Founded in December 1997, and directed by Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan, it is the first of its kind institutionally, nationally and regionally as a center of expertise for metabolic bone disorders. The clinical care arm is a major referral center nationally and regionally for adults and pediatric patients with metabolic bone disorders. In addition, the very active clinical research arm is a resource to students, residents and fellows who get exposed to the discipline of clinical research in general and that of calcium and bone metabolism in particular. The education arm has been a resource nationally and regionally. The Eastern Mediterranean Branch of the World Health Organization has elected the center as a teaching resource on osteoporosis and metabolic bone disorders to fellows in the region. By 2004, the Program established itself as one of the most well funded research program institutionally.