immigration and genetics. Here, she shares her start in rare disease research, exciting discoveries, and future goals.

Children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) may experience growth plate dysfunction, according to a recent study in the journal Bone. Researchers from the Brittle Bone Disorders Consortium (BBDC) found a higher ratio of collagen X (CXM) levels for growth velocity in children with OI, revealing new clues about how this disease may affect the growth plate.