This proposal requests renewal of the Boston University Multipurpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Center. It contains a plan to strengthen and expand the programs and research activities of the Center. Research activities proposed in both the research component and the E/E/HSR component will build on a strong existing base of the funded research. Two core units are proposed that will leverage unique strengths in molecular medicine and in arthritis epidemiology and health services research. An effective administrative unit will be continued. The research component includes proposals for three biomedical developmental and feasibility studies: 1. Two of these studies bring established investigators into arthritis research, and one supports a new investigator. The D&F proposals are 1) Fobronectin fibrillar matrix formation in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid arthritis, 2) Molecular basis of HTLV-1 induced arthropathy, and 3) Biophysics of recombinant amyloidogenic light chains. In the E/E/HSR component, education efforts will continue for a broad spectrum of physician education and training activities. Community activities will continue to focus on inner city residents and the elderly. Three specific research projects are proposed: 1) the effect of nutritional, physical and structural factors on knee osteoarthritis; 2) the epidemiology of SLE in black women, and; 3) an intervention study to prevent work disability in persons with arthritis. These projects are designed to support and expand ongoing research themes in arthritis epidemiology to develop new themes in both lupus and nutritional epidemiology and to fully develop studies in vocational rehabilitation in arthritis. Two core units are proposed for funding: a molecular medicine core which will provide critical support for numerous projects requiring molecular medicine resources and a research and evaluation support core unit which is continued from previous applications. The administrative unit will consist of a Center Director and Associate Director who have proven track records in managing the complex activities of a multipurpose center.
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