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A postgraduate research opportunity at the University of Otago.

Details

Close date
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Academic background
Health Sciences
Host campus
Dunedin
Qualification
Master's, PhD, Honours
Department
Pathology (Dunedin)
Supervisor
Dr Adele Woolley, Professor Lisa Stamp, Dr Anna Wiles

Overview

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects over half a million New Zealanders and represents a diverse spectrum of pathological processes culminating in joint damage and loss of function.

Recent research has highlighted an inflammatory phenotype of OA, suggesting potential for repurposing existing therapies to target early inflammation and halt disease progression. However, identifying patients with inflammatory OA typically relies on imaging modalities such as ultrasound or MRI, which are resource-intensive and impractical for widespread screening.

Developing a cost-effective biomarker for early inflammatory OA could revolutionise diagnostic and treatment approaches, enabling timely intervention and preventing irreversible joint damage. One such phenotype, the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), has been implicated in cartilage degeneration, with specific p53 isoforms showing promise as potential biomarkers.

This project aims to build on pilot data to identify patients with the SASP phenotype, potentially identifying pathways for targeted therapeutic interventions based on specific inflammatory cytokine signatures.

Contact

Contact name
Dr Adele Woolley
Email
adele.woolley@otago.ac.nz
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