Tag Archives: arthritis research updates

dr caroline jefferies

Researchers on the Path to a Cure – Spotlight on Dr. Caroline Jefferies

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease and affects a wide part of the body, including the joints, kidneys, skin, blood, brain and other organs. One of our six Delivering on Discovery projects focuses on Lupus and lung disease. “Lupus is a complex disease. It affects many organs. The number of lupus patients with lung inflammation is probably underestimated. Yet it negatively impacts the quality of life in these patients,” explained Dr. Caroline Jefferies. “And while we have a basic understanding about how lupus affects various organs, we need to better understand how it affects the lungs to better manage and treat it.”

Dr. Jefferies is focusing on the lungs with her 3-year Arthritis Foundation-funded project, “Inflammatory neutrophils in lupus lung disease –  novel cellular target”.

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spotlight on dr dougherty

Researchers on the Path to a Cure – Spotlight on Dr. Edward Doherty

Why is my immune system attacking my joints? What is the cause? If you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this is something you have probably wondered at some point. It’s something Dr. Edward Doherty has wondered as well, and is currently studying. Dr. Doherty and his co-investigator, Dr. Pathricia Tilstam are studying key cells that drive inflammation in their 2-year Arthritis Foundation-funded project, “MIF/CD74 signaling as a new candidate for immunotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis”. With autoimmune disorders like RA, something triggers the immune system to malfunction and attack healthy cells, causing inflammation and disease. Dr. Doherty and Dr. Tilstam are looking for some of the triggers to help develop more effective treatments to stop progression and joint destruction.

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jordan orange

Researchers on the Path to a Cure – Spotlight on Dr. Jordan Orange

Chances are you haven’t heard of COPA syndrome. That’s because it wasn’t identified as a form of arthritis until 2015. So, what is COPA syndrome? It is a rare, inherited autoimmune disease that is caused by mutation of the COPA gene. It usually appears in early childhood. Patients show symptoms of severe lung disease and arthritis.

Dr. Jordan Orange was one member of a large research team that first identified COPA syndrome in 2015. The team’s published work in Nature Genetics won the Arthritis Foundation’s 2015 Howley Award prize for significantly advancing the understanding of an arthritis-related disease.

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Researchers on the Path to a Cure – Spotlight on Dr. Nora Singer

As an organization, we have always supported and encouraged the active involvement of patients in their own care. Patient perspectives matter greatly when it comes to decisions being made about health care. Their voices are vital in the clinical research process as new medications are being developed and tested.

Patient perspectives play a large role in Dr. Nora Singer’s 3-year Arthritis Foundation-funded project – “Cell-based therapy in systemic onset JIA (sJIA) refractory to conventional “c” and biological “b” DMARDs”. Her project uses stem cells derived from adult cells that are designed to “reset” the immune system. The study will compare the safety and effectiveness of the stem cell treatment to conventional and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Currently, stem cell therapy is experimental in the U.S. and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but is less regulated in other countries.

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dr richard loeser jr - arthritis research

Researchers on the Path to a Cure – Spotlight on Dr. Richard F. Loeser, Jr

“You are what you eat” is a phrase we often hear. But how true is it? Dr. Richard F. Loeser, Jr. and his research team are looking at the role of diet in their Arthritis Foundation-funded project “The Role of the Microbiome in Metabolic Osteoarthritis (OA)”.

Different factors play into why a person develops OA, including aging, injury, and being overweight. Diet plays an important role. What you eat can help influence what bacteria (or microbiota) live in your digestive track (gut). This, in turn, can influence what chemicals are released into your body. A healthy gut generally has a more diverse collection of helpful microbiota, while a microbial imbalance can lead to disease.

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delivering on discovery

Researchers on the Path to a Cure – Spotlight on Dr. Hongsik Cho

Big things come in small packages, and Dr. Hongsik Cho is very familiar with this phenomenon. When we first introduced Dr. Cho in August 2016, he was beginning work on his 2-year Arthritis Foundation-funded project, “A Novel Method of Detecting and Treating Early PTOA Using Smart Nanosome”.  He and his team are studying two things: a new drug and a new drug delivery system.  The drug, called TPCA-1, works to prevent inflammation caused by post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA).  The drug delivery system uses small packets called nanosomes that contain TPCA-1 and a fluorescent dye that illuminates the nanosomes’ path once injected into mice.

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