Manchester
Musculoskeletal
Biomedical Research
Unit
Press Release
Embargoed until 00:01 Wednesday 4th July 2012
New £6m arthritis research unit is going for
gold
Britain’s Olympic athletes may be among the many people to benefit from a
new biomedical research unit focusing on musculoskeletal diseases such as
osteoarthritis which is launched in Manchester today (4th July 2012).
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Musculoskeletal Biomedical
Research Unit (BRU) brings together experts from Central Manchester
University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Manchester
to tackle musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
which affect the joints and other tissues. Over 10 million people in the UK
have some form of arthritis, which can affect children as well as adults.
One of the conditions the BRU will be investigating is osteoarthritis. The
condition causes the cartilage which cushions the ends of the bones in the
knees, hips and other joints to degrade. This leads to the bones rubbing
together, causing pain, stiffness and reduced mobility. Current treatments
include exercises, braces, drugs and joint replacement surgery.
Although exercise does not cause the condition, sportsmen and women may
be at higher risk of developing it longer term because of injuries. England
cricketer Andrew Flintoff and Spurs defender Ledley King are just two leading
sportsmen who have experienced knee problems. Osteoarthritis can affect
both elite sports people such as athletes, tennis players and footballers and
those who enjoy impact sports such as rugby, cricket or running as a hobby.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Professor David Felson, who is leading the
BRU’s work on evaluating new treatments, said: “We have exciting plans to
test out new treatments and experimental approaches for knee arthritis,
including braces, bone active drugs and treatments that are injected in the
knee.
“Most importantly, the BRU will work to develop an experimental model for
osteoarthritis, enabling us to trial many more treatments than with current
methods. At the moment, to test a new treatment requires a large, long-term
study with x-rays. Our goal is to make it feasible to assess new treatments
with small numbers of patients over just a few months. Getting more
treatments into the pipeline for testing and speeding up the process means
patients will have faster access to new and better therapies across the NHS.”
The BRU Director, Professor Deborah Symmons, added: “The launch of the
new unit under the ‘Going for Gold’ theme highlights our aim to deliver world
Manchester
Musculoskeletal
Biomedical Research
Unit
class research to help people living with musculoskeletal disorders. Our
ultimate goal is to deliver the best possible treatment for patients with arthritis,
whatever the cause may be.”
The BRU has received funding from the NIHR (£4.9m) and the Department of
Health (£1.5m). Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:
"We know that conditions like arthritis and rheumatism can have a devastating
effect on peoples' lives, so it is essential that we develop new treatments to
help NHS patients and their families.
“Researchers working at this research unit will develop innovative new ways
of treating these conditions which will have a real, lasting and positive impact
on patient care.
“The Government is committed to supporting such work and bringing
breakthroughs from every area to the front line of the NHS."
Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific
Adviser at the Department of Health said:
“This NIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Manchester was selected on the
basis of the world-class quality of its translational clinical research and its
potential to pull findings from basic science into real benefits for patients and
the NHS. The research into musculoskeletal diseases that will be carried out
in this new Unit will improve the care and services for NHS patients, and
improve people's lives. The NIHR funding for this Unit is part of the record
£800 million investment provided by the Government for translational
research between 2012 and 2017."
Manchester has played a leading role in studying and treating
musculoskeletal disorders since 1945, when the first research centre for the
study of chronic rheumatism was set up at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Ends
For further information please contact:
Lucy Prosser
NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit
0161 701 0260 / 0782 514 2219
Lucy.prosser@cmft.nhs.uk
The NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit was
created by the National Institute for Health Research in 2012 to move
scientific breakthroughs in the laboratory, through clinical assessment into
improved outcomes for adults and children with musculoskeletal disorders
such as arthritis. As a partnership between Central Manchester University
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Manchester, the
Biomedical Research Unit is designated as a specialist centre of excellence in
musculoskeletal diseases. www.manchestermskbru.org
Manchester
Musculoskeletal
Biomedical Research
Unit
The National Institute for Health Research is funded by the Department of
Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since
its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the
NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of
patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries
into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and
supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research.
The NIHR plays a key role in the Government’s strategy for economic growth,
attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class
infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes,
centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health
research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website
(www.nihr.ac.uk).
The University of Manchester, a member of the Russell Group, is one of the
largest and most popular universities in the UK. It has 20 academic schools
and hundreds of specialist research groups undertaking pioneering multidisciplinary teaching and research of worldwide significance. According to the
results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, The University of
Manchester is one of the country’s major research institutions, rated third in
the UK in terms of ‘research power’. The University had an annual income of
£809 million in 2010/11. (www.manchester.ac.uk)
Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a
leading provider of specialist healthcare services in Manchester, treating more
than a million patients every year. Its eight specialist hospitals (Manchester
Royal Infirmary, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital,
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, University Dental Hospital of Manchester and
Trafford Hospitals) are home to hundreds of world class clinicians and
academic staff committed to finding patients the best care and treatments.
(www.cmft.nhs.uk)