Tissue stiffness is a primary indicator of disease severity across numerous chronic health conditions. Yet, methods to assess tissue stiffness in the clinical setting are profoundly lacking. A new project, funded by the Kennedy Trust, aims to develop cutting-edge quantification technologies to address this critical unmet clinical need and lead to better diagnostic methods.
Collagen, the body’s most abundant protein, provides the structural framework of tissues. However, in diseases like psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancers, excessive collagen leads to fibrosis, characterised by abnormally high tissue stiffness.
While medical practitioners routinely examine tissue biopsies for abnormalities in collagen organisation to gauge disease state, current methodologies are unable to assess the degree of tissue stiffness itself. This limitation hinders critical insight into disease severity, optimal treatment selection, and early intervention.
Dr. Ruby Peters (University of Sheffield) and Dr. Adrien Hallou (Oxford) will develop a non-invasive machine learning technology capable of providing a direct readout of tissue stiffness in the context of rheumatological, dermatological, and inflammatory diseases.
The technology is designed for broad accessibility. It is intended to bypass the need for expensive, specialist equipment, allowing it to be readily implemented in all healthcare settings.
By developing and democratising this state-of-the-art quantification tool, the project is positioned to deliver a step-change in our understanding of extracellular matrix mechanics, with direct impact on translational medicine and patient health.
Dr Ruby Peters
This project is part of eleven new grant awards that have been awarded by the Kennedy Trust in 2025, totaling £2.6m over the next 5 years.
Five early career researchers have been funded through the Trust’s new Transition Fellowship scheme, which is designed to support postdoctoral researchers and provide them with the opportunity to develop an independent research career and progress towards higher-level appointments. The Fellowship of between £250k and £500k for up to 5 years are awarded in any basic or clinical scientific discipline with a clear relevance to rheumatic or related musculoskeletal, immunological or inflammatory diseases.
For more information about the Kennedy Trust and the new projects visit the website here.