The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has awarded the prestigious International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Olof Johnell Science Award to Professor Nicholas Harvey, Director and Professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology at the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, UK.

The Award was presented in Barcelona, Spain on May 6th, on the occasion of the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2023). The award is named after the late Professor Olof Johnell, a renowned investigator whose legacy includes major contributions to the field across epidemiology, guideline development and policy. Presented annually, the Olof Johnell Science Award recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of osteoporosis in a scientific or policy implementation area worldwide. 

IOF President Cyrus Cooper stated, “On behalf of IOF, and as a long-time colleague, I am personally delighted to be able to present this prestigious award to Professor Nicholas Harvey.  His recent appointment as Director of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre at the University of Southampton attests to an impressive track record of published work across a broad spectrum of musculoskeletal research. As the Chair of the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors, he has contributed significantly to IOF’s mission, which addresses scientific advances, education, training and advocacy in the musculoskeletal field. This award represents hugely deserved recognition of his unstinting commitment and contribution to the field.”

Nicholas Harvey trained in medicine at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. He is Professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Southampton and Director of the University’s MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, where he leads an MRC programme, using a lifecourse approach to the epidemiology, determinants and prevention of osteoporotic fractures. He is Chair of the International Osteoporosis Foundation Committee of Scientific Advisors; a member of the ESCEO Scientific Advisory Board; a former Trustee of the UK Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) and was inaugural Vice-Chair of the ROS Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy. He is a Fellow of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). He has won many national/international prizes, including the International Osteoporosis Foundation Medal of Achievement. He is an investigator on >£50m grant funding, has published >400 articles and is a member of many national/ international committees, including as Musculoskeletal Lead for the UK Biobank Imaging Study, a member of the UK National Osteoporosis Guideline Group Advisory Committee, as a past member of the ASBMR Professional Practice Committee.

Professor Harvey commented, “I am deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award, which is testament to the world-leading research and hard work of a great number of colleagues at the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, at the International Osteoporosis Foundation, and of many further friends and collaborators in Southampton, nationally and internationally. As a member of the FRAX Team, it is a particular honour to receive a prize in memory of Olof Johnell, who was a key contributor to the development of this global standard fracture risk assessment tool.”

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World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO Barcelona 2023)
Held jointly by IOF and ESCEO, the Congress took place in Barcelona, Spain from May 4-7, 2023. WCO-IOF-ESCEO is the world’s largest annual forum for the presentation of clinical research and new advances in the prevention and management of bone, muscle and joint disorders, including sarcopenia and frailty. For complete information visit www.wco-iof-esceo.org  #OsteoCongress
The WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2024 will be held in London, UK from April 11-14, 2024. 

About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 315 patient, medical and research organizations, work together to make fracture prevention and healthy mobility a worldwide heath care priority. www.osteoporosis.foundation   @iofbonehealth