Pathways to arthritis flare persistence via resident memory T cells
Official title: Pathways to arthritis chronicity via resident memory T cells
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11460307 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how memory T cells in joints keep rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile arthritis flares going, with the goal of new therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $714,421 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AR086817-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11460307 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with rheumatoid arthritis or juvenile idiopathic arthritis who experience recurrent joint inflammation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without arthritis or those whose disease is not driven by joint-resident memory T cells may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will look at how resident memory T cells in inflamed joints might cause recurring arthritis flares. Researchers will use human joint organoids and mouse arthritis models to map gene pathways that shape these cells and how they interact with joint fibroblasts. They plan to test gene targets and gene therapy approaches that could interrupt the disease-causing interactions. The work aims to identify treatments that specifically disrupt the joint-specific memory that drives relapse.”
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that prevent arthritis flares by targeting memory T cells in the joints.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies showed that depleting joint TRM can lessen recurrence, supporting potential benefit for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chang, Margaret — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chang, Margaret
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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.