Psoriatic Arthritis: a Pilot study to Stratify biologic therapies (PSAPS)

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic immune-mediated disease characterised by widespread musculoskeletal inflammation and is the major comorbidity associated with psoriasis.
The prevalence of psoriatic arthritis in the UK is estimated to be around 0.1% to 0.3% of the total population, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). It affects men and women equally and its incidence peaks between the ages of 30 and 55 years.
PsA can significantly impair a person’s quality of life and cause disability; both skin and joints can be affected and people with PsA report more ‘role limitation’ and body pain than people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Better understanding of the pathophysiology of PsA has led to the development of effective biologics and small-molecular drugs targeting specific cytokines and signalling pathways, which can stop disease progression and improve quality of life. However, at least 40% of
patients with PsA have only a partial response or fail to respond to such treatments. Improving our knowledge of disease pathophysiology could help to determine biomarkers for diagnosis, forecast therapeutic response and remission, develop precision medicines and
predict which patients will respond to which therapy.
TNF-α inhibitor therapy is the NICErecommended first-line biological treatment option for patients with PsA who have failed to
respond to conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) therapies. However, not all patients respond to these TNF-α inhibitors and some patients develop serious adverse effects. This study aims to answer the important question whether analysis of patients’ synovial fluid in combination with blood inflammatory markers can identify patients who will not respond to anti-TNF therapy.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a team interfaced between academia and the clinic.
You will join the Rheumatology Research group based at the RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital.
Together, Keele University and RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry provide a comprehensive pathway from basic laboratory cell and tissue engineering to the delivery of cell therapies into the clinic, with extensive and appropriate facilities to support the work.
You will receive training in cell biology, fluorescent microscopy, immunological assays, flow cytometry, ELISA, Western blotting and statistical analysis techniques. Transferable skills such as reporting of results orally and in writing, project planning and management will be also developed.