Our research centres

Arthritis UK research centres of excellence

Arthritis UK research centres of excellence bring together leading scientists, clinicians, engineers and healthcare professionals from universities, hospitals and research institutions across the UK to tackle some of the biggest challenges in arthritis and musculoskeletal health. Funded by Arthritis UK, these centres focus on understanding the causes of arthritis, improving diagnosis, developing new treatments and therapies, reducing pain, supporting healthy ageing, and helping people maintain mobility and independence. By fostering collaboration across disciplines, the centres accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into real-world benefits for people living with arthritis and related conditions.

Together, these Arthritis UK-funded research centres have

  • generated internationally recognised discoveries
  • influenced clinical practice
  • informed healthcare policy and
  • improved outcomes for millions of people affected by arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions.

Their work continues to drive innovation, strengthen research partnerships, and shape the future of arthritis treatment, prevention and care in the UK and beyond.

Biomechanics and Bioengineering Research Centre

Established in Wales at Cardiff University in 2009 with £4.5 million infrastructure funding from Arthritis UK, this research centre examines how everyday movements can impact the health of our joints.

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Arthritis UK Research into Inflammatory Arthritis Centre

This research centre brings together expertise from the Universities of Glasgow, Birmingham and Newcastle to focused on understanding what causes rheumatoid arthritis to develop and why inflammation continues to attack the joints.

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Arthritis UK Centre for Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis

Researchers at this centre, based at the University of Oxford, focus on identifying new disease targets, including markers which can be used for predicting the development and progression of osteoarthritis.

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MRC Arthritis UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work

Research at this centre led from the University of Aberdeen addresses major research questions to reduce the impact of musculoskeletal disorders, such as back pain and arthritis, in the workplace.

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Arthritis UK Centre for Genetics and Genomics 

Arthritis UK Centre for Genetics and Genomics 

Based at the University of Manchester, this research centre aims to understand the role of genetic factors in determining whether particular people are at risk of developing inflammatory arthritis and what happens when they do. Researchers at this centre, along with international collaborators, have contributed to large genetic studies which have identified many genetic risk factors associated with these conditions. 

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Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis

Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis

The Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis research centre brings together experts in sports medicine and osteoarthritis, to understand the relationship between exercise, sport, injury, rehabilitation and osteoarthritis.

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Arthritis UK Pain Centre

Based at the University of Nottingham, brings together healthcare professionals and research scientists from different fields to better understand the mechanisms of pain in osteoarthritis.

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Arthritis UK Centre for Epidemiology

Based at the University of Manchester, research at this centre is focused on investigating the cause and progression of musculoskeletal conditions in specific populations and the response to treatment. 

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Tissues Engineering and Regenerative Therapies Centre

This research centre brings together clinicians and scientists across Cambridge, Aberdeen, York, Keele and Oswestry. It aims to regenerate bone and cartilage by using the patients’ own stem cells to repair joint damage caused by osteoarthritis.

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Arthritis UK Centre for Adolescent Rheumatology

The world’s first centre dedicated to understanding arthritis in adolescents in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London, University College London Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

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Arthritis UK Primary Care Centre

Arthritis UK Primary Care Centre

Research at this centre focuses on some of the most common musculoskeletal problems seen in primary care. These include osteoarthritis and chronic musculoskeletal pain, gout and polymyalgia rheumatica.

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MRC Arthritis UK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing

MRC Arthritis UK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA) was awarded to the Universities of Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield in partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC) to examine we develop conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and muscle weakness as we age.

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MRC Arthritis UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research

MRC Arthritis UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research (CMAR) was awarded to the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham to understand how and why we lose muscle, bone and cartilage as we get older and how inflammation, metabolism, altered hormones and obesity influence the ageing process.

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