Rheumatology Research Group | School of Clinical Medicine

The South Western Sydney Rheumatology Research Group are focused on improving the lives of people with musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. The group has embedded research into clinical practice at Liverpool Hospital, focusing on the delivery of person-centred care in the South Western Sydney Local Health District.

Our goals

The research group seeks to explore underlying mechanisms operating in musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases and how they are managed, with the aim of developing new or improved treatments.

Research strengths

Key research areas include patient reported outcome measures, medication adherence, and qualitative research studies. There are several sub-specialty clinics which facilitate research, including connective tissue disease, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and osteoporosis. We also participate in numerous multicentre phase 2, phase 3 and phase 4 multicentre clinical trials.

Our research areas include:

Patient reported outcome measures
Qualitative research
Medication adherence
Consumer involvement in research
Clinical trials
Research projects in various diseases:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Gout
- Psoriaticarthritis
- Connective tissue diseases (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus)
- Osteoarthritis

Our results

Translating health outcomes. The group embeds research into clinical practice at Liverpool Hospital, with a person-centred approach. We investigate the drivers and associations of clinical and person-centred outcomes to improve the delivery of health services.
Clinical trials. Access to new medication opportunities and subsequent long-term advancement of care.
Understanding the local consumer perspectives and experience and co-designing health care solutions. The group conducts qualitative research with the diverse population in South Western Sydney, and involves consumers in the co-design of healthcare solutions that meets local needs.