The group of Ed Vital takes a translational approach to Lupus research aiming to improve both clinical and immunological phenotyping. The goal is to achieve better clinical trials, novel therapeutic approaches, targeting therapy to specific patients more accurately and improving the understanding of disease processes.

Ed Vital has a particular focus on skin and musculoskeletal manifestations of lupus. These are the most common in routine practice and clinical trials and have a marked impact on quality of life by causing pain and affecting body image. Ed’s group aims to improve understanding and treatment of these subsets of disease by exploiting our institute’s established strengths in musculoskeletal imaging and rheumato-dermatology. The translational and basic science focuses on Type I Interferons and B cells as these are the common targets for new therapies in SLE as well as ANCA vasculitis and other autoimmune diseases.