Dr. Steven L. Teitelbaum is a world-renowned molecular biologist and one of the world's leading experts in bone metabolism and skeletal biology. He currently holds the prestigious Wilma and Roswell Messing Professorship in Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis where he also serves as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases. Dr. Teitelbaum earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia College in 1960 and his medical degree from Washington University in 1964, completing his clinical training at this institution and New York University. His distinguished career includes serving as Chair of the Department of Pathology at Jewish Hospital from 1987 to 1996 and chairing the institution's institutional review board from 1977 to 1997, demonstrating his extensive leadership in medical research and ethics.
Dr. Teitelbaum's pioneering research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of bone cell biology, particularly concerning osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption. Since the 1980s, his laboratory has elucidated critical mechanisms of osteoclast differentiation and function, identifying key genetic regulatory factors that control osteoclast development and clarifying precisely how these cells degrade bone. His work confirming the hematopoietic lineage of osteoclasts and documenting the central role of αvβ3 integrin in osteoclast function has directly contributed to the development of anti-osteoporosis drugs. With over 340 publications in prestigious journals, his research has provided major insights into how inflammatory cytokines modulate osteoclast generation, leading to effective therapies for joint destructive conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Beyond his research accomplishments, Dr. Teitelbaum has significantly shaped the field of bone biology through leadership roles including President of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research from 1992-1993 and President of FASEB from 2002-2003. He has mentored more than 70 undergraduate, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom now hold prestigious positions as skeletal biologists. His editorial responsibilities include serving on the Advisory Editorial Board of the Journal of Experimental Medicine and the Editorial Board of Cell Metabolism, influencing the direction of scientific discourse in his field. Currently, his laboratory continues to advance knowledge by exploring the interactions between bone, fat, and energy metabolism, with recent work defining the relationship of osteoclasts to obesity and developing approaches to treat type 2 diabetes without fracture-predisposing properties.
