Molecular Prediction of Osteoarthritis to enable its Prevention: Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis as an exemplar
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Kennedy Institute
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the commonest form of arthritis, affecting 8.5 million people in the UK. It is the main reason for hip and knee joint replacement surgery, with an associated healthcare budget estimated at £2 billion, with much greater societal cost. We currently have no drug treatments that prevent, slow or cure OA. Knee joint injury, such as anterior cruciate ligament rupture, is the biggest risk factor for future knee OA. About half of all people with knee injuries will develop OA; surgery to treat the injury does not reduce this risk. This type of OA is known as 'post traumatic osteoarthritis' (PTOA). Individuals are often younger when they develop PTOA, but we don't know if this form of OA is otherwise different from 'usual' OA. There is an inflammation response in the knee to the injury which varies considerably between people. Our laboratory studies link this initial 'joint injury response' to later OA. We can measure different aspects of the response: protein 'markers' in knee joint fluid, message levels of genes in blood, an individual's genetic makeup and clinical factors like age, sex or type of injury. Studying the joint injury response gives us an opportunity to understand the processes which cause OA, and to aim to prevent PTOA by picking out those who are at high risk and treating them at the time of their injury.
My aim is to identify and test predictors of progression to PTOA after knee injury which can be used in the clinic. I will:
-Identify clinical factors and measurable markers at the time of the knee injury which predict PTOA (in the joint and in blood)
-Assess the genetic risk of PTOA
-Develop a test or risk score which can rate a person's individual risk of future PTOA
-Improve our ability to design clinical trials with the aim of preventing PTOA
We will achieve this by using 3 different approaches: (1) work in specific knee injury 'cohorts' (groups) of individuals who have been followed over time with the collection of clinical samples, questionnaires and scans or X-rays; (2) join together a number of other international knee injury cohorts to ask genetic questions in PTOA, but also to check our findings and (3) access much larger existing research studies of individuals with associated healthcare data: UK Biobank (~32,000 individuals have knee OA and associated genetic information), and a large group of general OA studies (Genetics of Osteoarthritis) has an additional 61,000 cases of knee OA. These big numbers are needed to ask genetic questions. We will ask whether known genetic risks for 'usual' OA are the same for PTOA, and whether we can identify any new inherited risk factors. We will also look at 5000 markers in a single joint fluid sample at once, and look at how genes and markers relate to each other.
If we identify markers that predict OA, we can develop a test or risk score which gives an individual their personal risk of OA. This would have a number of benefits: helping those with injury, with work and life planning and choices around exercise and potential treatments. It would enable clinical trials in this area, because for the first time we would be able to pick out those at the highest risk. This would make clinical trials more acceptable to participants, and also increase our chances of measuring a true effect of a treatment, allowing smaller numbers and greater certainty about our findings. It may also give us faster, more accurate answers in trials. Lastly, the test could be used in the clinic, channelling scarce healthcare resources to those who are at greatest risk and not giving unnecessary treatments. It is possible that these types of markers may also be relevant to those with early OA of other causes and we will test this. Given the high and growing frequency of OA, finding a way of making any difference in this area is likely to reduce our future health and social care costs.
My aim is to identify and test predictors of progression to PTOA after knee injury which can be used in the clinic. I will:
-Identify clinical factors and measurable markers at the time of the knee injury which predict PTOA (in the joint and in blood)
-Assess the genetic risk of PTOA
-Develop a test or risk score which can rate a person's individual risk of future PTOA
-Improve our ability to design clinical trials with the aim of preventing PTOA
We will achieve this by using 3 different approaches: (1) work in specific knee injury 'cohorts' (groups) of individuals who have been followed over time with the collection of clinical samples, questionnaires and scans or X-rays; (2) join together a number of other international knee injury cohorts to ask genetic questions in PTOA, but also to check our findings and (3) access much larger existing research studies of individuals with associated healthcare data: UK Biobank (~32,000 individuals have knee OA and associated genetic information), and a large group of general OA studies (Genetics of Osteoarthritis) has an additional 61,000 cases of knee OA. These big numbers are needed to ask genetic questions. We will ask whether known genetic risks for 'usual' OA are the same for PTOA, and whether we can identify any new inherited risk factors. We will also look at 5000 markers in a single joint fluid sample at once, and look at how genes and markers relate to each other.
If we identify markers that predict OA, we can develop a test or risk score which gives an individual their personal risk of OA. This would have a number of benefits: helping those with injury, with work and life planning and choices around exercise and potential treatments. It would enable clinical trials in this area, because for the first time we would be able to pick out those at the highest risk. This would make clinical trials more acceptable to participants, and also increase our chances of measuring a true effect of a treatment, allowing smaller numbers and greater certainty about our findings. It may also give us faster, more accurate answers in trials. Lastly, the test could be used in the clinic, channelling scarce healthcare resources to those who are at greatest risk and not giving unnecessary treatments. It is possible that these types of markers may also be relevant to those with early OA of other causes and we will test this. Given the high and growing frequency of OA, finding a way of making any difference in this area is likely to reduce our future health and social care costs.
Planned Impact
The most important stakeholders to benefit will be patients. Currently, there is no way of predicting osteoarthritis (OA) after joint injury, which often affects young people. In a previous discussion group run by our Centre for those with a recent significant knee injury, some of them described their current uncertainty. P2"Where am I going to be in 20 years?";"I want to know what the exact implication of my injury is for me." P3"I am keen to know the facts. I would like to know my personal risk of arthritis. I would also want to know what could be done. It would help me plan my fitness and lifestyle: at the moment I feel like I'm 'flying blind'." A predictive test, alone, or incorporated into a risk prediction tool which is fit for the clinic would address their questions directly. This is the primary goal of this work and could be achievable within 5-7 years. Until we can identify those at the highest risk, trials of prevention of post-traumatic OA (PTOA) remain unlikely. Although there are other challenges in delivering such trials, a need for risk stratification is agreed to be essential. Patients understand that re-stabilising knee surgery does not reduce their risk of PTOA and they want new treatments to prevent disease. P3"I know it is difficult, but if certain things could be done to prevent [OA], that would be good." P1"Prevention is better than cure: Can we stop people getting arthritis? Understanding the very first triggers for disease is key."
The second group benefitting would be Pharma and regulators. Industrial investment in OA has wavered in recent years. One of the biggest challenges has not been the identification of novel targets, but in trial design. Most OA does not progress rapidly or predictably, making trials long. Combined with insensitive outcome measures, this leads to large expensive trials which are unattractive to Pharma. A linked issue is one of safety. Exposing all those to an agent, including individuals with good prognosis is not attractive, either to regulators, patients or indeed healthcare providers. This issue is augmented in prevention trials. The FDA has no current label for prevention of OA after injury. In a recent workshop, major needs identified by Pharma to allow progress were the ability to stratify at the time of joint injury and development of surrogate endpoints. This work would directly address this need, with output within 4-7 years. We may also identify novel therapeutic targets. Although this is less predictable, our work in year 4 would assess potential targets for their feasibility to take forward, ideally in collaboration with Pharma.
The scientific community working on PTOA currently work in silos. Other than an increase in knowledge, this fellowship would benefit the community by bringing groups together to work on the shared question of genetic risk. No individual group can do this alone, and this fellowship will broker a new way of working, which may yield future benefits. This output is within 4 years as a primary objective.
UK plc could benefit from IP and manufacturing of a predictive test, or from identification of new therapies. Both would have global healthcare implications.
Lastly healthcare providers and budgets would benefit. The cost of OA after joint injury is not known, but will be disproportionately represented in the overall spend on OA of £2 billion per annum in the UK, given that individuals are younger (affected longer, more work disability), with high healthcare costs (often needing early joint replacement and subsequent revisions). Any progress in this area, in the assessment of risk (to focus existing secondary prevention strategies such as weight loss and exercise), to developing new treatments, would likely have a positive impact on healthcare provision and associated cost. This would be magnified if our findings were transferable to those with early non-traumatic OA, with impact in this area possible within 10 years.
The second group benefitting would be Pharma and regulators. Industrial investment in OA has wavered in recent years. One of the biggest challenges has not been the identification of novel targets, but in trial design. Most OA does not progress rapidly or predictably, making trials long. Combined with insensitive outcome measures, this leads to large expensive trials which are unattractive to Pharma. A linked issue is one of safety. Exposing all those to an agent, including individuals with good prognosis is not attractive, either to regulators, patients or indeed healthcare providers. This issue is augmented in prevention trials. The FDA has no current label for prevention of OA after injury. In a recent workshop, major needs identified by Pharma to allow progress were the ability to stratify at the time of joint injury and development of surrogate endpoints. This work would directly address this need, with output within 4-7 years. We may also identify novel therapeutic targets. Although this is less predictable, our work in year 4 would assess potential targets for their feasibility to take forward, ideally in collaboration with Pharma.
The scientific community working on PTOA currently work in silos. Other than an increase in knowledge, this fellowship would benefit the community by bringing groups together to work on the shared question of genetic risk. No individual group can do this alone, and this fellowship will broker a new way of working, which may yield future benefits. This output is within 4 years as a primary objective.
UK plc could benefit from IP and manufacturing of a predictive test, or from identification of new therapies. Both would have global healthcare implications.
Lastly healthcare providers and budgets would benefit. The cost of OA after joint injury is not known, but will be disproportionately represented in the overall spend on OA of £2 billion per annum in the UK, given that individuals are younger (affected longer, more work disability), with high healthcare costs (often needing early joint replacement and subsequent revisions). Any progress in this area, in the assessment of risk (to focus existing secondary prevention strategies such as weight loss and exercise), to developing new treatments, would likely have a positive impact on healthcare provision and associated cost. This would be magnified if our findings were transferable to those with early non-traumatic OA, with impact in this area possible within 10 years.
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Lund University (Collaboration)
- Linkoping University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (Collaboration)
- Cleveland University (Collaboration)
- University of Calgary (Collaboration)
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (Collaboration)
- UK Biobank (Collaboration)
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Collaboration)
- Imperial College London (Fellow)
People |
ORCID iD |
Fiona Watt (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Garriga C
(2021)
Clinical and molecular associations with outcomes at 2 years after acute knee injury: a longitudinal study in the Knee Injury Cohort at the Kennedy (KICK).
in The Lancet. Rheumatology
Georgopoulos V
(2023)
Harmonising knee pain patient-reported outcomes: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) and individual participant data (IPD).
in Osteoarthritis and cartilage
Gulati M
(2024)
Could sex-specific subtypes of hand osteoarthritis exist? A retrospective study in women presenting to secondary care
in Frontiers in Pain Research
Hollis B
(2023)
Lifetime risk and genetic predisposition to post-traumatic OA of the knee in the UK Biobank
in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
Jansen M
(2021)
Cartilage Repair Activity during Joint-Preserving Treatment May Be Accompanied by Osteophyte Formation
in Applied Sciences
Jansen MP
(2023)
Artificial intelligence in osteoarthritis: repair by knee joint distraction shows association of pain, radiographic and immunological outcomes.
in Rheumatology (Oxford, England)
Jennifer AE Williams
(2022)
HOPE-ing for success: adaptations made to the HOPE-e feasibility study due to COVID-19
Marian IR
(2021)
Hand Osteoarthritis: investigating Pain Effects of estrogen-containing therapy (HOPE-e): a protocol for a feasibility randomised placebo-controlled trial.
in Pilot and feasibility studies
Description | We have found that the presence of blood and extra fluid in the joint are the greatest risk factors identifiable at the time of the knee injury which identify risk for worse symptom outcomes at 2 years after injury. These factors may jointly represent the extent/severity of the injury and inflammation relating to the injury in part. Their presence may also contribute to an ongoing adverse biological effect on the recovery/resolution process. Further work needs to be done to disentangle this and whether this might represent an opportunity for preventive treatment. These factors largely outweigh the contribution of synovial fluid biomarkers in predicting outcome. However, two inflammatory response markers were identified which, when elevated in synovial fluid, contributed to negative outcomes after knee joint injury (IL-6 and MCP-1). Lastly, our work in UK Biobank so far has suggested that there is an excess risk of osteoarthritis after knee injury (post-traumatic osteoarthritis) which is greatest in the first 5 years after the knee injury but that this excess risk lasts for 20 years or more. This has not previously been shown. The genetic risk of osteoarthritis after joint injury appears not to be straight forward from our work so far - for example, genes known to be associated with osteoarthritis risk in general do not seem to be associated with risk of progression to post-traumatic osteoarthritis, at least in this identified UK Biobank population. The genetic risk factors for post-traumatic osteoarthritis need to be investigated in larger numbers of individuals in international datasets as well as the genetic risk of the injury itself. This work is ongoing as part of the award, having been delayed due to Covid. |
Exploitation Route | It is too early to say. But generated datasets like the genomics summary datasets (UKBB, GO and OSKGAR) and the STEp UP OA data resource will be accessible to bone fide researchers following access request in the future. |
Sectors | Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | https://www.kennedy.ox.ac.uk/about/industry/stepup-oa |
Description | Co-lead of NIHR Musculoskeletal Translational Research Collaboration 'Common Musculoskeletal Conditions' workstream |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://www.nihr.ac.uk/explore-nihr/support/ukmsktrc/ |
Description | Invitation to speak at American College of Rheumatology Convergence, 2022 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
URL | https://meet.acrconvergence2022.org/ |
Description | Invitation to speak at National Primary Care meeting |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Invitation to speak at cartilage meeting at Keele, UK |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Invited Viewpoint article by Lancet Rheumatology |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Invited speaker at Lancet Summit on Sex and Gender in Rheumatology, September 2022 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | A Lancet Summit was convened in this area of high interest. A special issue was linked with this meeting, which included the primary report from the HOPE-e study. This activity and publication has influenced the agenda in recognition of the influence of sex and importance of stratification by sex in these diseases and sex specific considerations in treatment. |
URL | https://www.thelancetsummit.com/sex-gender-rheumatology/ |
Description | Invited talk, SER-OARSI symposium, A Coruna, June 2023 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Invited talk,, CAMBAC, U.of Alabama, US March 2023 |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Invited talk,British Society for Rheumatology Convergence, Manchester, UK, April 2023 April 2023 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Rheumatologists more aware of treatment options that improve pain and quality of life in osteoarthritis. |
URL | https://iii.hm/bsr23 |
Description | Invited to give keynote talk at ICORS meeting |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Oral abstract at European Menopause and Andropause Society, May 2023 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
URL | https://2023.emas-online.org/programme-and-abstracts/scientific-programme/ |
Description | Work to develop an Musculoskeletal Healthcheck (CIMA/MRC/Versus Arthritis/NHS England) |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Description | Biomarkers and joint pain in Military Osteoarthritis Study (Bio-Mil-OA) |
Amount | £292,852 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 21076 |
Organisation | Versus Arthritis |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 01/2025 |
Description | Do systemic metabolites drive the chondroprotective effects of the IL18-/- gut microbiome in osteoarthritis? |
Amount | £738,078 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/W003597/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 10/2024 |
Description | Future Leaders Fellowship (+3 scheme) |
Amount | £738,950 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/Y003470/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2024 |
End | 12/2026 |
Description | Molecular Prediction of Osteoarthritis to enable its Prevention: Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis as an exemplar |
Amount | £784,003 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/S016538/2 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2021 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | Retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents (RAMBAs) to treat hand osteoarthritis |
Amount | £872,605 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/S035664/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 06/2025 |
Description | THE JOINT ATLAS: A CELLULAR MAP OF KEY ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES IN THE HUMAN SYNOVIAL JOINT DURING DEVELOPMENT AND IN HEALTHY ADULTS. |
Amount | £459,164 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/S035850/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2018 |
End | 12/2020 |
Title | SMS collection of data into a clinical database |
Description | Within OCTRU, we have developed SMS collection of daily hand pain data that is entered directly into a CTU database (Openclinica and OCTRU) The data relating to this have been presented at 1 national meeting and 1 international meeting. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This approach has improved data collection during the pandemic and is acceptable to patients. |
Title | HOPE Cohort RedCAP database |
Description | Fully automated observational clinical study, directly following on from HOPE-e, examining the course and trajectories of hand pain. RedCAP electronic consent and automated surveys and data collection by SMS with direct database entry have been used by us for the first time. Other trials have taken advice from on these methods. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Others have taken advice from us. Despite Covid, it means we have been able to open this study and collect data. |
URL | https://www.kennedy.ox.ac.uk/research/hopec |
Title | OARVIL (Osteoarthritis Research Voluntary Interested List), Centre for OA Pathogenesis |
Description | Registry where people can express interest in involvement or participation in OA research. Recently moving to RedCAP database, based at University of Oxford. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Enabling recruitment to local OA studies. |
Title | Repository Inclusion and Exclusion injury and osteoarthritis codes, |
Description | Codes used for UK Biobank PTOA project (Hollis et al, 2023) |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None so far |
URL | https://github.com/dr-bench/PTOA |
Title | STEp UP OA QC intermediate dataset |
Description | Intermediate dataset for results |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet |
URL | https://github.com/dengyun-git/STEpUp_QC_Paper |
Title | STEp UP OA RedCAP Database |
Description | Database containing harmonised data from 17 OA and joint injury cohorts, for the purpose of consortium working. I am lead of the Clinical and Data Management Working group, responsible for the database build and population. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | None as yet. Primary analysis due to commence April 2022. |
Description | Centre for Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Centre supports all aspects of translational research in to osteoarthritis. We benefit from knowledge, skills and also national and international reputation of the Centre. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Centre promoted the HOPE-e study, provided nursing back up (whilst not funding core positions) and had several co-applicants linked to the Centre. |
Impact | Please see relevant aspects of form. This collaboration is multidisciplinary, including lab scientists, engineers, physicians, statisticians, therapists, surgeons, clinician scientists. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Research Versus Arthritis |
Organisation | University of Nottingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Centre has promoted research into PTOA, and supported exploratory biomarker research in 2 studies (contributing to a salary of a laboratory technician). |
Collaborator Contribution | They have supported all aspects of our interest in PTOA research and supported and promoted an OARSI workshop, supporting travel costs for one of our speakers. |
Impact | Outputs are detailed in relevant form sections. The Centre is multi-disciplinary, including therapists, laboratory researchers, physiologists, engineers, epidemiologists, statisticians, trial lists, clinicians (SEM, orthopaedic, rheumatology). |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Genetics of Osteoarthritis Consortium member |
Organisation | The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute |
Department | Arthritis Research UK Osteoarthritis Genetics (arcoGEN) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Watt leads Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis subproject |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of data from collaborators within consortium. |
Impact | None as yet. Multidisciplinary. Rheumatology; Orthopaedics; Physiotherapy; Statistical Genetics; Epidemiology; Biobanking; Bioinformatics |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | OSKGAR consortium (Osteoarthritis and Sporting Knee Injury: Genetic Association with Risk) |
Organisation | Cleveland University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Watt leads the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | Watt has agreed with 8 international participants; contracting is in process. |
Impact | No outputs as yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | OSKGAR consortium (Osteoarthritis and Sporting Knee Injury: Genetic Association with Risk) |
Organisation | Erasmus University Rotterdam |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Watt leads the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | Watt has agreed with 8 international participants; contracting is in process. |
Impact | No outputs as yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | OSKGAR consortium (Osteoarthritis and Sporting Knee Injury: Genetic Association with Risk) |
Organisation | Linkoping University |
Country | Sweden |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Watt leads the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | Watt has agreed with 8 international participants; contracting is in process. |
Impact | No outputs as yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | OSKGAR consortium (Osteoarthritis and Sporting Knee Injury: Genetic Association with Risk) |
Organisation | Lund University |
Country | Sweden |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Watt leads the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | Watt has agreed with 8 international participants; contracting is in process. |
Impact | No outputs as yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | OSKGAR consortium (Osteoarthritis and Sporting Knee Injury: Genetic Association with Risk) |
Organisation | University of Calgary |
Country | Canada |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Watt leads the consortium. |
Collaborator Contribution | Watt has agreed with 8 international participants; contracting is in process. |
Impact | No outputs as yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Co-production of the grant - OA Centre and OCTRU |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-production of the grant - OA Centre and OCTRU |
Impact | None as yet. Multi-disciplinary. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Co-production of the grant - OA Centre and OCTRU |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-production of the grant - OA Centre and OCTRU |
Impact | None as yet. Multi-disciplinary. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | STEp UP OA Consortium |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | FW leads 2 working groups: the Clinical and Data Management Group and the Sample Management Group. FW is CI of several contributing cohorts and a member of the steering group. |
Collaborator Contribution | This is an international consortium seeking for the first time to establish whether there are detectable molecular endotypes (molecular signatures) within the synovial fluid of people with osteoarthritis, with the analysis of over 7000 proteins (by SomaScan technology) in 1800 participant samples. |
Impact | This consortium is about to report on its methodology and primary analysis findings in 2023. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | UK Biobank project |
Organisation | UK Biobank |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Successful application to access data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of data. |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Title | HOPE-e study (use of hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women with OA) |
Description | Duavive (a combination of SERM and conjugated estrogens), made by Pfizer, under patent to 2027, licensed as an HRT. Recent completion of NIHR RfPB feasibility study of the drug in an RCT which has met its objectives, ie that the treatment is feasible and acceptable to this patient population and has also generated proof of concept data and data to power a full study. Currently manuscript in draft, recent TSC recommendation to proceed, discussions with NIHR and Pfizer ongoing regarding next steps. |
Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Drug |
Current Stage Of Development | Early clinical assessment |
Year Development Stage Completed | 2022 |
Development Status | Actively seeking support |
Clinical Trial? | Yes |
Impact | No impacts as yet. |
URL | https://hope.octru.ox.ac.uk/welcome-hope-e-trial |
Title | RAMBOH-1 (blockade of retinoic acid metabolism in people with osteoarthriits) |
Description | Talarozole, a retinoic acid metabolism blocking agent. An MRC funded experimental medicine study (with molecular outcomes, studying the augmentation of retinoic acid dependent genes and suppression of inflammatory response genes in articular cartilage) is in set-up. |
Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Drug |
Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Clinical |
Year Development Stage Completed | 2020 |
Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
Impact | No impacts yet. |
Description | Blog about move to Imperial College London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Introduction to me, my move to Imperial College. Made others aware of my research locally. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://blogs.imperial.ac.uk/doii-staff/2021/06/15/in-profile-dr-fiona-watt-reader-in-rheumatology/#... |
Description | Imperial College website Blog about new NICE guidance for Osteoarthritis Management |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | FW wrote a blog for Imperial College communications team about the controversial changes to the proposed NICE guidance for osteoarthritis management. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://blogs.imperial.ac.uk/imperial-medicine/author/fwatt/ |
Description | Interview on Lancet Rheum Viewpoint (sex, sex hormones and Msk pain) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview given to media on Lancet Viewpoint, (Mary Stroka) for Haymarket's Rheumatology Advisor online news for rheumatologists, 17/5/23, published 14 July 2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/home/topics/osteoarthritis/musculoskeletal-pain-symptoms-common-... |
Description | Interview on knee health in the Times |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interviewed for a piece about maximising knee health, myth busting. Not about our research specifically but about knowledge in the area and things people can do to help knee pain. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/8-ways-to-keep-your-knees-fit-8ccld6fl5 |
Description | Interview with the Times |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | General discussion on aches and joint pains and how to manage |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/aches-and-joint-pain-heres-what-to-do-x92q2zfqj |
Description | Invited Podcast on our work for the international movement "Joint Action" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
Results and Impact | Interview with David Hunter for Australian charitable funded podcast series, Joint Action |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://tinyurl.com/2p8txy5b |
Description | Lancet Rheumatology media coverage (Imperial College London) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Imperial College covered the publication of the KICK cohort primary publication. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/226073/new-study-sheds-light-link-between/ |
Description | NDORMS news story on findings in Lancet Rheum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | News story on NDORMs (University of Oxford) website about findings in the KICK study. Increased awareness of our work. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.ndorms.ox.ac.uk/news/exploring-the-link-between-joint-injury-and-osteoarthritis |
Description | OARSI pre-congress workshop, March 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a competitively awarded pre-congress workshop at OARSI 2023, Denver. The programme was devised and overseen by an interdisciplinary, international diverse working group. The workshop related to overcoming challenges in design of trials aiming to prevent post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the knee. A report has just been published. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://oarsi.org/node/907 |
Description | Piece about study in Oxford Mail |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Piece about study overcoming Covid to re-open run in Oxford Mail newspaper. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/18802904.women-hand-joint-pain-wanted-oxford-study/ |
Description | Radio interview (Voice of Islam) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Voice of Islam Radio interview - 16/5/23 Osteoarthritis - what is it, how can it be managed. Upcoming research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | TV interview about arthritis on London Live |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | TV interview alongside a patient about pain of arthritis |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.londonlive.co.uk%2Fnews%2F2019... |
Description | Versus Arthritis website piece on 'taking part in research' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a piece written by the Versus Arthritis website speaking with one of our research study participants from HOPE-e. The piece aims to de-myth taking part as a participant in a study, was overall positive about their experience, is a useful resource for future studies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/august/what-is-it-like-to-take-part-in-a-clinical-study/ |
Description | Versus Arthritis website story on KICK study |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Piece on findings of KICK study, to coincide with publication of Lancet Rheumatology manuscript on primary findings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/june/exploring-the-link-between-joint-injury-and-osteoarth... |