Osteoarthritis (OA) is among the most prevalent chronic human health disorders and the most common form of arthritis. It is among the leading cause of disability in Canada and worldwide, and with increasing life expectancy; OA is a major socioeconomic and clinical concern. In OA, cartilage is destroyed and synovium gets inflamed causing joint stiffness, pain and disability. The disease progresses relatively unnoticed; by the time that it is diagnosed, the damage is often so severe that treatments are no longer effective.

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Specific mechanisms associated with the joint destruction during OA are largely unknown. Due to the lack of biomarkers, it is impossible to identify patients exhibiting early stages of OA, leading to severe joint destruction. Furthermore, due to poor understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms, no disease-modifying therapies to treat OA exist. Kapoor Lab utilizes high throughout omics approaches, animal models and human specimens to understand the complex pathogenesis of OA and identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the treatment of OA.