HomeAcademic Staff :
We are an interdisciplinary group of basic scientists and clinicians. The focus of our research activities is to further our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of connective tissue diseases mainly rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
In our translational research, we aim at harnessing the understanding of the pathological process to enable us to engineer molecules and cells that will target the disease process in a highly specific manner.
We use molecular biological methods of gene transfer and protein design to assess therapeutic interventions both in vitro and in vivo in models of disease.
The ARC Bone and Joint Research Unit was established at the Royal London Hospital in 1978 by an endowed Chair and building that was in the Whitechapel site. In 1999 when Professor Chernajovsky took over as Head of the Unit, the BJRU moved to become part of the William Harvey Research Institute. The BJRU is constituted by both clinicians and basic science investigators covering the areas of molecular biology, immunology, pain research, gene therapy, tissue engineering and therapeutic drug design and targeting. Our research programme is based on increasing our understanding of the pathological processes in rheumatic diseases and the harnessing of this knowledge to develop novel therapies via molecular and cellular engineering including gene therapy. A start-up company (Stealthyx Therapeutics Ltd.) has been established in 2001 to develop and commercialize the latent cytokine drug delivery approach initiated in the BJRU. The application of this technology in other clinical areas such as multiple sclerosis and cancer is being further developed through national and international collaborations.
