Research
The aim of our research is to promote the leading scientific research for rheumatology to elucidate the pathogenesis of CTDs. Translational research is also to be of our interest. The list of our research interests is as follows.
Basic research
Exploratory analysis of surface cellular molecule in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or in a murine model of lupus.Investigating the new pathological or diagnostic molecule for lupus nephritis using murine model of lupus.Defining the role of dendritic cell on inflammatory arthritis using murine induced arthritis model.Defining the role of Th17/Treg imbalance on the pathophysiology of systemic sclerosis using murine model of lung fibrosis.Developing the novel murine model for IgG4-Related disease and investigating the pathophysiology of the disease.
Clinical Research
Planning and management of clinical trials for patients with RA especially using biological agents or MTX to solve the clinical questions such as the possibility of discontinuation of these agents, the best dose of MTX, the efficacy of adding HCQ, etc.Constructing a large scale cohort of SLE and analysis of serological markers for disease activity or the clinical outcome for the novel treatments.Survey of MTX related lympho-proliferative disease (MTX-LPD) and analysis of the immune phenotype from these patients.Survey of vasculitis and exploration of novel markers for disease activity or the novel molecule involved in pathology.Applicability of novel diagnostic device such as FDG-PET of next generation sequencing for patients with Fever of Unknown Origin.Participating the various clinical trials on Phase II or III from several pharmaceutical companies for patients with SLE, RA, myositis, systemic sclerosis or vasculitis.
Our Center’s policies and emphasis on research on basic science, translational study and clinical trials are listed below.
1. Basic science
One of our aims of basic science is to provide a special support for treatment in clinic. Large size of basic evaluation (multi-omics and flow cytometry) is performed with patient samples. Based on these findings with clinical studies, we use animal disease models such as lupus prone mice, arthritis animal model for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases and to investigate the unknown molecule, cytokine or gene as disease markers or treatment targets for future clinical use. Considering the clinical aspects from basic science is emphasized on our basic research.
2. Translational study
As already described above, our research involves clinical practice. “From Bed to Bench” or “from Bench to Bed” is the key-phrase of our research. Development of new drug or diagnostic marker for rheumatic disease has been emphasized in our research using the superior environment with both a big rheumatology clinic and a big laboratory close to our clinic.
3. Clinical trials
All clinical trials are conducted in accordance to the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice Guideline. Also, we try to consider all patients with sickness not just as a disease but as a person who lives in a relationship with family and society. In a rheumatology field, we still have many diseases without any efficient treatment. We perform clinical trials in the basis of scientific evidence for the benefit of all patients suffered from autoimmune diseases in a future. The number of clinical trials accomplished in our facility is 39 with Pharmaceutical companies or 78 initiated by our faculties in the past 3 years.
Many of our published clinical trial reports are highly cited and referenced for clinical management of patients with rheumatic disorders.
-We have published papers regarding autoantibodies especially for anti- Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetase antibody in these 20-30 years. These results are highly involved in improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment decisions in myositis or interstitial lung diseases.
-Based on DNA microarray with patients treated with biologics, we have developed ‘RheumaCheck’ that predicts clinical efficacy at 6 months after initiating biologics. It is now commercially available without reimbursement.
-Our trial called “SURPRISE study” published in 2016 showed efficacy of adding tocilizumab to MTX-inadequate response patients with RA. This paper has been already sited on the several papers for its originality and its quality of data analysis. This study will give some benefits for patients with RA.
All investigators are required to complete training in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and to conduct researches in accordance with Declaration of Helsinki.
Our center has been reviewed all clinical research by Institutional Review Board (IRB) before initiating research involving humans.
For research involving animals, all research subjects should be approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). All researchers using animals must consider the appropriate and humane use of animals for basic science
