Pain Centre Versus Arthritis

Joint Tissue Repository

The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust / University of Nottingham Human Joint Tissue Repository was initiated in 1999 to enable research into joint problems. Its large collection of human tissue samples provides a high quality resource for researchers into osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. Donations and data have been generously provided by people undergoing total joint replacement surgery (n>3300) and by relatives of recently deceased individuals (post-mortem samples, n>500). Each year, we receive samples from >100 people undergoing arthroplasty and >40 post-mortem donors. 

 This large repository is suitable for case matching (e.g. by age, sex), plus identification of rare subgroups (e.g. people with asymptomatic knee osteoarthritis). Several ongoing projects and collaborations with national and international academic and commercial partners are identifying new biomarkers and molecular targets for the treatment of pain, and for osteoarthritis. Repository tissues are processed by snap freezing, chemical fixation, for frozen or wax-embedded histological blocks. Recruitment is ongoing, with capacity for additional prospective data collection, postal surveys, sample types and processing. 

Joint tissue repository with yellow slides pulled out from a green cabinet

Available biosamples include:

  • synovium
  • cartilage and bone
  • meniscus
  • tendon
  • muscle
  • serum
  • dorsal root ganglia
  • spinal cord
  • serum
  • synovial fluid

 

Available data include:

  • demographics
  • history and clinical examination findings
  • comorbidities
  • medications
  • pain-related questionnaires (ICOAP, McGill, painDETECT, HADS)
  • standardised weight-bearing radiographs and structural severity scores
  • standardised articular surface photographs and pathological scores of cartilage changes.
  • sample processing details

 

Sample and data enquiries and access requests may be directed to paincentre@nottingham.ac.uk

 

View publications involving our joint tissue repository

Pain Centre Versus Arthritis

Clinical Sciences Building
City Hospital
Nottingham, NG5 1PB

telephone: +44 (0) 115 823 1766 ext 31766
fax: +44 (0) 115 823 1757
email: paincentre@nottingham.ac.uk