Musculoskeletal Research Group

The Musculoskeletal Research Group comprises a large group of clinicians and scientists working together to improve the diagnosis, management and understanding of arthritic diseases. Major research themes encompass:

  • Cytokine induced mechanisms of cartilage and bone breakdown
  • The role of proteinases in extracellular matrix breakdown
  • Synthesis and breakdown of extracellular matrix in arthritic disease
  • The identification, development and testing of novel therapeutic targets and strategies for inflammatory arthritis
  • Antigen presentation in autoimmune rheumatic disease
  • Strategies for the induction and measurement of clinical therapeutic tolerance
  • Improving arthroplasty design, with an emphasis on nanotechnology applications
  • Biomarkers of early rheumatoid arthritis
  • Thymic function in the rheumatic diseases
  • Barriers to care in paediatric rheumatology
  • Developing educational packages for doctors and patients
  • Development of musculoskeletal imaging (ultrasound, MRI and PET) as a research and diagnostic tool in musculoskeletal disease
  • Clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis
  • Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy syndrome

Close collaboration between rheumatologists and orthopaedic surgeons, and large cohorts of well-characterised patients across the spectrum of musculoskeletal disease, provide an excellent infrastructure for clinical and translational arthritis research. The Wilson Horne Immunotherapy Centre provides an optimal setting for the study of novel immunomodulators and allied experimental medicine.

Wider collaborations involve the Institute of Ageing and Health, particularly with regard to our osteoarthritis and osteoporosis research programmes. All academic staff within MRG are members of the Institute for Cellular Medicine.

Further information about this area of research can be found at the Institute of Cellular Medicine and Institute for Ageing and Health

Staff List

rg_musculoskeletal

Dr Mark Birch
Senior Lecturer

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 3849 

Dr Fraser Birrell
Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 5548 

Prof. Tim Cawston
Dean of Research and William Leech Professor of Rheumatology

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 5363 

Dr Harish Datta
Consultant/Senior Lecturer

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 6759 

Prof. Helen Foster
Prof of Paediatric Rheumatology

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 7541 

Prof. Roger Francis
Wm Leech Prof of Geriatric Med

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 223 1160 

Dr Catharien Hilkens
Reader in Immunotherapy

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44-191-222-8026 

Prof. John Isaacs
Professor of Clinical Rheumatology

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 5549 

Dr Desa Lilic
Consultant Immunologist and Hon Sen Clin Lecturer

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 7244 

Prof. John Loughlin
Prof of Musculoskeletal Research

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 7178 

Prof. Andrew McCaskie
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

vCard Email:
Telephone: 0191 233 6161 ext. 26632 

Dr Fai Ng
Clinical Senior Lecturer

vCard Email:  

Prof. John Robinson
Professor of Immunology

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 6976 

Prof. Drew Rowan
Professor of Molecular Rheumatology

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 8821/7541 

Prof. Jaap Van Laar
Professor of Clinical Rheumatology

vCard Email:
Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 7139 

Dr David Young
Lecturer

vCard Email:  
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