SERha

Patterns of cellular and molecular senescence in Rheumatoid Arthritis and study of its response to an autologous serum enriched in cytokines.

IP: EDUARD GRAELL
FINANCIAL ENDOWMENT: €133.420,79

WELCOME TO SERHA

The main goal of SERHA project is to study the influence of aging in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and its influence on the pathophysiology of the disease to improve the healthy life span of aged population.

Moreover, we aim to develop “in vitro” models to reproduce joint pathophysiology of these patients to test a new autologous therapy, based in patients’ plasma, enriched in cytokines (Serum autoleg ric en citoquines/ Autoleg serum rich in cytokines, SARC). We will develop a joint-on-a-chip model to study cell interactions and the pathophysiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

To this aim, a multidisciplinary group of basic researchers and clinicians from I3PT, QREM and Leitat has been formed, coordinated by I3PT, to work together and move quickly with the proposed objectives. SERHA project is framed in industrial research, with the collaboration between a clinical research centre (I3PT), a company (QREM), an applied research center (Leitat).

Thanks to the interdisciplinary of the partners involved, a combination between disciplines at the methodological, conceptual and theoretical level are proposed in order to respond to the challenges identified in the thematic “Geroscience and gerotherapeutics; molecular basis of healthy aging and prevention of diseases of aging” of the call “Proyectos de I+D+i en Líneas Estratégicas del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación 2022”, and it will make possible to develop innovative advanced therapies and their transfer to the patients in the near future.

Patients who sign the informed consent form, who meet the ACR/EULAR 2010 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) classification criteria and/or the ACR 1987 RA classification criteria will be included in the investigation. Patients will be stratified according to age and clinical activity.

On the other hand, as a control group without arthritis, patients from the H.U. Parc Taulí osteoarthritis cohort will be recruited, while healthy controls aged (≥60y) and young (<60y) will be recruited from the Banc de sang i teixits (BST) and H.U. Parc Taulí.