About
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 ArthritisHeal approach
Challenges to address
Rheumatic diseases, such as RA and OA, cause pain and deformation of joints in ~10% of the population. Both diseases have an important inflammatory component. Despite new therapeutic strategies including biologicals, neither disease can be cured. An exciting new opportunity to find a cure is to exploit and expand the evolving field of pro-resolving lipids, including the first-discovered classes of resolvins, protectins and maresins.
Interdiciplinary
Stimulating pro-resolving lipids, instead of blocking pro-inflammatory mediators, offers a novel way to treat rheumatic diseases. The complexity of this strategy requires collaboration of researchers from biology, chemistry and medicine. Each ESR will have his/her own specialty, and interact with, and understand, researchers from other sectors and disciplines.
Work Packages
The ArthritisHeal training network consists of four scientific WPs corresponding with the scientific objectives 1-4. Each of the 12 ESR projects will be positioned in one or more of WPs 1-4 having intense interaction according to the central interdisciplinary and translational training idea of ArthritisHeal. The common basis for all WPs is the epidemiologic and mechanistic evaluation of pro-resolving lipid pathways and functions in rheumatic diseases.
