How genetic clues help understand juvenile arthritis in kids
Official title: Epigenetic Mechanisms That Drive Genetic Risk in Juvenile Arthritis
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11396512 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how genetic differences raise the risk of juvenile arthritis by looking at the ways genes are turned on or off in immune cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $577,382 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR078785-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396512 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis or those at risk may indirectly benefit from future advances, depending on the study findings and subsequent trials.
✕Less likely to help
Participants enrolled in this grant are not described as undergoing a treatment intervention within this project.
What this research studies
This project focuses on children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and uses advanced genetic tools to find which genetic changes actually cause the disease. It will explore how those changes affect gene activity in CD4+ T cells and how that leads to inflammation. The team will map causal variants and link them to the genes they influence, aiming to understand the biology behind JIA. Results could reveal new targets to develop better treatments for kids with this condition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how JIA happens could lead to new and more targeted therapies for children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked non-coding genetic variants to autoimmune diseases; this study seeks to pinpoint causal variants in JIA.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jarvis, James N — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jarvis, James N
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.