Masonic Charitable Foundation awards grant to microbiome research

The Masonic Charitable Foundation has awarded£90,000 over three years to Arthritis Research UK, to support research into the role of the microbiome in rheumatoid arthritis.The grant will support Dr Frances Williams at King’s College London, to explore whether the mix of bacteria in and on our bodies (known as the microbiome) drives rheumatoid arthritis, or whether changes in these bacteria are a consequence of the disease or the drugs used to treat it.The researchAround 400,000 people in the UK have rheumatoid arthritis but the best drugs available do not work for everyone. We know that the microbiome in people with rheumatoid arthritis differs from the microbiome in healthy people. Dr Williams and her team are exploring these differences by studying pairs of twins from the TwinsUK cohort, the largest adult twin registry in the UK. By studying genetically identical twins where one twin has rheumatoid arthritis and the other does not, they can gain valuable information about the environmental causes of disease.The microbiome may also be linked to the way in which people with rheumatoid arthritis respond to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate. By investigating the links between the microbiome, genetic factors and DMARD responsiveness in rheumatoid arthritis, the research team aims to understand the reasons why people develop this condition.“We are delighted the Masonic Charitable Foundation has decided to support Dr Frances Wil...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news