Staff Physician, Medical Service, SFVAMC
Associate Professor of Medicine, UCSF

Email: mary.nakamura@ucsf.edu

Dr. Nakamura's field of study is osteoimmunology, a cross-disciplinary field that integrates studies of the immune system and studies of bone to define the interactions between these two systems. Her work currently focuses on osteoclasts, which resorb bone cells. Osteoclasts are the only such cells that are derived from white blood cells, and are similar to other cells in the innate immune system. Overactivity of osteoclasts leads to bone loss, which is an important clinical problem in patients particularly in osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis, and metastatic bone lesions from cancer. Dr. Nakamura's studies are focused on determining how specific cell surface molecules (receptors) on osteoclasts regulate bony remodeling in normal and pathological states, and how inflammation regulates this process. This work will enable us to better understand how osteoclasts are activated in different diseases and will lay the groundwork for the development of specific therapeutics to prevent bone loss.   

Humphrey MB, Daws MR, Spusta SC, Niemi EC, Torchia JA, Lanier LL, Seaman WE, Nakamura MC. 2006. TREM2, a DAP12-associated receptor, regulates osteoclast differentiation and function. J Bone Min Res 21(2):237-45.

Wu Y, Humphrey MB, Nakamura MC. 2008. Osteoclasts - the innate immune cells of the bone. Autoimmunity 41(3):183-94.