Bone: A rigid body tissue that makes up our body’s skeleton.
Craft: Skill and experience

BoneCraft.nl describes the expertise and experience of the Bone, Imaging & Genomics (BIG) research group of the Department of Internal Medicine at Erasmus MC. Our group is committed to transforming BIG research discoveries into tangible clinical solutions for individuals vulnerable to (musculo)skeletal disorders and other complex diseases.

Lines of research

The research of the BIG group is organized along four lines, with the first three defining the team organization (on expertise and trajectory); while the fourth line represents the clinical translation arm of the BIG group, implementing discoveries generated by the other research lines in the form of health benefit for the general population and improved patient care.

Bone Biology & Mechanistic Research

Our research aims at elucidating the cellular, molecular, and physiological mechanisms underlying the regulation of bone development, remodelling, adaptation, repair and disease.

Image: Backscatter SEM of Trabecular Bone by bone resorbing osteoclasts

Population Musculoskeletal Genomics, Imaging and Life-Course Epidemiology

We aim at identifying genetic, molecular, environmental, and lifestyle determinants of musculoskeletal traits and diseases throughout life using population-based cohorts and high-throughput genomic and imaging technologies.

Rare and Atypical Skeletal Disorders

Our research aims at improving the understanding, diagnosis, and management of rare skeletal diseases and atypical presentations of common (musculo)skeletal disorders.

mage: Mikael Häggström, M.D., CC0.

Clinical Phenomics and Precision Skeletal Medicine

We integrate clinical phenotyping, imaging, genomics, and molecular profiling to transform how we diagnose, predict, and treat musculoskeletal diseases. By applying machine learning to population and patient big data, we bridge biology, genetics, environment, and lifestyle—paving the way for advanced fracture risk prediction, targeted prevention, and personalized health outcomes.

Projects

LEGENDARE is a program funded by the ERC Advanced Grant No.20800 500 aimed at using genomics for preventing and managing human skeletal fragility and associated

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Featured Staff

Kirsty Huininga

PhD Researcher

I am Kirsty Huininga, with origins in the United Kingdom. Commencing my career as a Military Nurse in the United Kingdom, I relocated to the Netherlands in 2014, where I continued my nursing profession in secondary and primary care settings. Following a decade of clinical experience, I opted for a career transition into research. I successfully obtained a Research master’s degree in health sciences, culminating in my thesis entitled “Cost-effective Strategies for Mitigating Nurse Burnout: A Microsimulation Model” at Erasmus Medical Hospital.

My favourite book is the midnight library by Matt Haig