Translational Research Partnership

The NIHR Translational Research Partnership (TRP) in Joint and Related Inflammatory Diseases is part of a national initiative coordinated through the NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI).

The TRPs aim to link leading UK expertise in early translational research and well characterised patient cohorts with the life sciences industry in a collaborative partnership. This partnership between academia, the NHS and industry aims to accelerate the early translation of new therapeutics into human diseases where there is a significant unmet need. This includes working closely with other NIHR Experimental Medicine infrastructure including Biomedical Research Centres and Units (BRCs and BRUs) as well as Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs). The TRP in Joint and Related Inflammatory Diseases includes expertise in exploratory development protocols, biomarkers, pathophysiology, disease mechanisms and patient selection in a range of conditions including:

  •  Rheumatoid arthritis
  •  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
  • Sjogren’s syndrome
  •  Spondyloarthropathies
  •  Psoriatic arthritis
  •  Systemic vasculitis

Professor Ian Bruce, Director of the NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal BRU and Deputy Director of the NIHR/Wellcome Trust Manchester CRF is the lead for Manchester and the current Chair of the national TRP Steering Committee.

Within Manchester, Professor Bruce has established a working group bringing together Central Manchester Hospitals, the Manchester MSK BRU and CRF to support the costing, feasibility and organisation of any TRP studies which Manchester participate in. As a result of this group the following has occurred:

The CRF has developed a minor operations suite in which synovial biopsies can be performed.

The BRU has supported the development of musculoskeletal ultrasound and 3T MRI imaging capabilities for experimental studies within the CRF.

The Trust has also supported the appointment of a Translational Medicine Fellow who, alongside existing staff, will provide medical support for detailed phenotyping studies.

Working together in this way is a good example of how one centre within the TRP has, with NIHR support, developed the necessary expertise, facilities and infrastructure to support these collaborative studies.