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H2020Doctoral network2019–2023

ArthritisHeal · Establishing the molecular fundamentals of arthritic diseases – a step forward to Heal Arthritis

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2019-03-01 → 2023-02-28
EU contribution
€3,297,271
Participants
17
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Establishing the molecular fundamentals of arthritic diseases – a step forward to Heal Arthritis

12 PhD students, 7 European universities, 2 companies and 3.3 million euros are the ingredients of the ArthritisHeal project, which officially started on March 1st 2019. The four-year project is coordinated by the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Altogether, the parties are looking for new treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The ArthritisHeal project aims to train young researchers to generate novel therapeutic targets in the two rheumatic diseases OA and RA. The therapeutic approach will be focused on the role of pro-resolving lipids, which play an important role in both diseases. By training early stage researchers (ESRs) in all aspects of (pre-)clinical research of complex diseases, they will be able to grow and become versatile researchers. Each ESR will have his/her own specialty, and interact with, and understand, researchers from other sectors and disciplines. The overall scientific and training objectives of ArthritisHeal are: • 12 ESRs having completed an individual PhD program to become translational researchers able to deal with challenging problems posed by complex diseases • ESRs trained to combine clinical, biological and chemical insights to find new therapeutic targets for treatment of rheumatic diseases • ESRs trained in academic and industrial research, outreach and communication skills • Expansion of the number of pro-resolving lipids known to regulate OA and/or RA • Mechanistic insights into the role of pro-resolving lipids in OA and RA models • Validated pro-resolving lipid-based therapeutic targets in OA and/or RA

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

In the ArthritisHeal project 7 universities and 2 companies, together with 8 associated partners, will train 12 young researchers and will discover novel therapeutic targets for two rheumatic diseases: osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The project will focus on the role of pro-resolving lipids, which play an important role in both diseases by stimulating resolution of inflammation. Both OA and RA cause pain and deformation of joints, with inflammation playing large role in the pathogenesis of both diseases. Current therapies, focused on inhibition of inflammation, are insufficient to cure rheumatic diseases. By exploiting pro-resolving mechanisms, novel therapeutic targets will be discovered in this project, ultimately improving RA and OA treatment. During the project both clinical samples and animal models will be used to study mode of action and verify clinically relevant lipids. Novel lipids discovered in pre-clinical models are validated in clinical samples, and the mode-of-action of known lipids will be determined in pre-clinical models.The consortium of academic and industrial beneficiaries with leading expertise in rheumatology, lipidomics, immunology and data analysis will provide scientific and technology training to ESRs. Associated partners will provide secondment opportunities and training, e.g. in regulatory and IP issues and career development. Each ESR will follow a personalised training programme combining clinical, biological and chemical insights to solve challenges in the development of treatments for rheumatic diseases. The ESRs will receive training both in an academic as well as an industrial setting. By studying the role of pro-resolving lipids in two important rheumatic diseases in conjunction, the consortium will: - Train young researchers in the interdisciplinary approach necessary to develop treatments for complex diseases.- Validate therapeutic targets in important pro-resolving lipid pathways.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

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Data: CORDIS, © European Union