A Blood Test for Earlier Psoriatic Arthritis Diagnosis
Identifying Blood Biomarkers for Earlier Diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis Using Genetic and Proteomic Data
Project Lead: Dr Steven Zhao
Steven is a clinician scientist and consultant rheumatologist at the University of Manchester whose research focuses on improving the diagnosis and treatment of spondyloarthritis. His work combines clinical research, genetics, and large-scale health data to address challenges that matter most to people living with musculoskeletal diseases.
This project tackles one of the biggest unmet needs in psoriatic arthritis: the lack of a diagnostic test. By using cutting-edge genetic and protein data from thousands of participants, the research aims to identify blood biomarkers that could help diagnose psoriatic arthritis earlier, leading to faster treatment and better long-term outcomes for patients. Findings and preliminary data generated through this funding helped secure a subsequent £750,000 Career Development Fellowship from Arthritis UK, enabling Steven’s team to expand this work and accelerate the development of new approaches for earlier diagnosis.
Lay Abstract
There is currently no specific blood test to help doctors diagnose psoriatic arthritis. As a result, many people experience delays in diagnosis, which can lead to ongoing pain, disability, and reduced response to treatment.
This project aims to identify blood markers that could help diagnose psoriatic arthritis earlier and more accurately. Instead of looking only for proteins associated with the disease, the team will use genetic information to identify proteins that are more likely to play a direct role in the disease process. This innovative approach may help overcome limitations that have affected previous biomarker studies.
The research team will analyse genetic and protein data from around 50,000 participants in the UK Biobank and screen approximately 3,000 blood proteins. The most promising candidates will then be tested in blood samples from 264 people with psoriatic arthritis.
This work builds on years of collaboration with patients, charities, and researchers working to reduce delays in diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis has consistently been identified as a major priority by people living with psoriatic arthritis.
The results and preliminary data generated through this charity-funded work helped secure a further £750,000 grant from Arthritis UK, allowing the research team to build on these findings at a much larger scale. This demonstrates how targeted charitable funding can act as a catalyst for major research advances that ultimately benefit people living with psoriatic arthritis.