Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center
The current Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center (MCRC began in 2001 and is comprised of the four clinical studies, a methodology core and an administrative unit. The organization of this project was designed to fit within the structure of the division and the hospital as a whole and is supported by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), an Institute of the US National Institutes of Health.
- Project 1: Clinical and pathogenetic significance of the vasculopathy in Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM)
- Project 2: Psychosocial functioning of adolescents with Juvenile Fibromyalgia
- Project 3: Quantitative MRI of Cartilage and Synovium in JRA
- Project 4: Pharmacogenomics of Methotrexate in JRA
Successive centers have markedly impacted the Division of Rheumatology's growth the growth both at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Close collaborations within the MCRC and with other researchers and organizations as well as the MCRC Research Base, have worked synergistically to promote research in pediatric rheumatology. As a result of the award of the P60 Centers, the Division of Rheumatology has expanded substantially and this expansion is particularly notable in terms of faculty, papers, grant support and fellows.
Research published from our center led to the recent introduction of etancercept (Enbrel) and has had an important impact in the therapy of children with arthritis. Other research with substantial impact include the study of the safety of Methotrexate in children with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) with respect to hepatic toxicity. Previous work done under earlier cycles of the MCRC include the identification of HLA-B27 and its misfolding for the development of spondyloarthropathies.
A major expansion occurred in this MCRC cycle which made the Division of Rheumatology a Center of Integrative Genomics and Pediatric Arthritis. For a selection of other recent publications relevant to the MCRC, please click here.
The offices and administrative space accommodates dry lab research. A dedicated clinical area adjacent to our office area has twelve consultation rooms, registered nurses, research associates and coordinators and rheumatology fellows. The Rheumatology Clinical Database holds comprehensive information on over 500 children with arthritis or related diseases.
