Our research in rheumatology

The rheumatic diseases are chronic, multisystem disorders resulting from acute and chronic inflammation of connective tissues. The clinical features can range from inflammation of a single joint to widespread inflammation of multiple joints, blood vessels, skin, muscles and other organs such as eyes, kidneys, lung, the brain and bone marrow. Our research in rheumatology is primarily focused on the treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), and the safety of vaccines among children with compromised immune systems, such as those with JIA.

We are particularly concerned with finding biomarkers which can predict the course of JIA and assist in finding the best treatment for individual patients, as not all JIA patients respond to standard treatment. We are doing this by collecting blood and joint fluid samples from JIA patients and looking at immune cells and inflammatory markers called prostanoids, which can tell us more about arthritic activity.

Our research in vaccine safety hopes to uncover more information about the safety and effectiveness of current vaccines among children suffering from immune deficiencies such as JIA, and improve their long-term health outcomes. The results of our investigation will help inform much-needed best practice guidelines for immunisation in this patient group, and lead to improved wellbeing for patients with JIA on a local and global scale.