Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune condition. While chiefly thought of as a joint disorder, RA has systemic effects- the clear hallmark of which is a bilateral presentation affecting the MCP & PIP joints (contrast that with osteoarthritis which is not symmetrical and often affects the DIP joints). The systemic nature of RA sees it presenting with ↑ serum inflammatory markers and mild fever. What I found most intriguing was the role synovial cells appear to play in amplifying inflammation. With the localized nature of RA, I wonder if there are unique subtypes of synovial cells at the MCP/PIP joints which make them favorable to RA pathogenesis.
#Rheumatoid#autoimmune#osteoarthritis#pathogenesis#inflammatory#inflammation#joint#msk#arthritis#TNF#CRP#RANKL#ostoblast#Citrullinated
Currently, I am a medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine, Class of 2024. My ambition is to become a physician-scientist and I look forward to continuing my training acquiring the full suite of research and clinical capabilities so that I can improve lives both at the bench and the bed side.
My current research interests involve gaining a superior understanding of the interplay between hematology and immunology by investigating the role platelets as members of the innate immune system and their functions in immune-mediated pathologies
