Partnerships

We work in partnership with others to maximise the impact of our research funding. This allows us to achieve more than we could do on our own. We work with organisations across the UK and abroad including other research funders, universities, hospitals and commercial organisations. 

Some examples of our exciting partnership work are highlighted below. 

UK Musculoskeletal Translational Research Collaboration

The UK Musculoskeletal Translational Research Collaboration (UK MSK TRC) is a joint initiative between Versus Arthritis and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The collaboration is dedicated to speeding up early phase translational research.  It brings together our previous investment in the Experimental Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Treatment Centres with the NIHR infrastructure through their relevant Biomedical Research Centres. 

By bringing together national expertise, the collaboration aims to create a UK-wide ambition to drive cutting edge musculoskeletal translational research.  Moving us closer towards a world free from the pain, fatigue and isolation of arthritis. The UK MSK TRC will provide a network of expertise and collaboration in which to undertake clinical studies. Which we hope will stimulate industry activity in musculoskeletal research. In turn this will help to increase the investment in musculoskeletal research to levels that equate to the scale of the impact of arthritis. 

Patient and public involvement and engagement is a central theme of the TRC approach. Through a strong relationship with people with arthritis via both Versus Arthritis and the NIHR. 

For more information on the UK MSK TRC and which centres are involved please see UK Musculoskeletal Translational Research Collaboration | NIHR.

Connect Immune Research

Connect Immune Research was formed as a coalition between JDRF (Breakthrough T1D), the MS Society and Versus Arthritis. It is supported by the British Society for Immunology to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to autoimmune research. The coalition aims to grow funding and research infrastructure in order to develop new treatment and diagnosis options. The partnership now includes 12 partner organisations and has developed the Connect Immune Research Charter which outlines its vision, strategy and principles. 

Working with research teams and individuals living with autoimmune conditions alike, the coalition launched a report, “Are you #AutoimmuneAware?”, in 2018. The work highlighted that type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis alone represent direct and indirect costs of more than £13 billion per year. It also shone a spotlight on the individual experiences of some of the 4 million people in the UK that live with these conditions.  

In 2022, the coalition announced co-funding delivered with the Lorna and Yuti Chernajovsky Biomedical Research Foundation of ten pilot projects. These projects (together worth almost £1M) aimed to investigate the links between multiple autoimmune conditions and work towards generating new treatments.  

The Nuffield Foundation

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust which administers the Oliver Bird Fund. This fund aims to support research to improve the social and economic well-being of people living with musculoskeletal conditions. 

We began working with the Nuffield Foundation on the Oliver Bird fund in 2003. Reflecting our overlapping interests, we helped advise on the PhD programme of awards the Foundation made. 

We have co-funded Oliver Bird Fund research projects since 2018. Eight awards are currently co-funded with implications for policy and practice.   

Following the launch of Versus Arthritis’ Research Strategy in 2022, our partnership with the Oliver Bird Fund has addressed our Living Well priority. Crucially, Versus Arthritis Research Partners have been involved in shaping the areas of funding and reviewing applications.  

Partnering for career support

Versus Arthritis has a long history of partnering with other funders to help build capacity in arthritis research. Current and recent partnerships in this area include: 

Advanced Pain Discovery Platform

In 2019 we announced the biggest single investment in pain research in the UK and our largest ever single commitment to research. 

After years of hard work, we committed £12 million of funding along with £12 million of matched funding from government and £0.5 million of investment from an industrial partner. This funding aimed to improve understanding and lay the foundations for better treatments for the millions of people who live with chronic pain. 

The joint £24.5 million fund formed a 5-year partnership between Versus Arthritis, UK Research and Innovation, Health Data Research UK and Eli Lilly. To generate a research platform, known as the Advanced Pain Discovery Platform (APDP), which brings together experts from biological, psychosocial and cognitive pain research fields. The Medical Research Foundation joined as a partner in 2021.