WHAT’S NEW IN THE PROJECT?
The EU has awarded a 7 Mio € funding to a HUS Helsinki University Hospital led consortium to study the significance of gut microbiota as a driver of chronic systemic inflammation and the role of microbiota in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases. Additional 1.8 Mio € has been granted by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
ENDOTARGET explores the relationship between gut microbiota, gut permeability, and systemic endotoxemia with a special focus on the three most abundant rheumatic diseases (RDs): osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and spondylarthritis. The aim is to clarify (1) the role of the three factors gut microbiota, gut permeability and systemic endotoxemia in RD onset and pathogenesis, (2) which events and mechanisms are responsible for the origin of RDs, and (3) the influence of the gut microbiota on the joints. Based on the gained knowledge, e.g. new biomarkers for risk assessment will be identified and a Rheumatic disease risk prediction tool (RDPT) will be developed to support clinicians in the classification of patients and to treat RDs preventively. This tool will help to reduce the risk of RD onset and/or to reduce disease activity.
