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AARC scientists are associated with a number of centres and programs:
The Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Program (MHA)
The Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Program is one of the seven core clinical programs around which the UHN is structured, and includes seven care areas:
- Arthritis and Related Disorders
- Arthroplasty
- Sports Medicine
- General Orthopaedics
- Hand and Plastics
- Rehabilitation Solutions
- Osteoporosis and Bone Density
Website: UHN Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Program
The Arthritis Centre of Excellence (ACE)
Director: Dr. Robert Inman
The ACE, founded in 1998, is a state-of-the-art facility that performs investigative research into autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Experts in rheumatology, immunology, and orthopaedic surgery collaborate under the auspices of the centre.
Arthritis Community Research and Evaluation Unit (ACREU)
Director: Dr. Elizabeth Badley ACREU was established in 1992 to study the impact and management of arthritis. The multidisciplinary research team seeks to identify deficiencies in existing treatment and support services, and to assist in the development of new policies and programs.
ACREU plays a key role in providing critical information to the provincial and federal governments to enhance arthritis care via the health care system.
Website: ACREU
Canadian Network for Improved Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (CaNIOS)
Chair: Dr. Paul Fortin
This network is a group of Canadian investigators coming together to improve the outcome of lupus patients across our
country through collaborative research. The idea is to combine data from different centres through a standardized data collection system in order to describe lupus in Canadians, increase the power of medical
research, and exchange valuable clinical information between health care providers and researchers.
Since 1995, CaNIOS has performed large transitional and prospective studies as well as randomized, controlled trials in lupus. Today, the CaNIOS Coordinating Centre located at UHN coordinates five peer-reviewed Canadian research projects that study the following:
- Genetic and environmental factors associated with lupus (GenES)
- Risk factors for thrombosis and atherosclerosis (ThromboFIL)
- Effects of ethnicity on the manifestations of lupus (the 1,000 Canadian faces of lupus)
- Behavioural intervention aimed at improving the outcome of patients with lupus: the Health
- Improvement and Prevention Program (HIPP)
- New Emerging Team on lupus nephritis (LuNNET)
Website: CaNIOS
Canadian Vasculitis Network (CanVasc)
President: Dr. Simon Carette
Founded in 2010, the Canadian Vasculitis Network integrates research and clinical groups to address the needs of patients with vasculitis.
Presided over by Dr. Simon Carette, CanVasc organizes referral centers for patients with vasculitis, initiates and promotes research programs on vasculitis, develops awareness programs and serves as the premier vasculitis group to identify the needs and directions in the field of vasculitis care and research.
Website: CanVasc
Rebecca MacDonald Centre for Arthritis & Autoimmune Disease
Director: Dr. Edward Keystone
The Rebecca MacDonald Centre for Arthritis & Autoimmune Disease (RMCAD) at Mount Sinai Hospital integrates clinical patient care with innovative experimental therapeutics, outcomes and genetic-based research for arthritis and autoimmune diseases.
Under the direction of Dr. Edward Keystone, RMCAD is home to The Division of Advanced Therapeutics program, the largest and most successful clinical trial program in Canada. Study areas include new and innovative therapies for rheumatic diseases with an emphasis on rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
The Centre for Prognosis Studies in Rheumatic Diseases
Directors: Dr. Murray Urowitz, Dr. Dafna Gladman, Dr. Paul Fortin
This centre is located in the Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Program of The Toronto Western Hospital Network. The centre, which was established in 1995,
consolidates out-patient care, teaching and research in the rheumatic diseases within one clinic location. A strong focus of the centre is its observational cohort study
approach to clinical research. This research uses a computerized databank to document clinical features, treatment and its effects on large patient cohorts over a long
period of time. The centre staff includes rheumatology trainees, biostatisticians, database programmers and research assistants and laboratory technicians.
Members of this team have ties with:
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatististics, University of Toronto
- The Institute for Medical Sciences, University of Toronto
- The Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science in Health Sciences, University of Waterloo
- Cambridge University, UK
Current research programs include the following:
- Lupus Databank
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Registry for Atherosclerosis in SLE
New Emerging Team on Lupu Nephritis
- Canadian Network for Improved Outcomes in SLE (CaNIOS)
- Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC)
Website: The Centre for Prognosis Studies in Rheumatic Diseases
University Health Network/Mount Sinai Hospital Osteoporosis Program
Director: Dr. Angela Cheung
The Osteoporosis Program at UHN/MSH has an interdisciplinary team of expert clinicians, allied health professionals and researchers. This team is committed to conducting research with global impact and translating those results into the provision of first class care for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Under the leadership of Dr. Angela Cheung, this program has played a leadership role in the training of health professionals and in establishing guidelines and policies in osteoporosis care in Ontario, as well as across Canada.
Website: UHN Osteoporosis Program |
