Dr. Deborah Kado is a board-certified internist with clinical expertise in in osteoporosis and geriatric medicine. Her primary area of research interest is in the epidemiology of hyperkyphosis, commonly known as the dowager's hump. She is a successfully NIH funded scientist since 2000 who has demonstrated that: 1) only about 1/3 of those with the worst degrees of kyphosis have underlying osteoporosis; 2) older men as well as women also suffer from age-related stooped posture; and that 3) older persons with worse degrees of kyphosis are at increased risk for suffering from a decline in physical function, fractures, and even earlier mortality. Her ongoing research is examining the underlying biological correlates of age-related kyphosis and investigating potential preventive and treatment options for affected persons.