Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation

The Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation (CBBF) is a voluntary health organization dedicated to promoting research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and eventual cure of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare genetic disorder, is characterized by defective development of collagen. Collagen, the body’s major structural protein, forms an essential part of bones, tendons, and connective tissues. Individuals with osteogenesis imperfecta have unusually fragile bones that break or fracture easily. There are four major types of the disorder that may vary greatly in severity. Osteogenesis imperfecta may be inherited as an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive genetic trait or may be due to a new genetic mutation. More than 50 mutations in genes that encode type I collagen have been identified. Established in 1991, the Children’s Brittle Bone Foundation is committed to promoting basic and clinical scientific research and to encouraging biomedical research scientists� interest in this currently underrepresented field.