Newcastle University

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.

Theme leader

Professor John Isaacs

Major Research Themes

1. Musculoskeletal Ageing - we host the MRC/ARUK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing.  In particular our expertise covers cartilage biology and breakdown in osteoarthritis.
2. Pathogenesis and therapy of Inflammatory Arthritis - this incorporates identification of diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers, as well as the development of novel immunomodulatory therapies

Expertise

• Cartilage biochemistry, including signalling pathways
• Transcriptional profiling of blood and tissues 
• Cellular immunology, particularly dendritic cell biology
• Tissue engineering, including cellular therapies
• Nanotechnology in relation to bio-surfaces 
• Clinical genetics and functional genomics, particularly with regard to osteoarthritis 
• Pharmacogenetics, particularly with regard to biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis 
• Sjogren's syndrome – disease biology and manifestations, eg. fatigue.  Paediatric immunodeficiency 
• Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type I (APECED) biology. Systemic sclerosis clinical trials, including autologous stem cell transplantation 
• Paediatric rheumatology – clinical features and biology 
• Epigenetics of joint and cartilage
• Translational research, including cellular therapy and novel therapy development

Key Collaborations

• University of Glasgow (McInnes, Ferrell)
• University of Birmingham (Buckley)
• MRC/ABPI RA-MAP Consortium (Lead Centre)
• NIHR Translational Research Partnership for Joint and Related Inflammatory Diseases (Lead Centre)
• ARUK Clinical Study Group for Inflammatory Arthritis (Lead Centre)
• University of East Anglia (Ian Clark)
• University of Liverpool (Jackson) - CIMA
• University of Sheffield (McCloskey) – CIMA
• BRAGGSS Consortium (Barton, Manchester; Hyrich, Manchester; Morgan, Leeds; Wilson, Sheffield)
• ARUK Centre of Excellence in Tissue Engineering (Genever, York; De Bari,  Aberdeen; Richardson/Roberts, Oswestry/Keele)

Developing Researchers

The Musculoskeletal Research Group provides a firm foundation for postgraduate and post-doctoral training.  We currently host 29 PhD students, 6 Clinical Fellows and 19 post-doctoral scientists.  We are part of the Institute of Cellular Medicine which provides formal student and post-doctoral training packages.

Impact and Engagement

• European League Against Rheumatism Centre of Excellence 2010-2015
• Arthritis Research UK (ARUK) Experimental Arthritis Treatment Centre
• MRC/ARUK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing
• ARUK Centre of Excellence in Tissue Engineering
• ARUK Centre of Excellence in Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathogenesis
• Educational materials for musculoskeletal health care professionals which are used by all UK Medical Schools and increasingly overseas (translated into Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese)
• First into man clinical studies, eg. Autologous tolerogenic dendritic cells for rheumatoid arthritis 
• arcOGEN – the largest study of osteoarthritis clinical genetics
• MRC Primary Sjogren's Syndrome cohort
• International Therapeutic Tolerance Workshop (every 4th year)
• Nuffield Foundation Oliver Bird Rheumatism Programme
• Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in Ageing and Chronic Disease – Ageing Limbs Theme

Staff List