His most recent research defined the characteristics of the stem cells of bone and related tissues and the biological factors controlling bone tissue formation and turnover in normal and pathological conditions. Other research includes studies on the basic principles for tissue engineering of skeletal tissues and on the changes that occur in bone development and metabolism in common diseases such as osteoporosis and in rare diseases such as fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). His FOP Research Group was central in discovery of the causative gene for FOP as part of an international consortium and he set up the University of Oxford FOP Research Fund within the University of Oxford through the Development office. In collaboration with Dr Alex Bullock and scientists at the SGC, the structure of the resultant protein was discovered and the structural basis of FOP proven. Current research continues in collaboration with Professor Graham Russell on the skeletal effects and pharmacology of the bisphosphonate class of drugs, with Dr Alex Bullock and members of the Structural Genomics Consortium in the FOP Research Group on heterotopic ossification and therapy for FOP and with Professors Zhengfeng Cui and Cathy Ye in the IBME in investigations on osteogenic stem cells. In addition, he is an active Faculty Member of Faculty 1000 and continues work on Medical School Committees and lectures on musculoskeletal topics within the University and internationally.