Spring 2021 (Volume 31, Number 1)
The Schroeder Arthritis Institute:
Transforming Arthritis Care Through
Research and Education
By Robert Inman, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FRCP Edin; and Mohit Kapoor, PhD
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The Schroeder Arthritis Institute at the University
Health Network in Toronto was launched on October
9, 2020, with a $25 million donation by philanthropists
Walter and Maria Schroeder. The Institute is
the largest multidisciplinary arthritis hub in Canada and
provides a comprehensive approach to the management of
bone, joint, spine and connective tissue diseases. The primary
goal of the Institute is to provide the best patient
care while pursuing a cure, advancing this care across the
spectrum of diseases from the clinic to the community.
The Schroeder Arthritis Institute integrates medical,
surgical and basic science aspects of four major clinical programs:
Hand, orthopedics, osteoporosis and rheumatology.
The Institute comprises 46 scientists and clinician-scientists,
113 trainees, and 200 staff. In the past 18 months,
investigators at the Institute were supported by over $12M
in peer-reviewed research funding and have published more
than 400 research articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Created with an integrated vision, a strategic plan developed
with broad input, and a sustainable business model, the Schroeder Arthritis Institute is home to highly
innovative and cross-functional research platforms and
technologies to help decode the origins of musculoskeletal
and auto-immune diseases. The launch of the Institute
builds on the momentum of the progress of our arthritis
team in recent years, including innovations in surgical approaches
for bone and joint diseases, new diagnostics and
prognostics – particularly in lupus, spondyloarthritis, osteoporosis,
and osteoarthritis, as well as the development
of predictive tools for orthopedic surgery outcomes. This
positions the Institute to make a global impact through
early diagnosis, innovative treatments and prevention of
arthritis and related diseases.
The Arthritis Institute includes four major research
platforms:
- Centre for Arthritis Diagnostic and
Therapeutic Innovation
- Centre for Arthritis Intelligence
- Centre for Arthritis Population
Health and Clinical Outcomes
- Centre for Arthritis Translational Medicine
These cross-functional and multidisciplinary centres
have been created to enhance basic understanding of the
diseases, to create new diagnostic tests, and foster innovative
therapies all ultimately focused on improved quality
of life for Canadians living with arthritis (see chart above).
The Schroeder Arthritis Institute is also the central
hub for training and education, ranging from medical
and research training programs including undergraduate,
post-graduate and clinical/research fellowships. The extensive
education opportunities at the Institute are anchored
in the breadth of clinical resources, which include
(1) 80,000 patients treated annually; (2) 1,200 joint replacements
performed each year; (3) one of the largest arthritis
clinical cohorts and tissue biobanks in the world; and
(4) high throughput research platforms with cutting-edge
technologies such as gene sequencing and metabolomics.
Robert Inman, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FRCP Edin
Co-Director Schroeder Arthritis Institute,
Deputy Physician in Chief Research,
University Health Network
Professor of Medicine and Immunology,
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
Mohit Kapoor, PhD
Co-Director, Schroeder Arthritis Institute
Tony and Shari Fell Platinum Chair in Arthritis Research,
Canada Research Chair (Tier 1),
Professor, University of Toronto
Senior Scientist, Krembil Research Institute
University Health Network
Toronto, Ontario
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