Understanding how Notch signaling affects treatment failure in rheumatoid arthritis
Official title: A Notch-mediated fibrogenic program drives treatment failure in rheumatoid arthritis
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11022050 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into how certain cells in your joints might be causing treatments for rheumatoid arthritis to not work as well as they should, and it hopes to find new ways to help improve your treatment by focusing on these cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $529,616 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AR085028-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11022050 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis who are experiencing treatment resistance.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are currently responding well to existing treatments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the cellular mechanisms that lead to treatment failure in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), focusing on the role of Notch signaling in joint fibroblast activation and fibrosis. By using advanced techniques like single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling, the study aims to uncover how Notch signaling regulates fibrogenesis and its impact on joint inflammation and treatment response. The ultimate goal is to explore targeting fibroblasts as a new adjuvant therapy for RA, potentially improving treatment outcomes for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatment strategies that enhance the effectiveness of existing therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in targeting cellular mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that this approach could yield significant insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wei, Kevin S — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Wei, Kevin S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gut microbes and methotrexate: boosting RA treatment through microbiome targets
Researchers are studying how gut bacteria affect how well methotrexate works for people with rheumatoid arthritis, aiming to make MTX effective for more patients.
-
Hybrid biomaterial system to boost immunotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis
A new, patient-facing immunotherapy approach uses specialized particles to retrain the immune system to calm RA in adults.
-
Role of Stabilin receptors in rheumatoid arthritis
A short study to understand how certain scavenger receptors may influence the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
-
IgG glycosylation and endothelial FcγRIIB: understanding RA-related heart and blood vessel disease
This project looks at how rheumatoid arthritis affects blood vessels and clotting, with the goal of uncovering new ways to prevent heart and stroke risk for people with RA.
-
Risk factors and biomarkers for progression of subclinical RA-related lung disease
This study follows people with rheumatoid arthritis to understand who develops lung disease and what biomarkers predict it.
-
Pregnancy changes in rheumatoid arthritis and new treatment ideas
This research seeks to understand why some women’s rheumatoid arthritis improves during pregnancy and how to predict and mimic that effect to make treatments safer and more effective for pregnant patients.
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.