Research Highlight of the Year 3: Exploring the genetics of osteoarthritis

Using genes from nearly 2 million people to better understand the biology of osteoarthritis 

Largest-ever osteoarthritis genetics study points to new drug targets and personalised care.

Researchers from the arcoGEN consortium have been involved in the largest-ever study on osteoarthritis using genetic data from nearly two million people. They found over 950 genetic links to osteoarthritis, uncovering 8 different underlying disease processes.

“This work represented a massive international collaboration between 87 different research groups, sharing their data to try to understand why people get arthritis and how the disease actually develops.”

Professor Mark Wilkinson

Their groundbreaking findings could help to understand osteoarthritis better, showing new drug targets and paving the way for better and more personalised treatments.

A large part of this work was carried out by the arcoGEN consortium, which was funded by Arthritis UK. 

The other five research projects on our shortlist

1. The link between deprivation and unequal care

Researching how socioeconomic inequalities can impact musculoskeletal pain and primary care.

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2. How immune cells could guide JIA treatment

Using immune cell health to track disease activity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

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4. Making osteoarthritis peer mentoring accessible

Developing an osteoarthritis peer support intervention to help people facing socioeconomic disadvantage.

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5. Sex differences in the immune system

Investigating how sex differences play a role in the immune system.

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6. Understanding rheumatoid arthritis remission

Investigating how changes in immune cells called dendritic cells can help us understand what remission in rheumatoid arthritis really looks like.

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