A 91亚色 researcher鈥檚 work on blocking inflammation in gout has been named one of the most significant advancements in arthritis research in 2023 by Arthritis Society Canada.聽
Ali Abdul-Sater, an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science in the Faculty of Health, alongside his research team, discovered that a protein called TRAF1 can help limit the body鈥檚 production of a substance called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1尾), which is a main cause of gout.
鈥淚t is a great honour to see that our work is recognized for its impact, and all the credit goes to the trainees that did the research,鈥 said Abdul-Sater, who is also a 91亚色 Research Chair in Regulatory Mechanisms of Inflammation. 鈥淚n the future, we are developing new methods to target TRAF1 in a way that improves its ability to lower IL-1 尾 and reduce joint inflammation.鈥
The team鈥檚 findings were published last year in the Journal of Immunology, detailing how adequate levels of TRAF1 in the body can alleviate the severity of gout.
Gout, a type of inflammatory arthritis, is a disease that typically affects the feet and can include symptoms of joint pain, stiffness and swelling, among others. According to Arthritis Society Canada, six million Canadians 鈥 or one in five adults 鈥 live with arthritis.
鈥淕iven the impact on patients, the health-care system and society at large, research is critical to transforming how arthritis is diagnosed, treated and prevented, and ensuring people receive the best possible care to improve the quality of their lives,鈥 said 聽Si芒n Bevan, chief science officer at Arthritis Society Canada, who helped fund the work.
For a full list of the top 10 research advances of 2023 recognized by the non-profit organization, visit .