Research funding to help people live well with arthritis and find a cure 

Published by Arthritis Research UK | 31 May 2018

New funding from Arthritis Research UK promises to boost the search for an arthritis cure and improve the lives of people living with arthritis today.

The charity is inviting researchers, whose projects aim to take society closer to a future free from arthritis, to apply for its ‘Stacking the odds towards a cure’ funding. It is also seeking funding applications for research exploring innovations that could help people live better with arthritis today, under its ‘Pushing frontiers in health research’ funding call.

Arthritis Research UK will award grants of anywhere up to £1,500,000 to projects which demonstrate exceptional science as judged by a panel of experts and people with arthritis.

More than 10 million people in the UK are living with arthritis. The condition can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, making it incredibly difficult to do things most of us take for granted – like getting dressed independently, or going to work. Each year one in five people talk to a doctor about arthritis or related conditions.

With the discovery of a cure a clear priority among people with arthritis, the ‘Stacking the odds towards a cure’ funding call invites ambitious applications for research that gets us closer to developing effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Meanwhile, the ‘Pushing frontiers in health research’ funding will support research into how our built environment and workplaces can affect people with arthritis. The funding will go towards helping to understand the full impact of arthritis and related conditions in the UK, research into lifestyle and self-management techniques, and removing barriers that stop people with arthritis getting the support they need.

Natalie Carter, Head of Research Liaison and Evaluation at the charity, said: “When we ask people with arthritis what research they want to see us invest in, the answer is emphatic. People want a cure for arthritis, and for us to fund ambitious research that will mean a life free from arthritis in the future.

“And, while arthritis still impacts the lives of millions in the UK, our ‘Pushing frontiers in health research’ funding will play a vital role in uncovering new ways to help people live well with their condition.”

“Between these two funding calls, we want to take new strides towards improving the lives of people with arthritis today – and ending the pain, isolation and fatigue of this condition once and for all.”

Over the last decade, Arthritis Research UK has funded more than £250million worth of research into arthritis and related conditions. From developing anti-TNF therapies for people with rheumatoid and other inflammatory forms of arthritis, to highlighting the role of exercise in managing osteoarthritis pain, the charity’s research funding programme has transformed the lives of countless people with arthritis.

The deadline for outline applications to ‘Stacking the odd towards a cure’ or ‘Pushing frontiers in health service research’ is 8 August 2018.

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