Holistic training of next generation Osteoarthritis researchers

Project Information

OSTASKILLS

Grant agreement ID: 101034412

DOI

10.3030/101034412

EC signature date 28 April 2021

Start date 1 June 2021

End date 30 November 2026

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 2 169 600,00

EU contribution

€ 1 084 800,00

Coordinated by

Stichting ReumaNederland
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OSTASKILLS (Holistic training of next generation Osteoarthritis researchers)

Reporting period: 2021-06-01 to 2023-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the single most common cause of disability in older adults and is expected to continue to grow in the decades to come. Despite the major socio-economic impact, OA patients are facing a staggering lack of disease-modifying
therapies, leaving invasive total joint replacement as the only currently available option to treat end-stage OA. Joint replacement surgery involves removing the damaged joint and replacing it with an artificial joint. While joint replacement can significantly improve patients' quality of life, it is an invasive procedure with potential risks and complications. Moreover, the lifetime risk of requiring revision surgery has been shown to dramatically increase in middle-aged patients as compared to elderly patients. Furthermore, joint replacement is not suitable for all patients, especially those with multiple joint involvement or other health conditions that increase surgical risks.
OSTASKILLS is based on a research programme aimed at the clinical development and market introduction of medical devices, pharmaceutical products and advanced therapy medicinal products for joint repair and aims to postpone or eliminate the need for joint replacement.
OSTASKILLS aims at attracting ten talented doctoral candidates worldwide. Currently 8 early stage researchers have joined the doctoral training programme and are working on dedicated research projects.
The doctoral candidates are receiving training through research and training by education. The main training objectives are: a variety of scientific methods within the field of regenerative medicine, as well as other transferable skills to
improve the career perspectives of the doctoral candidates. OSTASKILLS aims to train the next generation of entrepreneurial scientists who are capable of combining and translating major innovations in life sciences towards meaningful clinical applications and the health care market. The field of joint preservation will act as a unique blueprint for the training of entrepreneurial scientists that can find their way towards other clinical application areas following their training in this programme. Every doctoral candidate will work in both an academic, as well as an non-academic partner organisation, to expose the young researchers to diverse research environments and equip them with the skills needed to bring innovations to actual implementation in practice.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the first period the very important step of finding and recruiting highly talented young researchers has been taken. 8 of the total planned 10 fellows have been found and selected via a rigorous selection procedure. They have started at their respective host institutions and commenced working on their research projects. Attention has been given to introduce the fellows to the workings of a MSCA programme, the important aspects of doing research such as qualifications and ethics and to the research environment at their hosts. Each fellow has been following specialist courses for techniques and methodologies relevant for their research projects, but also training on ethics aspects and qualifications needed to be in the lab. Additionally, courses in soft skills have been selected or in some cases already followed, such as Academic Integrity, time management and presentation.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The OSTASKILLS programme is up and running and the first results of the ESR research projects are coming out. ESRS have begun attending conferences, collaborating with the other organisations in the consortium and the first findings are promising from the perspective of development of clinically relevant devices, products and therapy medicinal products for joint repair. These new insights, validations and outcomes have the potential to impact the lives of the rapidly growing group of OA patients. OSTASKILLS expects to contribute by:
- the clinical validation of two medical devices aiming at cartilage repair;
- providing insigths in patient stratification;
- developing pharmacological profiles of novel biologic agents;
- translational innovations in the field of cartilage tissues;
- advances in the introduction of regenerative therapies and post-operative physiotherapy for cartilage repair and treatment of OA.
By conducting innovative research and disseminating the findings through academic publications, conferences, and public engagement activities, we aim to raise awareness about the impact of OA on individuals' quality of life and overall productivity. This increased awareness can help allocate resources towards better prevention, diagnosis, and management of OA.
And importantly, OSTASKILLS will deliver a group of highly skilled excellent researchers with a strong cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary profile. The program's commitment to offering the opportunity to conduct scientific research on a topic of ESR’s choice and interest remains a core aspect of its impact.

research programme OSTASKILLS