SPONDYLOARTHRITIS RESEARCH AND TREATMENT NETWORK
PO BOX 55491, PORTLAND, OR 97238 www.spartangroup.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF SPARTAN IS TO FOSTER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN SPONDYLOARTHRITIS IN THE UNITED STATES. SPARTAN MEMBERS ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION BY ENGAGING IN SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS AND THROUGH AN ANNUAL MEETING, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANT EDUCATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

OUR MISSION IS TO FOSTER SPONDYLOARTHRITIS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN NORTH AMERICA. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION BY ENGAGING IN RESEARCH PROJECTS, SUPPORTING YOUNG RESEARCHERS, AND CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT EDUCATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS. OUR VISION IS A WORLD FREE OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS THROUGH LEADERSHIP IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.

SPARTAN ANNUAL MEETINGSPARTAN HOLDS AN ANNUAL MEETING TO HIGHLIGHT ADVANCES IN SPONDYLOARTHRITIS RESEARCH AND TREATMENT AND ENCOURAGE POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS TO ENGAGE IN THE SPARTAN MISSION OF FOSTERING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS (SPA). THE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION MEETING IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TOGETHER EXPERT, DEDICATED RESEARCHERS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS IN THE FIELD OF SPA RESEARCH AND THERAPY. THE MEETING IS ATTENDED BY SPARTAN MEMBERS FROM THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND OUR ATTENDANCE HOVERS AROUND 125. WE HOST OUR MEMBERS AND NONMEMBER TRAINEES (REIMBURSING TRAVEL AND HOTEL EXPENSES) TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT.OUR TRAINEE SYMPOSIUM, CONDUCTED THE DAY BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING'S SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS, HAS BECOME A PREEMINENT EDUCATIONAL EVENT FOR US AND CANADIAN RHEUMATOLOGY STUDENTS AND FELLOWS TO LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS. AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, SPARTAN CONDUCTS A POSTER COMPETITION OF ABSTRACTS AND ANNOUNCES GRANT AWARDS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH.THE MEETING IS HOSTED BY A BOARD MEMBER FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS WORKING WITH SPARTAN STAFF AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO PLAN AND EXECUTE THE ANNUAL GATHERING.

CLASSIC (CLASSIFICATION OF AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS INCEPTION COHORT)THE CLASSIC STUDY IS FUNDED BY AN EQUAL PARTNERSHIP OF 7 PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AND SPARTAN, EACH CONTRIBUTING $400,000 TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT BUDGET OF $3,200,000. THE JOINT MEETING OF THE ASAS AND THE SPA RESEARCH AND TREATMENT NETWORK (SPARTAN) EXECUTIVE BOARDS HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE ASAS CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA UNDERGO FURTHER VALIDATION IN A PROSPECTIVE NORTH AMERICAN COHORT OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH UNDIAGNOSED CHRONIC BACK PAIN TO RHEUMATOLOGISTS IN THE US AND CANADA. WITH EFFECTIVE MEDICATION NOW AVAILABLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND EFFECTIVENESS BEING PARTICULARLY APPARENT IN EARLY DISEASE, REDUCING DIAGNOSTIC DELAY IS A PRIORITY. IN PARTICULAR, IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT PATIENTS WITH EARLY NR-AXSPA HAVE COMPARABLE SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS TO THOSE WITH ESTABLISHED DISEASE17. BUT MANY OF THESE PATIENTS DO NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT BECAUSE ACCESS TO TREATMENT IS BASED ON REGULATORY APPROVAL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE IN THE US FOR NON-RADIOGRAPHIC DISEASE. THE STUDY IS DESIGNED TO TEST ("VALIDATE") THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CURRENT ASAS CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA IN A PROSPECTIVE COHORT OF PATIENTS PRESENTING TO A RHEUMATOLOGIST IN NORTH AMERICA WITH UNDIAGNOSED BACK PAIN OF ?3 MONTHS DURATION WITH ONSET ?45 YEARS OF AGE. IN ADDITION , WE SEEK (1) TO TEST CANDIDATE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE IMAGING ARM OF THE CURRENT CRITERIA BASED ON MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS FOR CONDUCTING MRI ASSESSMENT AND DEFINITION(S) FOR A POSITIVE MRI. (2) TO DETERMINE WHICH CLINICAL PARAMETERS BEST DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN PATIENTS DIAGNOSED CLINICALLY WITH AXSPA VERSUS NON-SPECIFIC BACK PAIN AND CATEGORIZE THEM INTO MAJOR AND MINOR SPA FEATURES (3) TO TEST CANDIDATE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE CLINICAL ARM OF THE CURRENT CRITERIA INCORPORATING A NEW FRAMEWORK OF MAJOR AND MINOR CLINICAL FEATURES OF SPA. (4) TO COMPARE THE ASCERTAINMENT OF SACROILIITIS BY MRI AND THE CONFIDENCE OF THIS ASCERTAINMENT BY INVESTIGATORS AT SITES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA BEFORE AND AFTER INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION. THE EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION WILL CONSIST OF FORMAL REPORTING AND EXTENSIVE DICOM-IMAGE ANNOTATION PROVIDED BY MUSCULOSKELETAL RADIOLOGISTS AND RHEUMATOLOGISTS WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERTISE (>10 YEARS EXPERIENCE) IN THE ASSESSMENT OF AXSPA (CENTRAL READERS) AND LOCAL INVESTIGATORS.

SPARTAN GRANT PROGRAMSFELLOWSHIP GRANTS FOR PILOT PROJECTSWITH THE AIM OF ENCOURAGING FELLOWS TO TAKE UP RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDER MENTORS WITH EXPERTISE IN SPA, SPARTAN WILL SUPPORT UP TO 3 PILOT PROJECTS EACHYEAR. APPLICANTS NEED TO BE A FELLOW IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR OF APPLICATION. THE MISSION OF SPARTAN IS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TO IMPROVE THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS. WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS AND LEADERS IN SPA IS AN IMPORTANT PORTAL TO ACHIEVE THIS MISSION. WITH THE AIM OF ENCOURAGING FELLOWS TO TAKE UP RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDER MENTORS WITH EXPERTISE IN SPA, SPARTAN WILL SUPPORT UP TO 2 PILOT PROJECTS. THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT THE EARLY STAGES OF A FELLOW WITH A TOTAL OF $10,000 ALLOCATED TO COVER EACH NEW GRANT IN WITH A MAXIMUM OF $5,000 PER FELLOW AND $5,000 PER MENTOR. THIS WILL BE A COMBINED APPLICATION BY THE FELLOW AND MENTOR. THE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE PROPOSAL INCLUDING EXPENDABLES, SERVICES OR SALARY/STIPEND OF TRAINEE AND CANNOT BE USED FOR SALARY SUPPORT OF THE PI.SEED GRANTS FOR JUNIOR FACULTYIN LINE WITH SPARTAN'S VISION TO ACCELERATE RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS AND TO IMPROVE THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, THIS SEED FUND OPPORTUNITY WILL SUPPORT EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE WORKING IN THE FIELD OF AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS. THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT THE EARLY STAGES OF A RESEARCH PROJECT TO GENERATE PRELIMINARY DATA THAT WILL SUPPORT GRANT APPLICATIONS TO FUNDING AGENCIES SUCH AS NIH. 2 NEW GRANTS WILL BE SUPPORTED (ONE BASIC/TRANSLATIONAL PROJECT AND ONE CLINICAL PROJECT). A MAXIMUM OF $10,000 WILL BE ALLOCATED PER PROJECT PER YEAR. THE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE PROPOSAL INCLUDING EXPENDABLES, SERVICES OR SALARY/STIPEND OF FELLOWS OR TECHNICIANS. THE FUNDS CANNOT BE USED FOR SALARY SUPPORT OF THE PI. INSTITUTIONAL INDIRECT COSTS ARE NOT SUPPORTED.

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