Phenotypic Characterization of Monocytes/Macrophages and Neutrophils in Synovial Fluid and Blood From PSA Patients
Principal Investigator: Katerina Oikonomopoulou, Ph.D.
Institution: York University
Grant Mechanism: Discovery Grant
Funding Amount: $75,000
Project Start Date: August 1, 2025
Project End Date: July 31, 2026
Status: Active
Keywords: Psoriatic Arthritis, Translational Research, Basic Science, Immunology, Inflammation
Project Summary:
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) occurs in about 25% of patients with psoriasis. Inflammation within the psoriatic joint leads to joint destruction, limitation of function and poor quality of life. Immune cells called monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils have the capacity to regulate the inflammatory processes that affect progression of arthritis in the joint. Our study will identify these cell sub-populations in joint fluid and blood samples obtained from patients with PsA, study their pro-inflammatory function and associate them with disease severity. This project will provide insights on the potential cellular mechanisms that facilitate inflammation and joint damage in PsA patients, pointing to future novel therapeutic targets.
How will your project help improve the lives of the 125 million affected by psoriatic disease?
With this study, we seek to characterize the monocyte/macrophage and neutrophil cell sub-populations in the synovial fluid (SF) and peripheral blood of patients with PsA, and subsequently relate the cell activation markers and cell function to disease activity parameters. This work aims to address one of the recognized research gaps in psoriatic disease, to address the persistent or recurrent inflammation experienced by many PsA patients. Future work will aim to gain a deeper understanding of the macrophage-neutrophil functional interactions and their pro-inflammatory signalling to be able to identify novel targets towards the development of more effective targeted, personalized treatments for PsA persistent inflammation.
Why is psoriatic disease research important to you, personally? What role will this award play in your research efforts or career development?
I have been a researcher in the field of psoriatic disease for the past 11 years. Along the course of my research, I have always sought to identify the main research gaps that restrict us from tackling resistant disease and persistent inflammation. I have also advocated for expanding the psoriatic arthritis research niche field by attracting more basic scientists to explore mechanistic aspects of the disease. This study will take place at the newly-launched PsA CARE program at York University that aims to support young PsA researchers towards the development of their independent research program. The program’s direction and the study’s goal are in alignment with the NPF strategic initiatives to support the growth of novel programs that empower researchers to partner and accelerate breakthroughs in identifying root causes and potential cures for psoriatic disease, as well as to develop personalized medicine approaches and provide the patient community with more disease management options.
Researcher Profile:
Dr. Oikonomopoulou is a Research Associate Scientist at the PsA CARE Research Hub of York University. Katerina has gained academic expertise as a previous member of the Psoriatic Arthritis Research Program of the Schroeder Arthritis Institute and her overall research experience lies in the fields of cell functional/mechanistic, receptor signalling, enzyme function, biomarker discovery and therapeutic investigations in inflammation/innate immunity and cancer. She is leading the PsA CARE group’s research efforts on functional/mechanistic studies and patient-tailored therapeutics, with a particular focus on the role of innate immune cells and inflammatory molecular components in the management of psoriatic disease.