The rheumatology unit at Liverpool University Hospitals is a UK Centre of Excellence for clinical care, training and research.

Our service hosts the Behcet’s syndrome Centre of Excellence, one of only three centres in the country. Rheumatology research helps to discover new information about the underlying disease process.

 Our ultimate aim is to find a treatment which is safe and effective in stopping or slowing down a disease. Your participation could help improve the clinical outcomes of future patients. Some of our ongoing studies are observational, meaning that we observe the outcomes of a risk factor, without any intervention or additional hospital visits. Other studies are interventional, where participants are assigned to groups that can receive intervention or treatment.

How to get involved

Clinical trial participants are identified by the rheumatology clinical care team, including the research nurses, consultants, and specialist nurses. Patients are screened to ensure they are eligible to take part in a trial, followed by recruitment and randomisation. All research conducted is compliant with GCP standards and regulations.

Areas of research

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
  • Behcet’s Syndrome (BS)
  • Sjogrens Syndrome (SS)
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) 
  • Scleroderma 
  • Myositis
  • Vasculitis
  • Giant Cell Arteritis
  • Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
  • Raynaud’s.

Contact us

For further information about rheumatology research at LUHFT, please call 0151 529 5894 or email: rheum.researchnurses@liverpoolft.nhs.uk.

This Phase 2 study is testing a new drug called tibulizumab to see if it is safe and effective for adults with systemic sclerosis, a rare autoimmune disease. Participants will first receive either the drug or a placebo without knowing which, then all will have the option to receive the drug in an open-label phase.

This study is looking at the long-term safety and effectiveness of an investigational treatment for adults with active idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Participants will continue receiving the medication by injection under the skin while researchers monitor its benefits and side effects.

This study explores whether probiotics or calcium and vitamin D supplements can help people with Paget’s disease of the bone, a condition that can cause pain, deformity, arthritis and hearing loss. Researchers know that genes play a major role, but environmental factors, including diet and the gut microbiome, may also influence the disease. The trial will test whether these supplements can improve biological signs of the condition or help reduce symptoms.