Introduction 

The Foundation for Research in Rheumatology (FOREUM) is launching a joint call for proposals in rheumatology and obesity medicine to support research that benefits from close collaboration between the two disciplines.

This interdisciplinary call will fund a focused, collaborative project investigating the relationships between obesity, immunometabolic pathways, and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).

Obesity is an important and potentially modifiable factor in many RMDs. Excess adipose tissue, particularly visceral adipose tissue, may contribute to systemic inflammation, disease progression, impaired treatment response, and an increased burden of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities. At the same time, inflammatory rheumatic diseases may influence body composition, metabolism, and the clinical management of obesity.

 

Objectives 

This call aims to generate new knowledge about these interrelationships and determine whether targeting obesity, adipose tissue dysfunction, or shared immunometabolic pathways can improve disease outcomes or help prevent the development and progression of RMDs.

 

Scope 

This grant will provide one year of funding to an independent clinician scientist working in rheumatology, with an established track record in rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (RMD) research.

Proposals must establish a meaningful link between RMD research and another discipline relevant to obesity, metabolic dysfunction, or immunometabolism. Both preclinical and clinical studies will be considered. Research areas may include, but are not limited to:

• shared inflammatory and immunometabolic mechanisms;
• the impact of obesity and adipose tissue dysfunction on the development, progression, and clinical presentation of RMDs;
• the effects of obesity on disease activity, treatment response, and patient outcomes;
• interventions targeting obesity or metabolic dysfunction in people with RMDs;
• biomarkers and outcome measures related to obesity and immunometabolism; and
• strategies for the prevention or interdisciplinary management of RMDs and associated metabolic comorbidities.

Each application should be jointly led by two principal investigators:

• a lead principal investigator working in rheumatology or RMD research, who will be the grant holder and receive the funding; and
• a co-principal investigator from another relevant discipline, such as obesity medicine, endocrinology, metabolism, nutrition, or immunometabolism.

Applications must provide a clear scientific rationale for the interdisciplinary collaboration and explain how the involvement of the co-principal investigator will enhance and strengthen the proposed research. The contributions of both investigators should be closely integrated and complementary, creating scientific value that could not be achieved through a rheumatology-only project or through separate, discipline-specific projects.

 

Eligibility and Requirements 

Main applicant

The following eligibility criteria apply to the investigator involved in rheumatology research.

To be eligible for this grant, the applicant must:

• be a member of a EULAR scientific society or an individual EULAR member at the time of submission and throughout the duration of the award, and come from a EULAR member country;
• hold a doctoral-level degree (MD, PhD, DO, MBBS or equivalent); and
• demonstrate research independence, scientific productivity, and career achievements.

Collaborating partners from centres in non-EULAR member countries may participate in exceptional cases (e.g. where specific scientific expertise is required) but are not eligible to receive FOREUM funding.

Please note, applicants are responsible for identifying their own collaborating partner.  FOREUM does not facilitate the pairing of researchers for applications to this award.

All award recipients must comply with FOREUM policies throughout the duration of the grant.

Patient Involvement

Participation of patient research partners is strongly recommended for all research projects to provide experiential knowledge, with the aim of improving the relevance, quality and validity of the research process. For more information, please read the material on EULAR | PARE patient research partners.

Ethical Considerations

FOREUM expects a high standard in the conduct of research it funds. For researchers this includes scientific integrity and adherence to the principles of good research practice. Patients involved in the study must be treated in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Data sharing and collaboration

Applications must include confirmation that participating centres agree to collaborate on data analyses and / or provide aggregated or raw data in accordance with applicable national regulations and the requirements of their respective governing bodies. A single sentence confirming this agreement is sufficient; no additional documentation is required.

 

Budget 

100,000 EUR for two projects (50K per project) over a one-year period.