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After spending three years as a postdoctoral researcher specializing in epidemiology and clinical studies at NDORMS, Thomas joined the Kennedy Institute in 2021 to work with Professor Tonia Vincent’s team. Thomas is a senior researcher and data analyst within the STEpUP OA Consortium - ‘Synovial Fluid To Define Molecular Endotypes by Unbiased Proteomics in Osteoarthritis (OA)’ - which aims to delve into the intricate molecular landscape of OA, a widely prevalent and heterogeneous condition characterized by diverse clinical manifestations known as 'phenotypes'.

The variability in clinical phenotypes has led researchers to ask whether there are molecular ‘endotypes’ (subgroups) within OA. Our aim is to better understand the molecular pathways that lead to the development of OA and joint symptoms. Using bioinformatic techniques, Thomas’ work explores the relationship between protein expression and clinical features of disease (pain and radiograph disease severity) to better characterise the underlying mechanisms of OA. 

Magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) and the assessment of treatment efficacy in knee OA remains an active interest for Thomas. Several of Thomas' projects are working towards identifying and defining new structural treatment targets for use in knee OA clinical trials. Thomas is keen to develop collaborations and projects in ankle OA. Thomas has extensive experience in a range of quantitative research methods, musculoskeletal imaging, clinical and observational study design, and project and database management.

As part of his research career, Thomas has had the privilege of presenting work at the prestigious Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) conference and the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) conferences. Thomas has established collaborations with the University of Southampton, the University of Sydney and the University of Manchester with several studies focused on understanding the mechanism of disease and identifying early risk factors for knee OA. 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0499-3033