Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) have won £113.7 million to support groundbreaking medical research.

The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) is leading two of the themes of the new NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), in Musculoskeletal sciences (Professor Andrew Carr) and Gastroenterology & Mucosal Immunity (Professor Fiona Powrie).

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which is funded through the Department for Health, today announced that the Oxford BRC was one of 20 successful BRCs throughout England to receive funding for 2017 to 2022 following a competitive bidding process. NIHR BRCs bring together expertise within the NHS and leading research organisations to turn latest discoveries into fundamentally new treatments for patients.

The musculoskeletal theme now in the NIHR Oxford BRC replaces the current NIHR Oxford Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), to end in March 2017.

Professor Andrew Carr, Head of Department and theme lead on the new NIHR Oxford BRC, said: 'We are delighted to lead two themes in this successful NIHR Oxford BRC, building on the excellence of translational research of our NIHR Oxford BRU. The close working relationship between basic scientists and clinicians fostered by the BRC partnerships has already led to novel treatments and will continue to allow us to improve the lives of our patients.'

MUSCULOSKELETAL THEME

Our vision is to build on our established and proven strengths in the identification of therapeutic targets and to accelerate the translation of new personalized therapies in inflammatory joint disease, degenerative joint disorders and in rare bone diseases. We will also further develop and translate Oxford's promising tissue engineering implants and devices and regenerative medicine therapies for the benefit of patients.

GASTROENTEROLOGY & MUCOSAL IMMUNITY THEME

Inflammation underpins many common gastrointestinal tract and liver (GI) and skin diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) that are a significant source of morbidity and mortality. We will examine molecular pathogenesis in well characterised patient cohorts to identify unique and common drivers of chronic inflammatory GI and skin diseases. This will enable enhanced diagnosis and treatment strategies ensuring expensive immunotherapies with potential side effects are targeted to those patients most likely to benefit.


Similar stories

Kennedy researchers awarded Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowships

Kennedy Institute researchers Mariana Borsa and Edward Jenkins have both been awarded Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships, which give recently qualified postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to start independent research careers.

The Kennedy Institute launches its single cell facility

We spoke to Irina Udalova and Stephen Sansom about the Kennedy’s new single cell facility and how it will enhance research at the Institute and beyond.

Professor Michael Dustin appointed new Chair in Molecular Immunology

A generous gift from the Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research has enabled the creation of a new Chair in Molecular Immunology at the University of Oxford.

The Kennedy’s research strongly endorsed following independent review

We recently welcomed our Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and the Kennedy Trust Scientific Review Board (TSRB) to the Institute to review our current activities and future plans.

Adalimumab is found to be a cost-effective treatment for early-stage Dupuytren’s disease

Researchers at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and Oxford Population Health’s Health Economics Research Centre have found that anti-TNF treatment (adalimumab) is likely to be a cost-effective treatment for people affected by early-stage Dupuytren’s disease.

Mathematician boosts data science research at the Kennedy Institute

Welcome to Yang Luo who has joined the Kennedy Institute as the Principal Investigator of the Luo Group. Her lab is leading the investigation into how genetic variations contribute to diseases of the immune system.