Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a second gene that causes melorheostosis, a rare group of conditions involving an often painful and disfiguring overgrowth of bone tissue. The gene, SMAD3, is part of a pathway that regulates cell development and growth. The researchers are now working to develop an animal model with a mutant version of SMAD3 to test potential treatments for the condition. The study appears in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

There’s no doubt that the global COVID-19 pandemic has upended our daily lives in unprecedented ways. This crisis has imposed unique challenges for people from all walks of life. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the strength, adaptability and resolve of the entire NIAMS community as we navigate this unpredictable situation.