Competition Results

Project title: Understanding how health factors, job context, sex and gender affect workplace accommodation among men and women with arthritis: The scleroderma model

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $150,000

Project summary:

Scleroderma and support at work: How and when it is needed

New treatments have improved the lives of people with arthritis. Many wish to maintain their ability to work. How you function at work is not entirely explained by your age or disease symptoms. It is also related to other personal factors, work context, and workplace practices that may support work performance or impede it. Using scleroderma – an inflammatory disease that can cause arthritis and disability – as a model, Dr. Sindhu Johnson will study how health factors, job context, sex, and gender affect accommodations made in the workplace for men and women with this condition. Insights from this research will inform workplace policies and practices and support the development of targeted workplace supports to help people with scleroderma contribute productively to the workforce.

Project title: Advancing self-management supports, new models of care, and health professions education to improve access to evidence-based care for people with osteoarthritis and arthritis pain

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $150,000

Project summary:

Improving access to evidence-based care for osteoarthritis and arthritis pain

Osteoarthritis and arthritis pain are leading contributors to disability worldwide. Treatments such as personalized exercise and self-management programs can improve function, but they are often hard to access. Dr. Jordan Miller will explore ways to make accessing evidence-based care for osteoarthritis and arthritis pain easier. First, he will adapt an effective in-person self-management program to an online format and prepare to evaluate it. Second, he will study the impact of a team-based care model putting physiotherapists in family doctors’ offices and making the physiotherapist the first person a patient sees when booking an appointment for knee or hip pain. Third, he will reach agreement amongst physiotherapy pain educators across Canada on what skills, knowledge, values and attitudes physiotherapists need to help people living with pain. Together, these studies are expected to provide evidence on ways to make it easier for people with arthritis across Canada to access evidence-based care.

Project title: Thrombelastography-defined duration of hypercoagulability following elective total hip and total knee arthroplasty

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $150,000

Project summary:

Evaluating individual blood clotting risk after hip or knee replacement surgery

A simple blood test can be used to analyze how someone forms and breaks down blood clots, as an indicator of which patients may be at increased risk for life-threatening blood clots after hip and knee replacement surgery. Dr. Prism Schneider will measure blood clotting changes in people before surgery, 24 hours after surgery, and at routine follow-up visits until three months after surgery. Ultrasound imaging of the legs two weeks after surgery will also be used to look for blood clots. This research will be used to personalize risk assessments and improve preventive treatment to help reduce painful and life-threatening blood clots after joint replacement surgery.

Project title: Imaging approaches to understand the role of patient biological factors in outcomes following total joint replacement

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $150,000

Project summary:

Understanding why artificial joints fail to perform as expected

Total hip and knee replacements are the mainstay treatment for advanced osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, about a third of patients may experience complications or dissatisfaction with the outcome of the procedure, and about 10% must undergo repeat surgeries to replace failed joint implants. Dr. Matthew Teeter’s mission is to enhance patient mobility and quality of life after joint replacement through the development and application of imaging and digital technologies. Specifically, he will combine medical imaging and biological research approaches to find out how gut bacteria affect the integration between bone and artificial implants, if ongoing joint inflammation after knee replacement causes pain and dissatisfaction, and if he can see implant component damage after hip replacement associated with immune cell reactions in joint tissue. Understanding risk factors and evaluating new treatments for these issues will help patients receive more personalized treatments that avoid complications and the need for repeat surgeries.

Project title: New dietary and exercise intervention strategies to prevent the effect of obesity and associated osteoarthritis in the knee

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500

Project summary:

Preventing osteoarthritis through diet and exercise

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. Obesity is an important risk factor for developing osteoarthritis, but the best way to prevent obesity-induced arthritis is not known. Under the supervision of Dr. Walter Herzog, Nada Abughazaleh will use an animal model to see whether exercise and dietary fibre supplementation can prevent or slow obesity-induced osteoarthritis in the knees and identify the best time window to intervene. This preclinical evidence may then be used to inform clinical trials of a similar approach in humans.

Project title: Novel osteoarthritic joint-on-a-chip (JOC) systems for modelling interactions between joint resident cells and infiltrating immune effectors

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

A new model of knee osteoarthritis to support drug discovery

There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis. Potential treatments are initially tested in the lab using animal or cell models that are often poor predictors of how human joints respond, resulting in drugs that have failed in clinical trials. Under the supervision of Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan and Dr. Edmond Young, Lauren Bahn is developing a more complex “joint-on-a-chip” experimental model, which will include cartilage and non-cartilage tissues, blood vessels, and immune cells – all of which are important in osteoarthritis but have not yet been combined in existing models. The realistic joint model will be a powerful tool for the study of osteoarthritis and the testing of new treatments.

Project title: Gut inflammation in spondyloarthritis: Which immune cells are driving the process?

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Understanding gut inflammation in spondyloarthritis

Spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the bones and joints. It is also often accompanied by inflammatory conditions that affect other organs, such as inflammatory bowel disease. Under the supervision of Dr. Nigil Haroon, Shaghayegh Foroozan Boroojeni will study gut inflammation in a mouse model of spondyloarthritis, as well as the role of a protein called MIF that has been identified as a potential drug target in spondyloarthritis. Understanding gut inflammation associated with spondyloarthritis may help researchers better understand how the diseases work and guide the development of better therapies.

Project title: Examining Mig6/EGFR signalling in osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Mig6: A potential key to osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, leading to joint pain and disability, and lacks effective treatments. A protein called Mig6 has been identified as a potential novel therapeutic target. Under the supervision of Dr. Frank Beier, Ermina Hadzic will characterize the role that Mig6 plays in osteoarthritis and how it works. Experiments will use cells from people with osteoarthritis as well as genetically modified mouse models to assess how Mig6 functions in both healthy and arthritic joints. If successful, this will lay the groundwork needed to develop and test new osteoarthritis treatments.

Project title: The effect of 30 minutes of continuous walking on biomechanical and neuromuscular inter-limb asymmetries in individuals with unilateral knee osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500

Project summary:

“Will I get osteoarthritis in my other knee too?”: Impact of extended walking

Physical activity is recommended to help relieve the pain and other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. Under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Moyer, Carson Halliwell is studying how the knees and supporting muscles work during extended walking using 3D motion capture analysis, focusing on what happens in the non-arthritic knee of people with painful osteoarthritis in only one knee. This will help reveal how to predict a person’s risk of developing osteoarthritis in their second knee and inform tailored rehabilitation approaches to protect the joints and prevent further damage.

Project title:  Advanced MR imaging to identify causes of early hip osteoarthritis after Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Hip shape and cartilage damage in teens and young adults – a path to early osteoarthritis

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is a rare condition in children that can cause a permanent change in the shape of the hip. This is linked to cartilage damage and early osteoarthritis, but it is unclear exactly how. Under the supervision of Dr. David Wilson and Dr. Kishore Mulpuri, Luke Johnson will use advanced MRI scanning in a group of teenagers and young adults who had LCPD as children, to pinpoint how the disease changed their hip shape and whether cartilage damage is occurring even in young patients. This will help us understand how LCPD leads to early osteoarthritis, and possible approaches to prevent it.

Project title: Investigating brain contributions to chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $11,958

Project summary:

“It’s all in your head”: The role of the brain in knee osteoarthritis pain

Some patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery to treat painful knee osteoarthritis continue to experience unexplainable knee pain. Changes in the brain may drive this persistent pain. Under the supervision of Dr. Ashley Harris and Dr. Sarah Manske, Samantha Leech will use brain imaging to measure brain chemicals associated with pain in people with painful knee osteoarthritis, and sensory testing to identify people who feel pain more strongly. This research could help doctors develop more personalized osteoarthritis treatment options that target the brain – not just the joint.

Project title: Exploring and validating pain phenotypes in early knee osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Explaining pain in people with early knee osteoarthritis

Pain is the primary reason why people with knee osteoarthritis seek medical care, but current treatment
options fall short. Pain is complex, personal, and challenging to measure in a meaningful way. Under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Carlesso, Raghava Neelapala will examine two existing databases of information from people with early knee osteoarthritis to compare different data profiles linked with pain and which way of grouping the data best explains knee pain and its worsening. These pain profiles could help improve personalized pain treatment for people with early osteoarthritis.

Project title: Immune profiling regulatory T cells in spondyloarthritis: Suppressive or pathogenic?

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Regulatory immune cells in spondyloarthritis: Have the good guys gone bad?

Axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic and painful form of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine. Although medications can provide temporary pain relief, the condition has no cure. Under the supervision of Dr. Robert Inman, Addison Pacheco is studying how cells that regulate the immune system work in joint inflammation. He will find molecular signatures from these regulatory immune cells to help explain why they fail to block inflammation in axial spondyloarthritis. This might eventually lead to new discoveries of biologic therapies to improve disease management and quality of life.

Project title: Using wearables inertial sensors and gait biomechanics to support patient triaging and surgical outcomes in knee osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Wearable sensors to support personalized treatment for osteoarthritis

Wait times for joint replacement surgeries for advanced osteoarthritis have required triaging that results in some patients not receiving optimal care. Small wearable sensors may help in this triaging process by collecting data on how people with osteoarthritis move in daily life. Under the supervision of Dr. Dylan Kobsar, Matthew Ruder will develop wearable sensor technology that will identify walking patterns of people with osteoarthritis who will respond best to joint replacement surgery. This research could help ensure that people with advanced osteoarthritis receive timely and effective care.

Project title: Understanding clinical outcomes in osteoarthritis research: Patient preferences, clinical relevance of treatment effects and suitability of outcomes

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500

Project summary:

Patient-centric health outcomes in osteoarthritis clinical research

Osteoarthritis is an irreversible joint disease and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Understanding which treatments best balance benefits and potential harms relies on high-quality clinical trials measuring meaningful health outcomes. Under the supervision of Dr. Peter Jüni and Dr. Bruno da Costa, Pakeezah Saadat will survey people with osteoarthritis to see which health outcomes they consider most worrisome and will evaluate available research evidence on thresholds of pain and other outcomes that patients consider meaningful. This will inform patient-centric clinical trial designs and guidelines.

Project title: The role of TRABID in inflammation and bone formation in ankylosing spondylitis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500
Year 3: $17,500

Project summary:

Exploring a potential new therapeutic target in ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic and debilitating form of arthritis that involves inflammation and abnormal bone formation in the spine and other joints. Available treatments help with inflammation but do not address bone formation. Under the supervision of Dr. Nigil Haroon, Archita Srinath will study a molecule called TRABID that may be a promising new therapeutic target in this disease, blocking it in immune cells from patients and mouse models of the disease. If successful, a TRABID-blocking drug could be developed to control both bone formation and inflammation as an innovative therapy.

Project title: The role of subchondral bone in SLAC Progression following scapholunate instability: Utility of quantitative CT (QCT)

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $17,500
Year 2: $17,500

Project summary:

Early changes in the injured wrist at risk of osteoarthritis

Ligament tears in the wrist can lead to lasting pain and disability are most common among young working males. If left untreated, they often lead to osteoarthritis. Under the supervision of Dr. Emily Lalone and Dr. David Walton, Lauren Straatman will use advanced imaging techniques to detect bone changes at the time of wrist injury and years later to help understand the underlying causes of wrist arthritis and chronic pain. This research could help inform how to prevent osteoarthritis following ligament injuries in the wrist, by detecting early changes to the joint following injury.

Project title: A pilot study examining the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and cognitive fatigue in SLE using structural and functional MRIs of the brain and focusing on the underlying mechanisms

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $20,000

Project summary:

Differences in how the brain works for people with lupus: “Brain fog”

People with lupus, an autoimmune disease associated with arthritis, often complain of “brain fog” – a feeling of mental fatigue that can lead to problems with thinking. Their brains may have to work harder during these tasks. Under the supervision of Dr. Zahi Touma, Dr. Michelle Barraclough will use brain imaging to study how the brain works when people with lupus perform tasks that test their memory and attention, including when they are fatigued. This research will help inform future clinical trials of personalized therapies to help improve cognitive problems in people living with lupus.

Project title: Characterization of novel glyco-immune ligands as regulators of inflammatory arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary:

Cellular sugars and rheumatoid arthritis

All cells in our body are coated with different types of sugar molecules. Cells in our immune system can “taste” these sugars. Cellular sugars are notoriously complex, making it difficult to predict exactly how specific types of sugar molecules will affect our immune system in health and disease. Under the supervision of Dr. Simon Wisnovsky, Dr. John Daly will use innovative cellular genetics techniques to study how a protein involved in rheumatoid arthritis interacts with specific sugars. These insights may help guide the discovery of new drugs to help restore proper immune function in inflammatory diseases.

Project title: Optimizing outcomes of inflammatory arthritis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $25,000
Year 2: $25,000

Project summary:

Understanding inflammatory arthritis induced by cancer treatment

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are revolutionary cancer treatments that boost the patient’s own immune system to fight their cancer. They are very effective but can lead to inflammatory arthritis as an unfortunate side effect. Under the supervision of Dr. Marie Hudson and Dr. Sasha Bernatsky, Dr. Alexandra Ladouceur will conduct the largest-ever study of its kind on risk factors associated with chronic arthritis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. This research could help identify ways to reduce the risk of this painful consequence and improve outcomes for people with cancer.

Project title: BLR-200, a novel peptide therapy: An improved strategy to treat scleroderma

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary:

Testing a novel therapy for scleroderma

Scleroderma is an incurable form of inflammatory arthritis with limited treatment options that can cause scar-like tissue to build up in the skin and sometimes other organs (fibrosis). A novel peptide-based therapeutic called BLR-200 has shown preliminary promise in the lab. Under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Leask, Dr. John Nguyen will study whether BLR-200 can block or reverse experimental
skin fibrosis in a mouse model and how it works. If successful, this will lay the groundwork for clinical trials of a potentially life-changing new treatment.

Project title: Evaluation of TACAN as a new target for treating osteoarthritis pain

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000

Project summary:

Studying a new pain sensor in osteoarthritis

Joint pain is the most prominent symptom of osteoarthritis, and we only have a partial understanding of how it works. A recently identified pain sensor in nerve endings may be a novel target for osteoarthritis pain therapy. Under the supervision of Dr. Reza Sharif Naeini, Dr. Lise Rabiller will examine the role of this sensor in experimental models of osteoarthritis pain as well as in neurons from human organ donors. This will reveal more about how pain is sensed in osteoarthritis and whether blocking this sensor should be further explored as an innovative therapeutic approach.

Project title: TRAF1 a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000

Project summary:

A new therapeutic target in psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis with limited treatment options. Accumulation of immune cells, such as T cells, in the joints results in pain and joint damage. A protein called TRAF1 is essential for the function of T cells in inflammation. Under the supervision of Dr. Vinod Chandran and Dr. Ali Abdul-Sater, Dr. Navita Sharma will study TRAF1 in immune cells from the blood and joint fluid of people with psoriatic arthritis as well as in mouse models of the disease to see if lowering its levels can reverse or prevent psoriatic arthritis. This may eventually lead to new TRAF1-blocking treatments.

Project title: The role of exosomes in ankylosing spondylitis pathogenesis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary:

Learning more about what causes ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of painful inflammatory arthritis that mainly affects the spine and often starts in young people. Its causes are not fully understood, and current treatments are limited. Under the supervision of Dr. Robert Inman, Dr. Fataneh Tavasolian is studying the role of tiny particles that carry molecular messages between cells (exosomes) in regulating immune cells in this disease. This will reveal more about what causes ankylosing spondylitis, potentially informing improved diagnosis and treatment. 

Project title: Comparing treatment effects of education and exercise and surgery: A matched observational study of Canadians with knee or hip osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):

Year 1: $25,000
Year 2: $25,000

Project summary:

Comparing education and exercise versus surgery for Canadians with osteoarthritis

Wait times for joint replacement surgeries for osteoarthritis are a major problem across Canada. Education and exercise programs are a potential alternative approach to disease management. However, no data comparing these programs to surgery are available. Under the supervision of Dr. Anthony Perruccio and Dr. Michael Zywiel, Dr. James Young will examine data from many patients who either participated in an exercise and education program or underwent joint replacement surgery to find subgroups of patients who may benefit more from one treatment than the other. This will directly inform care decisions for Canadians with osteoarthritis.

Project title: Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors as a risk factor for serious infections in pregnant women with chronic inflammatory diseases and their offspring: a population-based cohort study

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: “Will my medication harm my pregnancy? My baby?”: Questions in inflammatory arthritis

Chronic inflammatory diseases like inflammatory arthritis (IA) predominantly affect women during their childbearing years. It’s also common for IA to flare during pregnancy, necessitating the use of biologics like TNF inhibitors (TNFi) to manage the disease. TNFi medications can increase the risk of serious infections in non-pregnant people due to their effects on the immune system, but the risks in pregnancy (and risks passed on to newborns) are unknown. Under the supervision of Dr. Évelyne Vinet, Leah Flatman will assess an extensive database of health records to answer this question. This will provide essential data to help inform best practice guidelines for counselling patients and balancing the risks and benefits of TNFi medications during pregnancy.

Project title: Understanding the mechanisms of knee pain: A population-based longitudinal study of postmenopausal women

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: Do hormones impact bone health and pain in women’s knees?

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases among postmenopausal women and is a leading cause of long-term pain. But how knee OA and knee pain develops in postmenopausal women remains unknown, including the potential role of hormones and abnormal bone density. Under the Supervision of Dr. Jennifer Brooks and Dr. Andy Kin On Wong, Emily Ha is exploring the relationships between estrogen levels, knee bone mineral density, and knee pain in 20,000 postmenopausal women with and without knee OA. Findings could inform tailored treatment strategies for postmenopausal women to improve and maintain knee bone and joint health.

Project title: Investigating the role of anabolic steroids on the intervertebral disc

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: The role of testosterone in treating back pain

Back pain is a common cause of disability worldwide. Though the causes of back pain are complex, it is often associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and osteoarthritis (OA) in the spine. Despite its impact on quality of life, there are no disease-modifying treatments for IVD degeneration. Interestingly, injection of testosterone and growth hormone into the IVD may decrease back pain, but the biology behind this is unknown. Under the supervision of Dr. Cheryle Séguin and Dr. Andrew Leung, Jeffrey Hutchinson is characterizing the biological effects of these two hormones on the IVD in cell and animal lab models. This research will help to identify the role of steroids and growth hormones in IVD biology, and may determine their potential as novel therapeutics for IVD degeneration

Project title: The Stop OsteoARthitis (SOAR) proof-of-concept delayed control randomized trial: Can we mitigate a key risk factor for osteoarthritis following sport-related knee trauma?

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: SOARing above osteoarthritis after a sports-related knee injury 

There is no cure for OA. To reduce the burden of pain and life disruptions caused by OA across Canada and beyond, we need to prevent it. People who have injured their knee participating in sports have a higher risk of developing OA at a young age. Under the supervision of Dr. Jackie Whittaker, Justin Losciale will test whether a new physiotherapist-guided virtual exercise program called Stop OsteoARthritis (SOAR) can improve knee strength and reduce knee pain in adolescents and young adults following a sports-related knee injury in a clinical trial. The program encourages the development of long-term self-management skills and provides an effective way for injured people to take control of their knee health – and potentially prevent OA.

Project title: Development of a nanoplatform for ETA and BKB1 peptide antagonists dedicated to the long-term treatment of osteoarthritis.

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Using nanotechnology for a new osteoarthritis treatment

Developing effective new drugs for both pain management and joint preservation in osteoarthritis (OA) is a huge challenge. Because joint cartilage is a connective tissue that lacks blood vessels, it’s difficult to get drugs to where they need to work. Under the supervision of Dr. Florina Moldovan and Dr. V. Gaëlle Roullin, Seng Manivong is working on developing a novel drug treatment and new delivery system for the treatment of arthritic joints based on the incorporation of targeted drugs into an injectable “nanogel” that will more easily permeate cartilage. This research will use preclinical lab models to begin to test the treatment’s safety and effectiveness, positioning it for future clinical testing and development if successful.

Project title: Longitudinal study of bone and cartilage changes following acute ACL injury

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Imaging the earliest post-injury changes in the knee on the path to osteoarthritis

Currently, osteoarthritis (OA) is detected only after irreversible damage has occurred in the joint. The causes of OA are not well understood, but prior studies have shown that people who injure the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee are more likely to develop knee OA. Under the supervision of Dr. Steven Boyd, Nathan Neeteson will study young, otherwise healthy men and women who have recently injured their ACL, using state-of-the-art medical imaging technologies to assess how the bone and cartilage in an injured knee evolve in the first three years following injury. This research will help determine how an ACL injury changes the bone and cartilage of the knee over time and how to detect these changes early. This could ultimately help researchers and doctors identify targeted treatment and prevention options for post-injury knee OA.

Project title: Total Joint Arthroplasty: tools for evidence-informed decision-making to improve appropriateness

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: Focusing on the patient when deciding on joint replacement surgery

Most hip and knee replacements are performed to manage osteoarthritis. Almost half of adults having a hip or knee replacement may not actually be suitable candidates, and up to 30% are not satisfied after surgery. Healthcare professionals often assess suitability, but little is known about how they can best support their patients’ role in decision-making to manage expectations and improve satisfaction. Under the supervision of Dr. Dawn Stacey and Dr. Stéphane Poitras, Lissa Pacheco-Brousseau is exploring what impacts the use of a patient-centred approach that focuses on patient priorities and informed preferences when assessing if adults are suitable for joint replacement. The success of such an approach could help healthcare professionals direct patients to appropriate resources, meaningfully involve patients in the decision-making process, and ultimately decrease surgery waiting lists.

Project title: Utilizing single nuclei RNA sequencing to identify distinct cell subsets and mechanisms in the synovium of early and late stage radiographic knee osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Unravelling the cellular complexity of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, causing pain and reducing quality of life. However, treatments are lacking due to the complexity of the disease and our incomplete understanding of how it develops. Many tissues contribute to OA, including the synovium (the tissue that surrounds the joint). Under the supervision of Dr. Mohit Kapoor, Kabriya Thavaratnam is using a state-of-the-art technology called single nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) to investigate unique clusters of cells in synovium samples from people with early and late stage knee OA. Lab models will be used to study how the cells drive OA progression. This is one of the first studies looking at unique, rare cell populations in the synovium by snRNAseq and has the potential to inform the development of new targeted therapies to alter the course of this complex disease.

Project title: Assessing equity considerations in the care of patients with inflammatory arthritis (ACCESS)

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Differences in health for patients with inflammatory arthritis: Are they preventable?

People with inflammatory arthritis (IA) are often required to get lifelong treatment and access care regularly. We know these people can have different health outcomes, and that many of these differences are preventable. To solve this issue, we need to understand what risk factors exist for IA patients when accessing care. Under the supervision of Dr. Mary De Vera and Dr. Mark Harrison, Megan Thomas is examining health records for patients with IA in British Columbia to identify links between access to care and patient factors (e.g., income, sex, age, location, immigrant status). By understanding the risk factors for challenges accessing IA care, the researchers hope to inform strategies to improve this access and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Project title: Team-based primary care for the management of chronic low back pain

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $9,500

Project summary: Teaming up to manage chronic low back pain

Chronic low back pain (low back pain that lasts more than three months) is common in people with arthritis, particularly those living with ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and sometimes osteoarthritis. It contributes to disability, decreased quality of life, and emotional distress. Under the supervision of Dr. Jordan Miller, Kyle Vader is exploring the experiences of people with chronic lower back pain and healthcare providers with a team-based approach to primary care led by a physiotherapist. This research will inform future work to improve how primary care is delivered for people with arthritis and the management of chronic low back pain.

Project title: From stem cells to to mature immune cells: Passing on defects in rheumatoid arthritis

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Early immune stem cells carry and transfer defects as they develop into mature immune cells that cause rheumatoid arthritis 

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the body's tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune cells. RA causes chronic inflammation in the joints and can damage other organs to diminish people’s quality of life and shorten their lifespan. Even with anti-inflammatory treatments, some people with RA do not improve. Understanding how inflammation works in RA is therefore essential to develop new therapeutic approaches. Under the supervision of Dr. David Langlais, Dr. Mathieu Mancini is studying how genetic and molecular defects might be passed on to immune cells as they develop from stem cells, and how these precursor cells are rewired and dysfunctional in people with RA. Identifying and understanding these defects could explain how defective immune cells trigger chronic inflammation in RA and how we might be able to stop it therapeutically.

Project title: Early joint degeneration: A mechanistic model of the interaction between knee morphology,
physiology and load

Annual Commitments (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Evaluating risk of early osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is related to increasing pain and disability. Although many treatments (such as surgery) address these problems, they are most often implemented only after the disease has created irreversible joint damage. There is little understanding about early OA and how to prevent disease worsening. Under the supervision of Dr. Monica Maly, Dr. Kendal Marriott is developing a new approach to identifying early OA by exploring the experiences of people with emerging knee pain, early changes in knee bone shape, knee movements during walking, inflammation, and other factors, to create a comprehensive early OA risk profile. This risk profile could help clinicians identify people at risk of knee OA who could benefit from early implementation of treatment to prevent or slow disease onset and progression.

Project title: Improving our understanding of pain mechanisms in people with knee osteoarthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $124,989
Year 2: $124,950
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: What causes pain to worsen for people with knee osteoarthritis?

One of the most common and disabling health issues is the pain and limitations caused by osteoarthritis (OA). The knee is a joint that is commonly affected by OA. Identifying the various causes of OA pain is a significant challenge. Dr. Lisa Carlesso will use existing databases of people with knee OA to compare and confirm what causes the pain and identify which patients will get worse. Dr. Carlesso will also study a yoga-based program to determine whether it is better than traditional exercise and education for relieving pain. The results of these studies have the potential to improve pain management and quality of life for people with knee OA.

Project title:  Elucidating the role of tryptase proteolytic processing of lubricin in osteoarthritis 

Annual commitment: 
Year 1: $125,000 
Year 2: $125,000 
Year 3: $125,000 

Project summary: Comprehensive solutions to address complex problems: Increasing joint lubrication and patient comfort by reducing cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis 

It is estimated that up to 5 million Canadians may have osteoarthritis (OA). There is no cure for OA, highlighting an urgent need to better understand the disease and develop new treatments. Current approaches to treat OA focus on a trial-and-error approach, leading to delays in pain control, acceleration of joint and cartilage damage, and disability. Although the development of OA can be associated with previous joint injury, the causes of OA are complex. Dr. Antoine Dufour will investigate how the activation of certain substances that cause persistent pain and swelling can also promote loss of joint lubrication and cartilage destruction. He will explore a new way to increase joint lubrication by decreasing cartilage destruction for people with OA. 

Project title: A complex transition: Examining the impact of rheumatic disease on the multifaceted experience of entering adulthood

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $124,910
Year 2: $123,247
Year 3: $124,982

Project summary: Exploring health, social and career challenges for young adults with rheumatic disease

Entering adulthood can be challenging for young people, and their experiences during this phase can shape their future. But what about young people entering adulthood with a rheumatic disease? How does having a chronic disease affect access to healthcare, the ability to graduate from school and enter the workforce, move away from home, and socialize? Dr. Arif Jetha will answer these questions through a review of current research, focus groups, and a survey of young people with and without rheumatic disease. Findings will highlight the unique challenges confronting young people with rheumatic disease and create opportunities for tailored strategies that promote health, quality of life and employment.

Project title: Joints and sex – Re-envisioning osteoarthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $124,998
Year 2: $124,999
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: Rethinking how we view osteoarthritis - multiple joints and sex

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of pain and disability and effective treatment remains a big challenge. Even though many people with OA have multiple joints affected, most research and care focuses only on specific joints. As well, males and females with OA pain are treated similarly. Dr. Anthony Perruccio’s work shows that specific inflammatory markers in the blood relate to the number of joints involved in the disease – however in one way for females and another way for males. This has important implications as the treatment of OA pain may need to be tailored by sex, and whether single or multiple joints are affected. In this study, Dr. Perruccio will investigate whether the patterns of inflammatory markers in joints is important, and if there are important sex differences that could lead to improvements in how OA pain is treated.

Project title:  Adapting REhabilitation Delivery for Maximum Impact at Home (ReDI@Home) 

Annual commitment: 
Year 1: $100,000 
Year 2: $140,000 
Year 3: $120,000 

Project summary: ReDI@Home - Taking care of your arthritis at home 

People who live in rural areas and have hip or knee pain can find it challenging to access rehabilitation services in their community. Living with joint pain can lead to difficulty performing activities of daily living and being physically active which in turn can reduce enjoyment of life or cause other health conditions. Dr. Lauren Beaupre will use new smart phone technology that allows physiotherapists in urban centres to treat rural residents in their own homes. Over eight weeks, therapists will meet virtually with patients and see how well they move. They will give patients exercises to do at home each week and watch to make sure they do them correctly. Patients can also talk to the therapists to discuss pain management and how to remain active. If this new technology is successful, other patients who may not be able to access appropriate healthcare in their community will receive effective virtual care at home. 

Project title:  Understanding the role of Lipocalin Prostaglandin D Synthase in osteoarthritis 

Annual commitment: 
Year 1: $100,000 
Year 2: $140,000 
Year 3: $120,000 

Project summary: L-PGDS: A new therapeutic target in osteoarthritis 

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability in Canada. It has a significant impact on quality of life and places a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Since there is no cure for OA, there is a need to better understand how it progresses to develop more effective treatments. Dr. Hassan Fahmi will study the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of OA. Previous studies suggest that an enzyme, lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS), may have protective properties against OA. Dr. Fahmi will study L-PGDS and its role in OA which may lead to better treatments and quality of life for people with OA. 

Project title: Targeted knee osteoarthritis care for adults with severe obesity: The Prevention Of MusclE Loss in Osteoarthritis (P.O.M.E.L.O.) feasibility and pilot randomized trial

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $100,000
Year 2: $140,000
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Developing personalized care for advanced knee arthritis in adults with obesity

The best way to treat advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA) in Canadians with obesity is unknown. These patients are less likely to be referred for surgical arthritis treatment due to a higher risk of infection after surgery. They are often told to lose weight even though it is uncertain if weight loss is beneficial for advanced arthritis. Further, weight loss could increase the risk for muscle loss and development of sarcopenic obesity (a condition of low muscle and low strength that negatively impacts mobility and quality of life). There may be better approaches to manage advanced knee OA for these patients. Dr. Carla Prado will determine if a program tailored to meet the needs of Canadians with obesity and knee OA is feasible to patients and improves their muscle mass and physical function. This work will support the future development of more effective non-surgical treatment approaches for this underserved patient group.

Project title: Senolytic drugs to treat back pain from spine OA

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $100,000
Year 2: $140,000
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Disease modifying drugs for spine osteoarthritis

World-wide, low back pain due to osteoarthritis (OA) of the spine is the single largest cause of years lived with disability. Current treatments like physiotherapy or medication may reduce pain and slow degeneration of the intervertebral discs in the spine but do not stop the progression of the disease. Senolytic therapy destroys senescent (or arrested) cells that cause inflammation in old tissues, leading to rejuvenation and slower progression of many age-related conditions. Dr. Lisbet Haglund will study two promising senolytic therapies, a natural compound, o-Vanillin, and an approved drug, RG-7112. This study may lead to the first disease modifying drugs for low back pain resulting from OA of the spine.

Project title: Rheumatoid arthritis in Canadian primary care settings: epidemiology, management of care and patient experience

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $99,974
Year 2: $139,938
Year 3: $119,740

Project summary: Rheumatoid arthritis in Canadian primary care settings

Family physicians play a key role in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They are often the patient’s first contact with the healthcare system. The management of RA across many provinces is not known. Using data from a Canadian national surveillance network that collects information from family physicians in the community, Dr. Allyson Jones will look at the number of people who are seen by family physicians for RA and the type of treatment they receive, both before they are diagnosed with RA and afterward. Dr. Jones will interview people with RA to understand their perspectives on managing RA and navigating the healthcare system. She will also interview family physicians and rheumatologists to learn about their experiences of diagnosing and supporting patients with RA The short-term impact will be a national description of healthcare provided by physicians. The long-term impact will identify any gaps in primary care and provide direction to address these gaps.

Project title: The effectiveness of medial pivot knee arthroplasty implants at improving gait and clinical outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $98,723
Year 2: $135,248
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: How different knee replacement designs influence knee movement during walking

Over 67,000 knee replacements are performed annually in Canada for knee arthritis and 20% of patients remain unsatisfied after surgery. New implants have been designed, called medial pivot implants, which claim to more closely mimic normal knee movements. There has been limited testing of these implants, so their effectiveness and safety are not clear. Dr. Shawn Robbins will compare knee movement before and after surgery for walking and stair climbing, pain, and physical function between patients who had medial pivot or traditional knee replacement implants. A better understanding of the most effective knee implants will help to maximize patient outcomes, minimize negative side effects, and decrease demands on the healthcare system.

Project title: PERSON-JIA: The Personalized Estimates of Response and Severity Outcomes in newly-diagnosed Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis trial

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $100,000
Year 2: $129,932
Year 3: $112,680

Project summary: A truly personalized approach to treatment decisions for children with arthritis

When arthritis strikes a child, families face tough questions. Will their child suffer? Will they outgrow arthritis? Will they respond to treatment? Will there be side effects? The answers to these questions are crucial to choosing the best treatment for their child. Using information provided by thousands of families, Dr. Lori Tucker has developed a way of providing answers to these questions that are specific for the child and accessible on the doctor’s smartphone. The answers are generated automatically based on the child’s circumstances using “personalized prediction algorithms” and presented in an app. In this study, Dr. Tucker will test whether doctors who use the app to guide discussions with family on treatment choices for childhood arthritis, see better treatment response than doctors who do not. This work may result in better disease control, greater family engagement and satisfaction with care, and better-tailored treatment.

Project title:  Modeling cognitive impairment in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Clinical phenotyping, predictive trajectory, and associated risk factors 

Annual commitment: 
Year 1: $100,000 
Year 2: $139,932 
Year 3: $119,987 

Project summary: Modeling differences in cognitive impairment in lupus  

Up to 33-43 per cent of people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience cognitive impairment (CI). CI includes a decline in memory, thinking speed, attention, and planning, and reduces quality of life. There is a need to identify clinical subtypes of CI in SLE and in those patients at high risk of developing impairment. Dr. Zahi Touma will determine subtypes of CI by using new data analysis techniques. Identifying patients with a high-risk of CI and those who are likely to have severe impairment over time will enhance the management of the disease and slow its progression.  

Project title: Identifying epidemiological, metabolomic, and genetic factors associated with non-responders to total joint replacement surgery in primary osteoarthritis patients

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Identifying factors to predict total joint replacement surgery success

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, affecting more Canadians than all other forms of arthritis combined. Total joint replacement (TJR) is considered the most effective treatment for end-stage OA. However, as many as one third of patients see little to no improvement in pain and/or function after surgery. Identifying factors to predict which patients will have minimal response is imperative to save both patients and the healthcare system the stress of unsuccessful surgery. Under the supervision of Drs. Guangju Zhai and Edward Randell, Christie Costello will work to determine factors that are associated with non-responders to TJR from patient history, blood plasma biomarkers, genetic information, and markers of OA inflammation. The results of the study will raise awareness of who is a non-responder to TJR and offer insights to improve outcomes for both the surgery and quality of life of OA and TJR patients.

Project title: Investigation of the impact of secreted phospholipase A2-IIA on the intestinal microbiota during arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Bacteria in the intestine affect the development of rheumatoid arthritis

Every human shares its body with trillions of bacteria. While microbes in the intestines, which include bacteria, are widely known for their role in the digestive process, they also have a role in the regulation of the immune system. Alterations in the normal population of intestinal microbes have been observed in patients with autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Under the supervision of Dr. Eric Boilard, Etienne Doré is working to identify why these alterations occur and their contribution to the development of RA. A better understanding of the roles played by intestinal bacteria in this disease could help explain how arthritis develops and lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of patients suffering from RA.

Project title: Investigating the role of CD22 in germinal centre B cell responses and autoimmune arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: Understanding the role of the CD22 protein in autoimmune arthritis development

It is estimated that over 1 million Canadians have inflammatory arthritis (IA). Most forms of IA are also autoimmune diseases, where the immune system – the body’s defense system against infections and other invaders – mistakenly starts to attack the body’s own healthy tissues. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this type of arthritis and medications for symptoms are not always effective. Understanding how IA develops is crucial for developing better therapies. Jhon Enterina, under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Macauley, is focusing on how specialized type of cells called germinal centre (GC) B-cells are formed. In patients with IA, GC B-cells are present in inflamed joints, producing molecules, called autoantibodies, that attack cells in the joints. The researchers have found that a protein called CD22 is required for antibody production and deleting it on B-cells delays arthritis development in mice. Jhon Enterina’s research aims to create new insights in GC B-cell biology and identify new targets for the treatment of IA.

Project title: The role of FcyRIIA in neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: From head to toe, the hidden side of how systemic lupus erythematosus affects the brain

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and causes inflammation in its own tissues. People with SLE more frequently experience depression and anxiety, which can be due not only to chronic pain and psychological distress, but to the inflammation itself. Studies have shown that >90% of lupus patients have mood disorders, cognitive impairment (e.g. memory loss), migraines, and even psychosis. Under the supervision of Dr. Eric Boilard, Audrée Laroche will use a new mouse model and state-of-the-art microscopes to visualize cells in the brains of living mice who have lupus. They will also look at fluid from the brains of people with SLE to determine whether they contain molecules capable of causing inflammation. This research will lead to a better understanding of how neurologic and psychiatric symptoms develop in SLE, and how rheumatic disease affect the brain more broadly.

Project title: Monitoring and improving physical activity participation in pediatric rheumatic disease 

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Staying active with childhood arthritis

Children with arthritis are often less physically active than their healthy peers due to decreased physical functioning, fatigue, and pain. This perpetuates a cycle of deconditioning, limiting participation in activities. Under the supervision of Dr. Brian Feldman, Yvonne Lee will investigate ways to help children break out of this cycle. She plans to research methods to improve physical activity tolerance and regular activity through oral supplements, use of activity trackers, and physical activity counseling. If proven to be effective, these tools may become standard practices for managing childhood arthritis.

Project title: Evaluating senolytics as a treatment option in SPARC-null mice

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: Assessing potential new treatments for lower back pain

Intervertebral disc degeneration, the breakdown of the discs that separate the vertebrae or bones of the spine, is a major cause of back pain, and up to 85% of working people experience low backpain during their lifetime. Current treatments alleviate symptoms but not the progression of the disease, there is a great need for novel disease modifying drugs. Recently, Dr. Lisbet Haglund and her team demonstrated the beneficial effects of two types of senolytic therapies: natural compounds, curcumin and o-Vanillin, and an approved drug, RG-7112, to reduce disc degeneration and back pain. Senolytic therapy destroys senescent cells that create inflammation in old tissues, leading to rejuvenation and slower progression of many age-related conditions. Under the supervision of Dr. Haglund, Matthew Mannarino, is studying two of these senolytic therapies, RG-7112 and o-Vanillin. This project aims to develop new treatments to prevent disc degeneration and decrease back pain.

Project title: Investigating the serological changes that accompany the onset of symptoms in anti-nuclear antibody associated systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: Looking for blood changes to predict development of lupus and other systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD), like lupus, are serious diseases that affect not only the joints but also many other organs, such as the kidneys, skin, and brain. Many people with these conditions already have permanent organ damage when they are diagnosed and unfortunately, there is no cure. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are proteins produced by the immune system that are a hallmark of SARD patients but are also found in healthy people who will never develop SARD. Currently, there is no test that differentiates healthy people with ANA from those who will become sick. Under the supervision of Dr. Joan Wither, Carolina Munoz-Grajales is searching for differences in ANA between people with and without symptoms, and for the alterations in the immune system that ultimately cause SARD. Discovering a blood test that helps to identify patients who are at high risk of developing SARD could lead to earlier treatment before organ damage occurs. 

Project title: Targeting PRohibitins for Early DetectIon and Cure of osteoarthiTis: "The PREDICT Study"

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: New path to PREDICT osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting nearly five million Canadians (one in six), which is more than all other forms of arthritis combined. OA is a progressive disease of the joints that leads to breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. The diagnosis is made based on symptoms and physical examination. Currently, it is not possible to determine which patients have a greater risk of rapid progression of OA, but a better understanding of the role of biomarkers may close the gap between diagnosis and reaching an untreatable stage. Under the supervision of Dr. Alain Moreau, Dr. Abdellatif Abouelseoud will work to develop a test to assess the risk of early OA progression by identifying biomarkers in the plasma of joint blood proteins and measuring changes in their levels. Development of such a test may lead to better management of symptoms and less disability for people with OA.  

Project title: Cognitive dysfunction and cognitive fatigue in SLE: A pilot study examining the underlying mechanisms with structural and functional MRIs of the brain

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000

Project summary: Brain fog in systemic lupus erythematosus may be the result of an overworking brain

People with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) commonly struggle with “brain fog”, a feeling of mental fatigue that can lead to problems with cognitive functions like memory and attention. The brains of those with SLE must work harder during cognitive tasks, in part leading to fatigue and memory issues. These challenges significantly affect quality of life and to date there are few treatment options available. Under the supervision of Dr Zahi Touma, Dr. Michelle Barraclough will use functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), a brain imaging tool, to collect more information about how the brain works when people with SLE do tasks that test their memory and attention and how fatigued they get during these tasks. Information from this study will help to develop personalised clinical trials to improve cognitive problems in people with SLE. 

Project title: Role of platelets in the recruitment of neutrophils in inflamed joints in rheumatoid arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Role of platelets in the recruitment of white blood cells in joints in rheumatoid arthritis

Platelets are blood cells that help the body form clots to stop bleeding. Dr. Eric Boilard’s research has previously shown that platelets are also involved in arthritis. The team found that white blood cells, called neutrophils, can increase pain by leaving blood vessels and invading the joints. Platelets may reduce pain by limiting neutrophil recruitment to the joints. Under the supervision of Dr. Boilard, Dr. Marie Bellio will analyze interactions between platelets and neutrophils and then block these interactions to quantify pain in mice. This study may identify how to change the interactions between neutrophils and platelets to reduce pain, leading to the development of a new therapy for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis.

Project title: Intra-articular therapies for knee osteoarthritis: network meta-analysis and bayesian design for a randomized controlled trial

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $25,000
Year 2: $25,000

Project summary: Comparing intra-articular therapies for knee osteoarthritis

Effective pain relief and maintenance of physical function are the primary objectives of medical treatment for osteoarthritis (OA). However, existing treatments can fall short of meeting these objectives or have safety issues. To address this, and under the supervision of Dr. Peter Juni and Dr. Bruno da Costa, Pavlos Bobos will combine evidence from well-designed studies available in the scientific literature using network meta-analysis (NMA). This work will help to determine which intra-articular therapies in knee OA appear to have the greatest impact in a single analysis. The research team will then use data from the NMA to design a new trial to determine the true effectiveness and safety of intra-articular therapies for knee OA. Identifying the therapies that are most effective will help to personalize treatment for people with knee OA. 

Project title: Epigenomic predictors of psoriatic arthritis in patients with psoriasis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000

Project summary: Predictors of psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that often appears in people with a skin disease called psoriasis. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to reduce joint damage, however, many individuals with PsA remain undiagnosed because currently there is not a test to predict which people with psoriasis will develop PsA and which will not. Under the supervision of Dr. Dafna Gladman, Dr. Omar Cruz Correa will study how epigenetics, mechanisms that switch genes on and off, influence PsA risk and progression. The differences in these mechanisms may be used to predict which patients will develop PsA. This would allow patients at higher risk to be monitored more closely, and therapy to be personalized, preventing further joint damage and disability.

Project title: The impact of antimalarial drugs in arthritis patients exposed to SARS-CoV-2 – the CoVIRAL project

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $100,000
Year 2: $100,000
Year 3: $100,000

Project summary: What is the impact of antimalarial drugs in people with arthritis exposed to COVID-19?

People with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a compromised immune system but it is not known if they are at increased risk of COVID-19. Dr. Paul Fortin is studying people with RA and SLE to determine if those who are taking the antimalarial drugs, chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, for their arthritis symptoms, are affected differently by COVID-19 than those who are not taking the drugs. The study will also examine the psychosocial impact of a serious infection in people with arthritis. The current COVID-19 pandemic offers a unique opportunity to enhance the understanding of how people with autoimmune inflammatory diseases like RA and SLE respond to infection.

Project title: Cannabis-based precision medicine for osteoarthritis therapy

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-INMHA):
Year 1: $299,799
Year 2: $299,115
Year 3: $299,940
Year 4: $295,637
Year 5: $299,900

Project summary: Personalized medicine for osteoarthritis using cannabis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability, in part due to a lack of effective treatment options. Medical cannabis may offer a promising alternative, but its therapeutic benefits and harms likely depend on the characteristics of both the strain used and the individual patient treated. Dr. Hance Clarke is studying the effects of different active cannabis ingredients on different types of OA and identify patient traits that predict how they will respond. This will build the evidence base behind the use of medical cannabis for OA and help healthcare providers and patients personalize their treatment plans.

Project title: Cryptic pericellular matrix peptides: Bioactive molecules for osteoarthritis treatment

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $125,000
Year 2: $125,000
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: Bioengineering a new approach to osteoarthritis treatment

Millions of Canadians face the pain of osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, which has no cure. Recent advances have led to new biomaterials that can stimulate short-term tissue repair in the joint, but inflammation interferes with their effectiveness. To develop new and improved biomaterials to repair joint cartilage, Dr. Jean-Philippe St-Pierre is studying how cartilage responds to everyday forces to learn how to keep it healthy and protected from inflammation. This will inform the design of new long-acting biomaterials to promote tissue regeneration and cartilage repair as a novel approach to OA treatment.

Project title: Interfering with the HLA-antigen interaction: Towards a safe therapeutic for rheumatoid arthritis and new immunological probes

Annual commitment (co-funded by CIHR-IMHA): 
Year 1: $125,000
Year 2: $125,000
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: Developing a new highly specific treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

There is currently no cure for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease caused by the immune system attacking the body’s own proteins. Many current RA treatments work by “turning down” the immune system in general, but this can put people at risk of infections or other diseases. Dr. John Trant is designing an entirely new class of drug that specifically targets the molecular interaction in the immune system responsible for RA to potentially avoid these pitfalls. If successful, this will pave the way for a new RA treatment with fewer side effects and will provide researchers with new chemical tools to help them better understand how the disease works.

Project title: Risk of infections with tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in pregnant women and their offspring

 Annual commitment:
Year 1: $125,000
Year 2: $125,000
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: Understanding the safety of biologics in pregnancy

Many people with inflammatory arthritis (IA) who become pregnant are concerned about how their medications could affect them and their baby. But for many drugs used to treat IA, such as biologics called tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), there is no clear answer – particularly regarding infection risk. Dr. Évelyne Vinet will assess the risk of serious infections associated with TNFi drugs in pregnant people and their babies by creating the largest dataset of this type ever assembled. Her results will help guide best clinical practices for the care of people requiring TNFi therapy during pregnancy and improve the health of their babies, reducing the burden of infections in this population.

Project title: Preventing osteoarthritis after a sport-related knee injury

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $124,960
Year 2: $124,985
Year 3: $124,944

Project summary: Overcoming obstacles to prevent osteoarthritis after a sport-related injury

In Canada, approximately 200,000 youth suffer a sport-related knee injury every year that puts them at risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) at a young age. Currently, little effort is made to prevent OA when an athlete hurts their knee. With a team of patients and healthcare practitioners, Dr. Jackie Whittaker developed a first-of-its-kind physiotherapist-guided OA risk reduction program for young athletes with knee injuries. Using feedback from former and currently injured athletes, Dr. Whittaker will refine the program and test whether it can reduce two important risk factors for knee OA – knee muscle weakness and inactivity. This will inform larger-scale studies to help prevent OA in active young people.

Project title: Using real world data to enhance patient care and outcomes and health system performance for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $50,000
Year 2: $50,000
Year 3: $50,000

Project summary: Using real-world data to enhance arthritis care and improve patient outcomes

The growing burden of arthritis and other similar diseases is a major problem facing our strained healthcare system, as well as people living with the disease and their caregivers. To understand this burden, improve care provided by physicians, rheumatologists and orthopaedic surgeons, and improve patient management within the healthcare system, decision-makers need high-quality evidence to directly inform clinical and public health policies. Dr. Jessica Widdifield is using real-world health data (e.g., data on doctor visits, hospital data, and electronic medical records) in Ontario to fill this gap. This will help improve healthcare system performance, quality of care, and ultimately patient outcomes.

Project title: A Better Match: Transforming rheumatoid arthritis care through tailored follow-up strategies based on disease activity and patient complexity, a pragmatic randomized controlled trial

Annual commitment (funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $124,995
Year 2: $124,840
Year 3: $124,990

Project summary: Matching care for rheumatoid arthritis to patients’ needs

There is a crisis in healthcare for Canadians living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who often face barriers in receiving timely and effective care. While early and targeted therapy can prevent joint damage and complications, for many people with RA, the wait times to see a rheumatologist are long and scheduling of follow-up appointments rarely considers their individual needs. Dr. Claire Barber is assessing what type of follow-up RA patients need based on how active their disease is and their individual medical and health needs – whether that’s higher intensity care, or telehealth care through a “virtual clinic”. This will reveal whether this new approach can improve the quality of RA care.

Project title: Move Well Live Well: Using the science of movement to tailor exercise and rehabilitation for osteoarthritis to promote better living

Annual commitment (funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $150,000

Project summary: Move well, live well: Using the science of movement to promote better living with osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common from of arthritis and it is on the rise. Inactivity, obesity, and abnormal movements in the joint make knee OA worse. Dr. Monica Maly is using movement science to help people with knee OA tackle these problems and move more with less pain. She will tailor exercise plans for knee OA and combine them with a nutrition program to manage a healthy weight. Dr. Maly will also design and test a strategy to help people stick to these programs in the long term, and work to implement these programs in the community. Ultimately, this research will help improve quality of life for people with OA.

Project title: Investigating the pathogenesis of common spine disorders: Discovery-based approaches to identify therapeutic targets

Annual commitment (funded by CIHR-IMHA):
Year 1: $150,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $150,000

Project summary: Targeting back pain by finding the cause of common spine disorders

Back pain is the most common cause of disability worldwide, causing tremendous suffering in Canadians. Though the specific causes of back pain are not understood, in arthritis it is often associated with degeneration of the intervertebral discs, the joints that anchor vertebrae along the spine. Although disc degeneration is extremely common, very little is known about what causes it. Dr. Cheryle Séguin is studying the biology of disc degeneration and common spine disorders and testing potential new treatments in mouse and human model systems. The hope is that this research will translate from lab bench to bedside, leading to new treatments to prevent back pain.

Project title: Role of discoidin domain receptor 1 in T cell migration and arthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $120,000

 Project summary: Targeting the movement of inflammatory cells to treat rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease driven by the abnormal activation of immune cells and their infiltration into the joints. Specific types of inflammatory immune cells orchestrate joint damage once they move into the joints, but exactly how they migrate there isn’t clear. Using mouse models that mimic human RA, Dr. Fawzi Aoudjit is determining if blocking a protein thought to be involved in guiding the immune cells into the joint can treat RA in the mice. If successful, this work could lead to a potential novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of RA.

Project title: Platelets and neutrophils: The two culprits mediating pain in inflammatory arthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Understanding how cells in the blood promote arthritis pain

Joint inflammation can cause devastating pain in arthritis, but how this occurs is not well understood. Defining which cells and molecules mediate arthritis pain is a crucial piece of the puzzle. Dr. Éric Boilard is studying mouse models that mimic human arthritis and examining the blood of people with arthritis to understand how different blood cells mediate pain in arthritis. Specifically, this study will be the first to examine how blood platelets (often known for their role in blood clotting) help neutrophils (immune cells) to mediate pain and whether this can be blocked. This could eventually lead to new treatment strategies for arthritis pain.

 

Project title: Identifying the origin of new bone formation in spondyloarthritis and targeting Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) to stop osteoproliferation in a pre-clinical study

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $119,856

Project summary: Tackling inflammation and bone fusion in ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a severe, disabling form of spine arthritis characterized by inflammation and bone fusion in the spine and joints. Current treatments control inflammation in only half of patients and don’t address spinal fusion. Dr. Nigil Haroon is studying a molecule named MIF that plays a pivotal role in the inflammation and bone fusion seen in AS. This study will confirm whether blocking MIF in mice with AS can slow their disease. If successful, this research could lead to clinical trials of novel drugs that can block MIF to confirm their safety and effectiveness in humans. This type of treatment would be the first to tackle both inflammation and bone fusion at the same time.

Project title: New dietary and exercise intervention strategies for patients with obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee: Translating preclinical innovation to patient populations

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Preventing osteoarthritis by tackling obesity with diet and exercise

Osteoarthritis (OA) and obesity are both increasing at exponential rates. OA and obesity have been linked, but little is known about how to effectively prevent obesity-induced OA. Dr. Walter Herzog is addressing this problem by studying obesity, metabolic changes, and changes in the microbes in the gut of rodents fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet, which triggers the development of knee OA. He will see if a prebiotic fibre diet and/or an exercise program can prevent OA from developing, and how early intervention is needed. This will inform a clinical trial in people living with obesity and knee OA. If successful, this could reveal a strategy for preventing OA through lifestyle management.

Project title: T cell dysregulation in ankylosing spondylitis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $120,000 

Project summary: How the immune system goes awry in ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the most common form of inflammatory spine arthritis, can have a devastating impact on quality of life due to pain and disability. Current treatments improve symptoms in some people, but they don’t reliably stop progressive damage to the spine and they are not cures. Inflammation in AS is likely driven by specialized immune cells that are normally controlled by checkpoints in the immune system. Dr. Robert Inman is studying how these immune checkpoints and cells go wrong in people with AS to understand the molecular basis of the chronic inflammation that causes the disease. These insights could open the door to new approaches to personalized treatments.

Project title: Obesity, disc degeneration and back pain: Nuclear receptors as therapeutic targets

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Obesity and back pain: On the road to new therapies

Back pain is the most common cause of disability worldwide. Though the causes of back pain are complex, it is often associated with degeneration of parts of the spine called intervertebral discs. There are no treatments to stop disc degeneration since we do not understand the molecular pathways driving the disease. Dr. Cheryle Séguin is using animal models and human tissues to study the links between obesity, changes in specific proteins, disc degeneration and back pain. This study will help reveal whether therapeutically targeting a specific molecular pathway can alter disease progression and symptoms, potentially revealing a new treatment strategy.

Arthritis Centres are the rheumatology divisions of the departments of medicine in Canadian universities, including accredited pediatric rheumatology centres.

For over 50 years, the Arthritis Society has provided funding to support Arthritis Centres across Canada. As centres of clinical expertise, research, and education, their role in the Canadian healthcare environment is to help ensure that Canadians with arthritis receive the best care.

Through these funding commitments to Arthritis Centres, the Arthritis Society supplements and leverages resources at medical schools and raises the profile of arthritis within universities. This supports the Arthritis Centres’ capacity to provide exemplary patient care, ensure high standards of graduate and undergraduate teaching, and develop excellent opportunities for clinical and basic research.

The 2019-20 Arthritis Centre Grants support centres that align with one of the Arthritis Society’s primary strategic areas of focus – building and supporting a pipeline of strong researchers. These grants support capacity building programs at Arthritis Centres with an aim to increase the number of academic rheumatologists in Canada and/or to support research training in rheumatology.

The 2019-20 recipients of up to $15,000 for a term of one year are:

• Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS)
• CHU de Québec – Université Laval
• McMaster Children’s Hospital
• McMaster University
• Montreal General Hospital, McGill University Health Centre
• The Hospital for Sick Children
• The Ottawa Hospital
• University of Alberta
• University of Manitoba Arthritis Centre
• University of Saskatchewan

Project title: Identification and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells with increased cartilage regeneration potential

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Finding the best stem cells for osteoarthritis therapy

Millions of Canadians are faced with the pain of osteoarthritis (OA) – a debilitating disease with no cure. Some researchers are investigating whether stem cell therapy, using a person’s own cells to heal their joints, has the potential to be a game-changing approach to OA treatment. Under the supervision of Dr. Roman Krawetz, Nedaa Aljezani is learning how to distinguish the best stem cells with the most potential to help patients repair their joint cartilage, which will help design better clinical trials to test the promise of stem cell therapy for OA.

Project title: Derivation and validation of a disease-specific cardiovascular risk prediction score for psoriatic disease using patient registry data

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Scoring personal risk for heart attack and stroke in people with psoriatic disease

Psoriatic disease (PsD) is a chronic inflammatory skin and joint disease that includes psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. People with PsD are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, but doctors need a better way to predict which patients have the highest risk. Under the supervision of Dr. Dafna Gladman and Dr. Lihi Eder, Keith Colaço is studying data from thousands of people with PsD to develop a simple risk score to help doctors recommend treatments to lower patients’ personal risk of cardiovascular diseases. For people with PsD, this could lead to healthier, longer, and better-quality lives.

Project title: The role of platelet signalling in inflammatory arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Discovering how blood platelets contribute to rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and painful inflammatory disease that reduces life expectancy and quality of life. Researchers are beginning to learn about how blood platelets (often known for their role in blood clotting) contribute to inflammation and RA development. Under the supervision of Dr. Hugh Kim, Enoli De Silva is studying whether blocking a molecular signal from platelets can dampen inflammation and whether blood levels of these molecules are linked to RA severity. This new understanding of how RA works could help lead to new treatments or improve diagnosis.

Project title: Understanding the biological and clinical features of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH)

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Understanding DISH: An underdiagnosed form of painful spine arthritis

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a relatively common form of arthritis that involves hardening of ligaments and connective tissues resulting in “bony bridges” between segments of the spine. Very little is known about what causes DISH, especially in its early stages. The disease can cause pain and, in advanced cases, even problems swallowing or breathing. Under the supervision of Dr. Cheryle Séguin and Dr. Michele Crites Battié, Dale Fournier is undertaking a detailed study of how, when and where bony bridges form in DISH and their impact on pain. This fundamental knowledge will influence how doctors diagnose and care for people with this disease.

Project title: Health-related quality of life following a youth sport-related knee injury: Implications for preventing post-traumatic osteoarthritis and promoting lifelong well-being 

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: The importance of overall well-being in youth following a sport-related knee injury

In Canada, as many as 1 in 3 youth get injured playing sports every year. In the case of knee injuries, this puts them at risk of early-onset osteoarthritis (OA). Often, a good recovery is defined as being able to return to playing sports. But this definition misses the longer-term impacts of injury on the physical, mental and social aspects of overall well-being. Under the supervision of Dr. Jackie Whittaker, Christina Le is studying the well-being of active youth who have recently had a knee injury compared to their uninjured peers over the course of a year. The study’s findings will inform rehabilitation strategies to empower injured youth to pursue lifelong wellness and prevent OA.

Project title: Economic evaluation of group-based exercise therapy in comparison to usual care for hip and knee osteoarthritis in Alberta

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Informing public funding decisions for an exercise and education program for osteoarthritis

Moving stiff and painful limbs is the last thing someone wants to do when their joints ache from osteoarthritis (OA), but exercise can have many benefits. Researchers have previously developed an exercise and education program that lowered pain intensity and medication usage in people with OA. A pilot study of this 8-week program is being run at rehabilitation clinics across Alberta. Under the supervision of Dr. Deborah Marshall, Darren Mazzei is comparing the health benefits and economic costs of the pilot program with those of the usual approach to OA care. These results will directly inform provincial decision-makers examining whether to publicly fund the program in Alberta.

Project title: Genetic predictors for non-responders to total joint replacement therapy in primary osteoarthritis patients

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Identifying genetic factors behind failed joint replacements

While some treatments can help manage the pain of osteoarthritis (OA), advanced cases may need to be managed with total joint replacement surgery. After surgery, most people find that their pain is reduced and their joint works better. But for others, their symptoms may stay the same or even get worse. Under the supervision of Dr. Guangju Zhai, Salem Werdyani is studying the DNA of people who responded well or poorly to joint replacement surgery to discover what genetic factors might predict a poor outcome. This could help doctors and their patients decide whether joint replacement is the right choice and, if so, help patients better prepare for their surgery and recovery.

Project title: The resistance of T lymphocytes to anti-arthritic treatments: Role of integrin alpha 2 beta 1

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000

Project summary: Understanding resistance to a common medication for inflammatory arthritis

Methotrexate is one of the most common medications used to treat forms of inflammatory arthritis (IA), such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, not all people respond well to it, or they may develop resistance to it over time. Why this happens is not yet clear. Under the supervision of Dr. Aoudjit Fawzi, Dr. Amna Abderrazak is studying how certain immune cells are able to evade the drug’s effects, including the impact of a molecule thought to be protecting the cells. This study could reveal a new treatment strategy to improve the effectiveness of methotrexate.

Project title: TRAF1 is the key modulator of the inflammatory pathway leading to arthritis: A potential good target for therapy

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Understanding a key molecular player in inflammatory arthritis

Excessive inflammation is the root cause of many debilitating human diseases, including inflammatory arthritis (IA). Understanding how the body keeps inflammation in check is essential to discovering new treatment approaches for IA. People with a variant of a gene called TRAF1, recently implicated in inflammation, have a higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Under the supervision of Dr. Ali Abdul-Sater, Dr. Ali Akram is studying how TRAF1 works as a “brake” on inflammation in these two forms of IA. These insights will help TRAF1 be developed as a novel therapeutic target for IA.

Project title: Senolytics to reduce intervertebral disc degeneration and back pain

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Removing “zombie” cells to reduce pain and degeneration in the spine

Degeneration of parts of the spine can cause debilitating back pain and osteoarthritis (OA). While some treatments can help manage the pain, there is no cure or way to prevent the degeneration from progressing. Researchers have found that “zombie” cells – ones that have stopped multiplying themselves but haven’t died – may play a key role in spine degeneration. Under the supervision of Dr. Lisbet Haglund, Dr. Hosni Cherif is studying whether an approved drug or a natural chemical found in plants can be repurposed to wipe out these cells to improve spine health. This could lead to an entirely new treatment approach for spine OA and back pain.

Project title: Promoting rational glucocorticoid tapering: A pilot project at a vasculitis referral centre

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $25,000

Project summary: Improving patient safety by managing the use of steroid treatments

Steroids are widely used to treat many forms of arthritis and associated conditions like vasculitis, an autoimmune disease involving inflammation of the blood vessels that can cause arthritis, organ damage, and even death. But steroids can cause dangerous side effects if they’re used for too long. Under the supervision of Dr. Christian Pagnoux, Dr. Arielle Mendel is studying whether doctors are currently following best practices in tapering off steroid treatment over time in vasculitis patients and, if not, what underlying issues (e.g. wait times, doctor education) need to be tackled. This will help improve patient safety and quality of care.

Project title: Pro-inflammatory platelet signaling in juvenile arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Discovering how blood platelets contribute to childhood arthritis

Childhood arthritis is a devastating disease that can cause severe pain and disrupt growth. But predicting which children are at risk of more severe forms of the disease is an ongoing challenge. Researchers are beginning to learn about how blood platelets (often known for their role in blood clotting) contribute to inflammation and childhood arthritis. Under the supervision of Dr. Hugh Kim, Dr. Manoj Paul is studying how a molecular signal released from platelets contributes to tissue damage in childhood arthritis and whether blood levels of these molecules are linked to disease severity. These new insights could help improve the diagnosis and treatment of children living with arthritis.

Project title: Understanding the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of mesenchymal stromal cells in osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Developing a “super cell” therapy for osteoarthritis

Millions of Canadians are faced with the debilitating pain of osteoarthritis (OA). With support from the Arthritis Society, Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan’s team led the first Canadian clinical trial of an innovative therapy for OA where pro-healing cells from a patient’s own bone marrow were injected into their joint to reduce inflammation and OA symptoms. Since this worked better in some patients than others, Dr. Razieh Rabani is investigating what makes the cells work, under the supervision of Dr. Viswanathan. This will help predict and improve the cells’ potency, which could translate into a “super cell” therapy to be tested in future clinical trials to potentially transform the OA treatment landscape.

Project title: CD8 T cell dysregulation in ankylosing spondylitis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Profiling immune cells to tackle ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, painful, and debilitating form of inflammatory arthritis (IA) that can be challenging to diagnose. Left unchecked, the inflammation of AS can lead to total fusion of the spine and marked disability. Under the supervision of Dr. Robert Inman, Dr. Michael Tang is investigating the emerging role of specific immune cells in AS by studying their molecular profile in the blood and joint fluid of people living with the disease. This detailed study will be the first of its kind, and its findings could shed light on new opportunities to diagnose AS early and develop new treatments. 

 

Arthritis Centres are the rheumatology divisions of the departments of medicine in Canadian universities, including accredited pediatric rheumatology centres.

For over 30 years, the Arthritis Society has provided annual funding to Arthritis Centres across Canada. As centres of clinical expertise, research, and education, their role in the Canadian healthcare environment is to help ensure that more Canadians with arthritis receive better care.

Recipients of up to $15,000 for a term of one year (2018/19) are:

• BC Children’s Hospital, University of British Columbia
• CHU de Quebec, Université Laval
• QEII Health Science Centre, Dalhousie University
• McMaster University
• McMaster Children’s Hospital, McMaster University
• St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Western Ontario
• SickKids Hospital, University of Toronto
• Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University
• University of Manitoba
• University of Calgary
• University of Alberta

Arthritis Centre grants support centres that align with one of the Arthritis Society’s primary areas of focus – to build and support of pipeline of strong researchers. Proposal objectives support capacity building programs with an aim to increase the number of academic rheumatologists in Canada and/or to support research training in rheumatology.

Project title: A mouse model to design therapies targeting TRAF1 in rheumatoid arthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $125,000
Year 2: $125,000
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: Learning how to put the brakes on rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease where the body’s immune system starts to attack the lining of the joints. Understanding more about how the body usually keeps inflammation in check, and how this goes wrong in RA, can help researchers design new treatments. Dr. Ali Abdul Sater is launching his arthritis research career by studying a protein that acts as a “brake” on inflammation, which may be a good target for future RA therapies. By developing a new, unique mouse model to study in the lab, Dr. Abdul Sater will discover how this protein can be manipulated to effectively treat RA. New RA treatments could improve health outcomes and give patients more options.

Project title: Genetics of manifestations and complications of systemic lupus erythematosus

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $125,000
Year 2: $125,000
Year 3: $125,000

Project summary: Leading the way in genetic studies of systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a life-threatening inflammatory disease for which there is no cure. About 1 in 5 of those diagnosed with SLE are children or adolescents, who have a higher risk of suffering from disease complications and treatment side effects. Genetic differences have important effects on who gets SLE, how it manifests, and what complications arise. Dr. Linda Hiraki is launching her research career by leading a coordinated effort to study how genetic changes (especially rare ones) affect SLE and its complications in children and adults across North America. This knowledge will lead to improved care and enable the discovery of new treatments.

Project title: Advanced multimodal imaging to predict early inflammatory arthritis progression

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $124,960
Year 2: $124,660
Year 3: $124,910

Project summary: A triple threat for imaging joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience swelling and bone damage in their joints, but how damage starts and gets worse is unclear. Launching her career in arthritis research, Dr. Sarah Manske is using specialized medical imaging to understand how joint swelling and bone changes are connected. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound are very good for looking at the swelling in the soft tissues of the joints. Computed tomography (CT) is very good for looking at the bones. By combining all three types of imaging, Dr. Manske will follow how joint damage happens in the hands of people with RA. This research will help guide more effective treatment strategies to minimize joint damage.

Project title: Establishing the validity of quality of life measures in young children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $102,794
Year 2: $119,705
Year 3: $101,540

Project summary: Quality of life in childhood arthritis: How do we measure up?

Understanding the impact of childhood arthritis on quality of life, and how this changes with treatment, is a crucial factor for considering how to make the most of limited healthcare resources and improving childhood arthritis care in Canada. Current methods for measuring quality of life have not been tested in children with arthritis, or in children under eight years old. Dr. Susanne Benseler is collecting quality of life data from the families of young children with arthritis using a survey tool to test if this approach captures the pain of childhood arthritis and its impacts on life in a meaningful way. This will improve how quality of life is measured in children with arthritis, providing an approach that could become the standard in research and clinical practice.

Project title: Randomized controlled trial of staged versus simultaneous bilateral knee arthroplasty

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $119,940
Year 2: $118,120
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Replacing both knees due to severe osteoarthritis: One at a time, or both together?

For some people with osteoarthritis (OA), joint replacements are the only option to relieve the pain and restore function. When both knees need to be replaced, it’s not yet clear whether it’s better for the patient to replace them both at the same time in one operation, or stage the two replacements a few months apart. Both approaches have pros and cons with respect to how the patient recovers from surgery. Dr. Eric Bohm is leading a clinical trial across Canada to compare the two approaches in terms of recovery times, pain relief, joint function, patient satisfaction, and time off work. The results will be used to help patients make informed choices about what surgical approach is best for them.

Project title: Mapping the epidemiology and the role of treatments in mental health complications in inflammatory arthritis (MATTERS)

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $65,073
Year 2: $57,125
Year 3: $84,748

Project summary: Mental health matters in arthritis

The physical effects of arthritis are undeniable and devastating. However, arthritis also has a complex relationship with mental health. Having arthritis may lead to depression or anxiety, and in turn, depression and anxiety can worsen arthritis. Dr. Mary De Vera is using “big data” (e.g., many records of doctors’ visits, hospitalizations, and prescriptions) to study whether the burden of depression and anxiety in British Columbians with arthritis is increasing over time and the effect of other contributing factors, such as medication use. This will be the first study of its kind in Canada on mental health in arthritis. It will not only help improve the lives of people with arthritis but will also bring more awareness to this important matter.

Project title: The Ondansetron Premedication Trial in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (OPT-JIA)

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $102,400
Year 3: $97,936

Project summary: A clinical trial to prevent side effects of treatment in children with arthritis

Many children with arthritis are treated with methotrexate, a drug commonly used in chemotherapy that also effectively controls joint swelling. While this drug has major benefits, too many children with arthritis have nausea and vomiting as a side effect. This can impact every facet of life for children and their families, so many children switch to treatment with expensive biologics, even if methotrexate was working. Dr. Jaime Guzman is leading a clinical trial to see if a drug called ondansetron can prevent nausea and vomiting in children with arthritis starting methotrexate, allowing them to continue methotrexate treatment if it is effective. If successful, this trial could influence clinical practice to improve quality of life for children with arthritis and their families.

Project title: Proof-of-concept study of an electronic medical record (EMR) reminder intervention to optimize the primary and secondary prevention of comorbidities in people with inflammatory arthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $120,000
Year 3: $120,000

Project summary: Empowering doctors to prevent chronic health problems in people with inflammatory arthritis

The inflammation that causes joint pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA) may also put people at risk for other chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, infections, and some cancers. These serious co-existing health conditions can compromise quality of life and even lead to early death. Dr. Diane Lacaille is developing and testing an automated way to send family doctors timely reminders to check for and manage risk factors for chronic diseases in their patients who have IA. This will help them establish effective prevention strategies to keep people with IA as healthy as possible so they can live long, full lives.

Project title: Identification of mitochondrial antigens targeted by auto-antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Examining the immune reactions in systemic lupus erythematosus

Mitochondria are small structures inside cells that are believed to have evolved from bacteria. If cells are damaged and mitochondria are released outside, the body’s immune system can mistake them for bacteria and mount an immune response as if there was an infection. This immune overreaction takes place in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune form of arthritis. Under the supervision of Dr. Éric Boilard, Yann Becker will study how mitochondria are recognized by the immune system in SLE and to identify signs that may help improve SLE diagnosis or predict how it will progress. This could lead to new clinical tests to help ensure that people with SLE receive the best care possible.

Project title: Investigating the therapeutic role of ex vivo polarized monocytes/macrophages in osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500

Project summary: Using a person’s own immune cells as a therapy for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of Canadians. While there are several strategies to manage the pain and other symptoms of OA, there is no cure and advanced disease can require surgical joint replacement. Under the supervision of Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan, Mable Wing Yan Chan is investigating an innovative new approach to OA therapy – using the body’s own immune cells. This study will test whether immune cells can be taken out of the blood and “trained” in the lab to reduce inflammation and joint damage, before being injected back into human joint tissues. This research could lead to a completely new, personalized approach to OA treatment.

Project title: Cost-effectiveness of early and aggressive treatment for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis including the spillover effects on quality of life and productivity of children and their parents

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Understanding the costs of childhood arthritis – for the whole family

Arthritis can affect people at any age, including children. While the development of new therapies for childhood arthritis has made a tremendous difference to affected children and their families, new medications are expensive, and all have risks as well as benefits. Under the supervision of Dr. Deborah Marshall, Luiza Grazziotin is studying the impact that early treatment of childhood arthritis has on parents’ quality of life and their family’s financial well-being. This broader understanding of the burden of childhood arthritis on families may help inform drug reimbursement decisions to support optimal care for children with arthritis across the country.

Project title: Bone marrow lesions and cartilage mechanical properties in osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Understanding how bone bruises contribute osteoarthritis

“Bone bruises” are areas of damage commonly seen on medical imaging scans of people with osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee or hip. They have been linked to having higher levels of pain, and arthritis that worsens more quickly. However, it is unclear how bone bruises affect the bone are cartilage that lie over them, and the role they play in causing OA. Under the supervision of Dr. David Wilson, Carly Jones is measuring how bone bruises in the knee and hip joints affect the stiffness of nearby bone and cartilage to understand how they contribute to the pain and joint damage of OA. This information is essential to developing more effective ways to treat, slow, or stop the disease.

Project title: Beyond training: understanding patient/public experience of power dynamics as engaged partners in arthritis research

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Power dynamics experienced by patient partners in arthritis research

Engaging patients and other members of the public in health research in meaningful ways can ensure that research is informed by patient priorities and designed to have the most potential for impact. The arthritis research community has been a leader on this front, but there are still unanswered questions around how to best integrate these partners within research teams. Under the supervision of Dr. Linda Li and Dr. Laura Nimmon, Graham Macdonald is studying the power dynamics of arthritis research teams from the perspectives of both patient partners and researchers. These insights will help improve patient engagement in research, fostering research that involves and empowers people with arthritis to transform this disease.

Project title: Culture preconditioning strategies to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Harvesting cells from fat to treat osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, which has a devastating impact on millions of Canadians. New treatment options are needed, because there is no cure and advanced cases may require surgical joint replacement. Under the supervision of Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan and Dr. Rajiv Gandhi, Kevin Robb is studying a new potential therapy that uses cells taken out of fat tissues that interact with the immune system, and injects them into affected joints. He will study how these cells work in detail, how they interact with joint tissues in OA, and whether they can be “trained” in the lab to reduce inflammation, joint damage and pain. This could lead to a new treatment to be tested in clinical trials.

Project title: CD154 and its receptors in rheumatoid arthritis

Annual commitment:
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: Towards a new targeted treatment strategy for rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves inflammation triggered by many signals in the body, including signals from several proteins in the cell. Many of these signals are the targets of the class of RA drugs known as biologics – complex medications made by living cells. These drugs are expensive and, like all drugs, have side effects as well as benefits. Under the supervision of Dr. Walid Mourad, Suzanne Salti is studying an inflammatory signalling protein involved in RA and how it interacts with several novel protein partners. The goal is to exploit these discoveries to develop a new type of biologic – one that could potentially be less expensive and have fewer side effects.

Project title: Endothelial ephrin B4 and ephrin B2 signalling in tissue fibrosis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500
Year 2: $10,500
Year 3: $10,500

Project summary: The biology behind a life-threatening complication in scleroderma

Scleroderma is a form of arthritis that involves a build-up of tough scar-like tissue in the skin and sometimes other organs through a process called fibrosis. In the joints, this can lead to stiffness and pain. If it affects the lungs, fibrosis can be life-threatening. Under the supervision of Dr. Mohit Kapoor, Brian Rai-Ling Wu is studying a specific protein involved in lung fibrosis to learn where it comes from and how it works, especially in the context of the cells that line the blood vessels. Pinpointing how this protein leads to lung fibrosis could lead to new treatments for this serious complication of scleroderma.

Project title: More than skin deep: the microbiome of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $10,500

Project summary: The role of skin bacteria in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that can be associated with arthritis in up to 30% of the people who have it. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) can lead to progressive joint damage, pain, disability, and poor quality of life, but its impact can be quite variable. This variation cannot yet be explained by known risk factors. Under the supervision of Dr. Vinod Chandran, Meital Yerushalmi is working on a first-of-its-kind study of skin bacteria in people with psoriasis and different types of PsA in the context of the person’s genetics. This research will reveal what role skin bacteria play in the development and severity of PsA, which could provide insight into possible new treatments.

Project title: microRNA discovery in early and late knee osteoarthritis using next generation sequencing

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000

Project summary: Towards a blood test for early detection of knee osteoarthritis

There is a significant gap in the care of people with osteoarthritis (OA) due to challenges in diagnosing it early and a lack of treatment options. Researchers are searching for signs in the blood that could help catch OA earlier. Dr. Shabana Ali is working towards discovering new ways to distinguish groups of people with knee OA based on their personal characteristics (e.g. age, sex, body mass index) and disease severity, using a cutting-edge technology to create “fingerprints” of molecules found in the blood. These results could be used to develop a simple blood test to diagnose early knee OA, which could allow people to begin exercise or physical therapy programs to prevent progression of the disease.

Project title: Role of microRNAs in preclinical rheumatoid arthritis

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Learning more about how rheumatoid arthritis starts in a high-risk population

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory condition where body’s immune system attacks its own joints leading to pain and impaired mobility. Molecules that act as “switches” to turn genes on and off misbehave in some people with a high risk of RA, leading to inflammation and eventually the disease. Dr. Vidyanand Anaparti will study these molecules in children from Indigenous communities in Northern Manitoba who have a high risk of developing RA. In doing so, he will learn more about how these molecules work and whether they can help predict who will get RA. This could eventually lead to a blood test to catch RA early in this high-risk population, even before symptoms appear.

Project title: Improving strength training in people with rheumatoid arthritis: a foundational behaviour change science approach

Annual commitment (plus 50/50 match):
Year 1: $20,000
Year 2: $20,000
Year 3: $20,000

Project summary: Strength training for people with rheumatoid arthritis: promising strategies to get active

Current guidelines recommend that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) perform strength training exercises at least twice a week to build or maintain muscle, and reduce pain and fatigue. However, remarkably few people with RA meet this goal. This disparity highlights an important missed self-management opportunity. Dr. Jasmin Ma is studying what factors help and hinder participating in strength training among people with RA and will identify the best strategies to support their long-term engagement in this type of physical activity. These results will inform future health promotion efforts to empower people living with RA to improve their quality of life.

The CRA (CIORA)-AS Clinician Investigator Award is intended to provide new clinician investigators, within 5 years of a full time clinical faculty appointment, with what would usually be their first opportunity, upon completion of post graduate training, to demonstrate their ability to initiate and carry out independent research of clear relevance to arthritis, before becoming involved in carrying out the full clinical, teaching and research duties expected of a regular member of the university staff.

Awardees are expected to complete a research project during the term of this salary award. The proposed project must be of clear relevance to rheumatic diseases and be aligned with one or more of the research pillars under the Canadian Initiative for Outcomes in Rheumatology Care (CIORA) grant program.

• Awareness/Advocacy/Education
  1. Health Economics/Sustainability of Health Care/Quality Improvement
• Early Access for rheumatic diseases Patients
• Multi-Disciplinary Care Teams

Please visit the CRA website for the 2018 results.