Key appointment marks first steps to an institute for bone and muscle

A leading international authority in metabolic bone disease has been appointed by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) to lead a major initiative in research in bone and muscle disorders.

The appointment of Prof Bill Fraser will lead to the establishment of an institute of bone and muscle which, along with an institute of the gut led by Prof Alistair Watson, will form the two central themes of the joint UEA and NNUH ‘Clinical Academic Initiative’.

Prof Fraser joins from the University of Liverpool where he was head of the Department of Musculoskeletal Science within the Institute of Aging, and where he established and was director of the master levels research programme in clinical sciences. He brings a team of three researchers with him.

“Bill Fraser’s appointment is a very significant moment in our strategy to build our centres of excellence in research into gut, and bone and muscle, disorders,” said Prof Andrew Stewart Coats, Norwich Research Park professor-at-large who is leading the Clinical Academic Initiative. “He has an outstanding reputation in his field and his appointment – and others that will follow to form an institute of bone and muscle – will put Norwich at the forefront of research in this important area. Our aim is to become a world centre of excellence in bone and muscle disorders.”

Prof Fraser said: “I am delighted to be joining the Clinical Academic Initiative in Norwich. The establishment of a bespoke research institute of bone and muscle will be extremely important in developing new understanding and treatments which have the potential to be very significant for patients with osteoporosis, osteomalacia or Paget’s disease, as well as other bone and muscle disorders. It’s an exciting time and I am very privileged to be leading this work.”

By combining high-quality clinical and laboratory services with an active research programme, Prof Fraser has achieved an international reputation for research and clinical excellence in metabolic medicine, calcium metabolism and clinical biochemistry. His clinical research interests centre around metabolic bone disease, particularly research into osteoporosis and Paget's disease of bone. Prof Fraser lectures internationally and in 2006 was the recipient of the prestigious Association of Biochemistry Foundation Award.

He takes up his appointment with immediate effect.