Using Team Research Principles to identify Associations and Replicate Findings in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and their Treatments

This study was conducted by collaborators from both academia and industry partners. Full details of contributors and acknowledgments can be found at the end of the case study.

Can you tell us about your project in a nutshell?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often clinically managed using Tumour Necrosis Factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy. However, one type of TNFi – monoclonal antibody derived TNFi – is associated with development of immunogenicity (defined as the ability of cells/tissues to provoke an immune response and is generally considered to be an undesirable physiological response) and subsequent loss of therapeutic effects. 

This study strengthens the evidence of a genetic link to the development of immunogenicity in patients receiving monoclonal antibody derived TNFi therapy. It emphasizes the importance for clinicians to consider methotrexate co-therapy and underscores the potential benefits of genetic testing prior to starting adalimumab therapy.

How were/are Team Research principles used in this project?

This project embodies the principles of Team Research such as shared vision, effective communication, mutual trust and sharing of resources and expertise. This project relied on a collaborative effort to harness the strengths and expertise of a diverse team, consisting of biostatisticians responsible for analysis, industry collaborators overseeing sample assay, and clinicians providing clinical insights and data collection. 

This project exemplified Team Research principles by dedicating time to collectively develop a shared vision. This was achieved through regular meetings where progress of the project was updated for all members, and feedback was exchanged on the best approaches for the project.

The project team also practised effective communication by developing trust among team members. This involved emails and virtual meetings as some of the members are located overseas.

The openness and collaborative spirit allowed for a dynamic exchange of ideas, fostering a supportive environment where everyone’s contributions were valued and recognized.

By having representatives from different disciplines, we had different expert resources to call on for  tackling  any problems. Sharing of resources and expertise was facilitated by  email, Dropbox cloud storage and Zoom meetings. 

How did Team Research principles benefit the project?

Working collaboratively with a diverse team provided numerous benefits and harnessed diverse perspectives, expertise, resources which allowed us to address complex issues in a more effective and comprehensive manner. By leveraging our collective knowledge, we identified potential biomarkers as well as steps to improve adalimumab treated patient’s outcome. This outcome can significantly influence patient care and treatment strategies, demonstrating the immense value of interdisciplinary teamwork in research.

What is your top tip for working with Team Research principles?

The top tip would be to identify your (group’s) weakness and seek out collaborators that can fill in that gap. This would allow for gaps in knowledge to be filled, as well as fostering a collaborative environment enriched by diverse perspectives. 

How can interdisciplinary collaborations like yours be further supported?

It would be great if there was a platform where all the researchers’ expertise and availability is listed to make it easier to identify expertise to complement our skillset.

Key publications: https://ard.bmj.com/content/early/2023/09/12/ard-2023-223955

This study was conducted by collaborators from both academia and industry partners including; Chuan Fu Yap, Darren Plant, and Anne Barton, Nisha Nair (University of Manchester), Annick de Vries (Industry Partner, Sanquin), Floris C Loeff (Industry Partner, Sanquin), Ann W Morgan, (Leeds University), John D Isaacs (Newcastle University), Anthony Wilson (University College Dublin), Kimme L Hyrich (University of Manchester) and the authors would like to acknowledge the assistance given by IT Services and the use of the Computational Shared Facility at The University of Manchester, the study coordinators the research nurses, the research technicians who process the samples, and the patients who contributed their time and donated the samples.