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EULAR Centre of Excellence in Rheumatology

Botnar Kennedy

We are a EULAR Centre of Excellence 2015 - 2020

NDORMS, with the Botnar Research Centre and Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, is one of the largest and most dynamic multidisciplinary academic rheumatology research centres in the world, recognised in 2015 as a EULAR Centre of Excellence in Rheumatology. We also have a strong teaching focus and close links with the Clinical Rheumatology Department within the Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust on the adjacent Nuffield Orthopaedic Site. We welcome enquiries from potential collaborators and graduate students.

3D Illustration medical concept

Oxford has one of the largest and broadest groupings of translational rheumatology research in the world; covering inflammatory, degenerative and congenital diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Scientific approaches include direct patient-focused research (clinical trials, cohorts, biomarker development), epidemiology, and basic (wet lab) mechanistic research in immunology, genetics, bone, matrix and cartilage biology.

We strongly encourage clinicians and basic scientists interested in rheumatology research to contact at least two of the PIs listed on this website to discuss research options. All the principal investigators are happy to be contacted directly about being potential supervisors. If you are unsure where to start, do also contact either Paul Bowness (Botnar) or Tonia Vincent (Kennedy Institute).

Specific courses/qualifications offered

DPhil (equivalent of PhD elsewhere)

This is typically a 3-4 year full time degree open to both clinicians and non-clinicians. Funding to support this is from a variety of sources including major research councils, Arthritis Research UK and pharma companies. Applications usually need to be developed by prospective student and supervisor(s).

MSc in Musculoskeletal Science

This is a 2 year part time course designed for clinicians as preparation for further research. To find out more, visit our courses page. 

Special study modules (Oxford only)

These are designed for final year Oxford University Medical Students. They involve a 3-6 week laboratory placement to learn about medical research. Further details from the medical school office.

FHS placements (Oxford only)

These are 6-8 week laboratory placements for 3rd year Oxford University Medical or Biomedical Science students.

EULAR-CoE logo

Selected publications

Our team at EULAR CoE

Academic Rheumatologists

  1. Osteoarthritis
  2. Epidemiology
  3. Sports
  4. Arthroplasty
  5. Femoro-acetabular impingement
  1. Ankylosing spondylitis
  2. Immunology
  3. Type 17 immune responses
  4. Immunotherapy
  5. Microbiome


  • Cyrus Cooper
    Cyrus Cooper

    Professor of Musculoskeletal Science, University of Oxford

  1. Epidemiology 
  2. Osteoporosis 
  3. Osteoarthritis 
  4. Musculoskeletal Ageing 
  5. Sarcopenia
  1. Immunotherapy 
  2. Anti TNF 
  3. Combination therapy 
  4. Cytokines 
  5. Inflammation
  1. Epidemiology
  2. Rare bone diseases 
  3. Vitamin D 
  4. Osteoporosis 
  5. Secondary fracture prevention
  1. Vasculitis 
  2. Cohorts 
  3. Biomarkers 
  4. Clinical trials 
  5. Patient-reported outcomes
  1. Sports medicine 
  2. Exercise medicine 
  3. Sports injuries 
  4. Performance 
  5. Epidemiology
  1. Epidemiology 
  2. Pharmaco-epidemiology 
  3.  Osteoporosis 
  4. Osteoarthritis 
  5. Rheumatoid arthritis
  1. Rheumatoid arthritis 
  2. Experimental medicine 
  3. Clinical trials 
  4. Imaging 
  5. Targeted therapies
  1. Rheumatoid arthritis 
  2. Experimental medicine 
  3. Clinical trials 
  4. Imaging 
  5. Targeted therapies
  1. Osteoarthritis
  2. Joint injury
  3. Bone remodelling
  4. Pain
  5. Cartilage regeneration
  1. Osteoarthritis 
  2. Clinical trials 
  3. Post-traumatic 
  4. Biomarker 
  5. Translation
  1. Ankylosing spondylitis
  2. Genetics
  3. Marfan Syndrome
  4. Skeletal dysplasias 
  5. Rare bone diseases

Academic Orthopaedic Surgery

Academic hand/plastic surgery

Academic Statistics/Epidemiology 

  1. Tissue engineering
  2. Biomaterials
  3. Tendon
  4. Inflammation
  5. Fibrosis
  • Jonathan Rees
    Jonathan Rees

    Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Science

  1. Inflammation 
  2. Fibrosis 
  3. DAMPs 
  4. Clinical trials 
  5. Tenosynovitis
  1. Epidemiology 
  2. Medical statistics 
  3. Health services research 
  4. Osteoarthritis 
  5. Osteoporosis

Academic scientists 

  1. Immunology
  2. Immunoglobulins 
  3. Inflammation 
  4. Innate immunity 
  5. TNF
  1. Immunology 
  2. Inflammation 
  3. Imaging 
  4. Immune synapse 
  5. Lymphocyte signalling
  • Yoshi Itoh
    Yoshi Itoh

    Associate Professor and Principal Investigator Cell Migration Group

  1. Rheumatoid arthritis
  2. Cartilage degradation
  3. MT1-MMP
  4. Synovial invasion
  5. Osteoarthritis
  1. Immunology 
  2. Haematopoiesis 
  3. Chronic inflammatory arthritis 
  4. Mouse models 
  5. Cytokines
  • Ngee Han Lim
    Ngee Han Lim

    KTRR/ARUK Research Fellow & NDORMS Undergraduate Research Coordinator

  1. Imaging Biomarker 
  2. Osteoarthritis 
  3. Computed Tomography 
  4. Optical Imaging 
  5. Metalloproteinase activity
  1. Ankylosing Spondylitis
  2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
  3. Inflammation
  4. Bone Remodelling
  5. Osteoporosis
  1. Tendon physiology 
  2. Diabetic tendinopathy 
  3. Connective tissue ageing 
  4. Biomarkers 
  5. Heterotopic ossification
  1. Stromal Immunology 
  2. Inflammation 
  3. Pattern recognition 
  4. Extracellular matrix 
  5. Immunotherapy
There are no team members found
  1. Joint injury and repair 
  2. Regenerative medicine 
  3. Osteoarthritis 
  4. Genome engineering 
  5. Stem cells
  • Fiona Powrie FRS
    Fiona Powrie FRS

    Professor of Musculoskeletal Sciences and Director of the Kennedy Institute

  1. Inflammation
  2. Inflammatory cytokines
  3. Immune regulation
  4. Microbiome
  5. Inflammatory bowel disease
  1. Osteoarthritis 
  2. Musculoskeletal Ageing 
  3. Inflammation 
  4. Immunology 
  5. Joint injury
  1. Inflammation 
  2. Innate immunity 
  3. Genomics 
  4. Immunometabolism 
  5. Rheumatoid arthritis
  1. Joint physiology 
  2. Inflammation
  3. Cartilage biology 
  4. Osteoarthritis 
  5. Cell signalling
  1. Immunotherapy 
  2. Regulatory T cells 
  3. Combination therapy 
  4. Animal models 
  5. Epigenetics