For more than 25 years, the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project has established itself as one of the premier longitudinal research studies world-wide regarding the causes, societal implications, and means of addressing the impact of osteoarthritis. Ongoing research is providing important new insights regarding how osteoarthritis is diagnosed and assessed clinically, as well as how it can be addressed in community settings.

Aging is the greatest risk factor for osteoarthritis, but little is known about how specific age-related changes to cells cause the breakdown of cartilage. The research funding provided by a grant from the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) will enable Dr. Diekman to study mechanisms of aging across different tissue systems. The hope is that this type of research will help play a role in advancing new discoveries that can help prevent and better treat all forms of arthritis. (More…)

Topics covered range from whether Osteoarthritis (OA) might be a predictor of mortality, challenges associated with management of the disease, the impact of musculoskeletal health on disability, and implications of obesity on musculoskeletal health. (More…)

Members of the military and veterans are disproportionally affected by pain, and the government is searching for ways to help them deal with this widespread and growing problem. New research being conducted thanks to multiple grants recently awarded by DHHS, the Department of Defense, and the VA will help investigate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness for a number of non-drug approaches for pain management and related conditions. (More…)

Lupus patients who previously needed to visit an infusion center to receive the drug Benlysta, now have the option to administer the medicine themselves at home using a novel “auto-injector” device, thanks in part to the efforts of Dr. Saira Sheikh, who is a rheumatologist and allergist/immunologist at UNC, and who also directs the Lupus and Clinical trials programs at the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center. (More…)

Dr. Scott Commins describes alpha-gal allergy, which scientists believe is triggered by a tick bite and can cause an allergic reaction to red meat. Dr. Commins talks about the symptoms of a reaction, how a person can be tested for the allergy, and changes in diet recommended for patients who have alpha-gal. (More…)

We know that different factors such as aging and injury can have an impact on whether or not a person develops osteoarthritis, as well as the progression of their disease. But could the composition of the bacteria in a person’s “gut” have an impact as well? (More…)

Each year the AMA’s Women Physicians Section honors outstanding doctors who are recognized for having offered their time, wisdom and support to advance women with careers in medicine. Dr. Joanne Jordan was selected as a recipient of the 2017 “Inspirational Physician” Award, which serves as a platform to showcase the accomplishments of women physicians, and highlights advocacy needs related to professional concerns of women physicians and health issues affecting women patients.

UNC is one of only several locations in the United States that is conducting clinical studies of a meat allergy some people develop after being bitten by a tick. Dr. Scott Commins, a researcher and leading expert on this unusual food allergy, was recently interviewed by WUNC Public Radio to help increase public awareness for an increasingly common health condition that too often goes undiagnosed.

There was a time when Sandy Vargas could walk from her bedroom to her kitchen, but only if she would then be able to lie down to rest afterwards. Now she is a distance swimmer, and walks a dozen miles daily. Here is the inspirational story of how a patient and her UNC doctor teamed up to achieve lasting results.