There are two translational research themes within the BRC, which include disease characterisation and development and evaluation of medicine and device interventions:
A major recent advance has been the understanding that immune mediated inflammatory diseases do not represent a fixed phenotype but rather that they are the end point of a disease continuum, and that early identification using multiple biomarkers (imaging, cellular, molecular and serum) and appropriate intervention results in better patient outcomes. In rheumatoid arthritis we have identified that these biomarkers provide information on both the likelihood of and speed of progression to clinically recognised disease and have stratified populations for targeted therapy according to risk. Exploiting these advances we are applying the same approach to other IMIDs in order to identify appropriate populations for targeted cost effective treatments.
Improved management and treatment of osteoarthritis will centre around earlier diagnosis, improved non-surgical interventions, earlier and tissue sparing interventions including acellular scaffolds, and longer lasting joint replacements, with better targeting of interventions to meet stratified patient needs, greater precision and targeting in the design and delivery of devices and improved reliability of these treatments. This research will be supported by over £50m of other externally funded research grants and funded collaborations with 150 external partners.
Overview of research during 2016/17-
Research Overview 2016/17 (471 downloads)
Overview of research during 2015/16-
Research overview 2015/16 (436 downloads)