Dr. Matthew Fisher, Associate Professor in the Joint Dept. of Biomedical Engineering at NC State University and UNC Chapel Hill and TARC member, was recently awarded a 5-year, $3.2 million grant from NIH/NIAMS (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) for his project, Role of Hormones on Bundle-Specific ACL Function in the Growing Knee Joint.

This past April, the Arthritis Foundation and the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City hosted the 2024 Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Summit. Among many important topics covered at the summit was the shortage of rheumatology care in rural areas.

The American College of Rheumatology and the Rheumatology Research Foundation (RRF) hosted a combined meeting of funded investigators who have received RRF grants and rheumatology trainees participating in the Rheumatology Research Workshop in Denver, Colorado last week on May 16th and 17th.

Dr. Virgina Kraus’s lab at Duke University recently published findings from their study showing the ability to detect osteoarthritis (OA) with a blood biomarker test up to eight years before spotting it by X-rays.

Last week, rheumatologists converged in D.C. for the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Advocacy and Leadership Conference to discuss ways to better serve their patients, colleagues, and trainees.

On May 2, 2024, the UNC Johnston County Health Study clinical site finished active enrollment, wrapping up more than 30 years of community-based research.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) recently awarded Drs. Leigh Callahan and Amanda Nelson funding for their T32 grant, “The Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Disease Epidemiology and Outcomes Training Program at the University of North Carolina.”

Dr. Brian Diekman recently received a R21 grant funded through the National Institute of Health (NIH); National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).

The 30-year anniversary issue of Osteoarthritis and Cartilage is out now (Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Volume 32, Issue 4). This issue highlights several publications from TARC faculty and staff.

Dr. Amanda Nelson’s appointment is in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology and she is a faculty member in the Thurston Arthritis Research Center.