Rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue and remission

Main Q:

• What are the characteristics of synovial tissue in remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

Hypotheses:

• ‘Deeper’ clinical remission has better long-term clinical outcomes and different synovial tissue correlates vs ‘superficial’ clinical remission or low disease activity within the first 12 months of disease modifying drug (DMARD) treatment
• A synovial marker gene/protein spatial signature correlates with remission depth
• A synovial marker signature correlates with a serum signature of soluble factors that predicts drug-free remission

Aims:

1. The long-term outcomes of those in ‘deeper’ vs. more ‘superficial’ remission (at 6 and 12 months) with regards to differences at baseline, clinical trajectories of disease activity, DMARD usage, and radiographic progression, over time.
2. Correlation of remission depth at 6 months with synovial tissue T cell, B cell, myeloid cell and stromal features at 6 months and baseline: spatial organisation, differentially expressed genes, surface proteins. Identify remission signature.
3. Correlate components of remission signature with serum signature of soluble factors predicting drug-free remission.
4. From key marker proteins determined in 2, ascertain the most consistent markers in synovial biopsies across a joint and the minimum number of fragments required to correlate with disease activity.
5. From key synovial features in 2, compare remission induced by different DMARDs with a focus on ‘deeper’ vs ‘superficial’ remission in early RA.

This project is linked with the MRFF Frontiers grant RESET RA, and is a collaborative project involving UQ, Flinders University and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard University.

This is an Fellowship support scheme scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.

The scholarship includes:

• living stipend of $36,400 per annum tax free (2025 rate), indexed annually
• your tuition fees covered
• single overseas student health cover (OSHC).

Learn more about the Fellowship support scheme scholarship.

Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.

We take into account your:

• previous academic record
• publication record
• honours and awards
• employment history

A working knowledge of coding in R and/or python, clinical rheumatology would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

You will demonstrate academic achievement in the field/s of immunology, pathology or rheumatology and the potential for scholastic success.

This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 3, 2025. To allow time for your application to be processed, we recommend applying no later than 31 March, 2025 31 December, 2024.

You can start in an earlier research quarter. See application dates.

Before you apply

1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
2. Prepare your documentation.
3. Contact Professor Ranjeny Thomas (ranjeny.thomas@uq.edu.au) to discuss your interest and suitability.

When you apply

You apply for this scholarship when you submit an application for a PhD. You don’t need to submit a separate scholarship application.

In your application ensure that under the ‘Scholarships and collaborative study’ section you select:

• My higher degree is not collaborative
• I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship
• UQ Earmarked Scholarship type.

Apply now