The MRC-Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, which was recently renewed with £2.3 million funding over the next five years, has begun phase two of its research programme.
The Centre integrates the work of world class researchers, clinicians and health professionals at the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham to focus upon understanding the age-related loss of musculoskeletal function and how this leads to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Professor Janet Lord, Director of the Centre and Director of the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham, said: “We are delighted that the Centre has been renewed and that we are able to progress our research into musculoskeletal ageing.
“The renewal phase will have three core research themes: basic mechanisms of musculoskeletal ageing, understanding the links between ageing and musculoskeletal disease, and interventions to prevent musculoskeletal ageing and disease.
“Rapid translation of research will be achieved through closer working with the NIHR CLAHRC West Midlands and the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre.”
There will be extensive collaboration with selected partners, notably the Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology at Oxford, as well as the sister centre the Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing, a collaboration between researchers and clinicians at the Universities of Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle.
International partners will include the University of Copenhagen, the University of California – Davis, the University of California – Berkley, and the University of Houston.
A large proportion of the funding the Centre has received will support 22 PhD students who will spend up to one year of their PhD in one of the Centre’s collaborating partner labs to ensure stronger collaborations emerge.