A private hospital in Reading has awarded a £10,000 research grant to a team of scientists after their work on osteoarthritis won a national research award.
Circle Reading Hospital, part of Circle Health Group, made the award following the success of Professor Eleftheria Zeggini and her colleagues at this year’s Research Highlight of the Year competition run by Arthritis UK.
The winning project, Exploring the genetics of osteoarthritis, was announced as the 2025 winner on 17 December after being shortlisted alongside five other finalists and voted for by the public.
The study is the largest genetic investigation of osteoarthritis to date, analysing data from almost two million people. Researchers identified more than 950 genetic links to the condition and described eight distinct biological processes involved in its development.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and affects millions of people in the UK. Arthritis UK estimates that around 10 million people live with arthritis-related conditions, which can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.
Professor Zeggini said the recognition would help accelerate progress in understanding the disease.
“Our findings advance knowledge of the genetics of osteoarthritis and lay the groundwork for developing more effective and personalised treatments,” she said.
Deborah Alsina MBE, chief executive of Arthritis UK, said the award highlighted the quality of current research into the condition.
“It was a very strong field of entries, all building on decades of progress in improving understanding and treatment of arthritis,” she said, thanking Circle Health Group for supporting the award.
Circle Health Group’s chief medical officer, Peter James, said the organisation was committed to backing research that could lead to better diagnosis and treatment.
“There is no cure for arthritis, but research like this is essential if we are to improve outcomes for patients,” he said.
The funding will support further work by Professor Zeggini’s international research team, who hope their findings will help identify new drug targets and lead to more tailored treatments for people with osteoarthritis.
