10/16/2026
Advancing care for children with bone and soft tissue tumors requires both clinical expertise and scientific discovery. At Riley Children’s Health, orthopedic oncologist-scientists are leading research initiatives aimed at improving treatment options for osteosarcoma and other complex musculoskeletal malignancies.
At the intersection of clinical care and translational research is Christopher Collier, MD, a fellowship-trained orthopedic oncologist who specializes in the management of bone and soft tissue tumors in children and adults. In addition to caring for patients at Riley Children's Health, Dr. Collier leads a basic science research laboratory focused on osteosarcoma, metastatic bone disease, cancer cachexia, and body composition changes associated with cancer treatment.
His work recently received a major milestone with the awarding of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award, a distinction that remains uncommon among orthopedic surgeons. The award supports Dr. Collier's investigation into the mechanisms driving cancer-related muscle loss and bone deterioration and provides dedicated time to accelerate the development of an independent, NIH-funded musculoskeletal oncology research program.
Advancing Precision Medicine for Osteosarcoma
One area of focus is osteosarcoma, the most common primary malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. Building on earlier work investigating novel therapies for metastatic disease, Dr. Collier continues to collaborate with Ed Greenfield, PhD, at Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health at Indiana University School of Medicine to identify more effective treatment strategies.
The team's recent research has expanded the application of precision functional medicine in osteosarcoma, leveraging innovative screening approaches to evaluate potential therapies and better match treatments to tumor biology. This work reflects a broader commitment to accelerating translational discoveries and identifying new options for patients whose disease does not respond to conventional therapies.
Earlier research from the collaboration developed a three-dimensional osteosarcoma drug-screening platform capable of modeling metastatic disease. Using this platform, investigators screened FDA-approved oncology agents and identified promising therapeutic candidates, including epigenetic therapies that may represent future treatment opportunities for patients with advanced osteosarcoma.
Investigating the Impact of Cancer on Musculoskeletal Health
In parallel with his osteosarcoma research, Dr. Collier studies cancer cachexia, a complex syndrome characterized by muscle wasting, weakness and loss of function that affects many patients with advanced cancer. His research aims to better understand how metastatic bone disease contributes to systemic muscle loss and identify targets that could lead to future therapeutic interventions.
The laboratory also uses advanced imaging and body composition analysis to evaluate changes in muscle, fat and bone mass during cancer treatment, helping researchers better understand the broader effects of cancer and its therapies on long-term health and quality of life. Supported by his NIH K08 award, Dr. Collier's research seeks to translate these discoveries into improvements in patient care. “Taking excellent care of patients always comes first,” Dr. Collier said. “As an orthopedic oncologist and through what I learn as a researcher, I strive to improve outcomes for my patients—I believe that blending the two worlds together makes me better at both.”
Growing a Destination Pediatric Orthopedic Oncology Programs
Research progress is supported by a growing clinical program. Riley Children's Health now has three fellowship-trained orthopedic oncologists, making it one of the largest pediatric orthopedic oncology groups in the country. Together, the team provides specialized care for children and adolescents with benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors, offering expertise that is available at only a limited number of pediatric centers nationwide.
Combined with access to multidisciplinary cancer specialists, translational researchers, clinical trials, and resources such as the Indiana Pediatric Biobank, the program is helping strengthen Riley Children's position as a destination center for musculoskeletal oncology care and research.
Check out the Orthopedics section of the latest Riley Children’s Health annual report for more information about treatment, novel programs and research.
