About Us

Founded in May 2007 and led by Professor Costantino Pitzalis, the Centre for Experimental Medicine & Rheumatology (EMR) is a world-renowned hub for multidisciplinary research. As part of the William Harvey Research Institute (WHRI), we integrate the expertise of clinicians, scientists, biostatisticians, and bioinformaticians to tackle complex autoimmune and joint diseases.

EMR works alongside the Barts Arthritis Centre, which is integrated in the Musculoskeletal Clinical Academic Unit at Barts Health NHS Trust. The Barts Arthritis Centre, also directed by Professor Pitzalis, includes Rheumatology, Orthopaedics and Sport and Exercise Medicine, and offers unique translational opportunities via an extensive clinical studies portfolio.

Our Core Mission: From Bench to Bedside

Our primary objective is to bridge the gap between discovery science and patient benefit. By gaining a deeper understanding of disease pathogenesis for several autoimmune conditions including Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren’s Syndrome, we aim to:

• Innovate: Develop breakthrough diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for inflammatory and degenerative arthropathies.
• Optimize: Accelerate the discovery of novel therapeutics and maximise therapeutic utility of existing therapies.
• Translate: Provide a seamless continuum between experimental medicine and clinical application.
• Educate: Mentor and foster the next generation of world-class translational clinicians and scientists.

Research Pillars

Our basic science programmes in immunology and inflammation, which is linked to a clinical translational programme in the following 4 research areas:

1. Breach of Tolerance and Autoimmunity
2. Development and Resolution of Inflammation
3. Mechanisms of Tissue Damage and Repair
4. Novel Therapeutic Development (including tissue-specific targeting and clinical trials)

Global Leadership in Stratified Medicine

EMR is the global leader in biopsy-driven, stratified-medicine clinical trials that span the disease course from early to late RA and are synchronised for drug exposure.

The EMR Biobank

Central to our success is the HTA-registered EMR Biobank. We maintain a rigorous repository of samples and data, which are made available to other researchers to accelerate global research efforts: EMR Biobank – HTRC/HTA approved

Collaborative Innovation

At the heart of EMR is an integrated research environment, we offer a multidisciplinary interface where basic scientists and clinical teams work side-by-side to transform the future of musculoskeletal medicine.