TopTreat: TOwards Precision TREATment for advanced osteoarthritis

TopTreat is a large R&D program in which Stichting ReumaNederland, UT, RUMC, various hospitals, Roessingh R&D, two companies and the Ministry of Defense join forces to improve treatment options and quality of life for osteoarthritis patients. Osteoarthritis (wear and tear of the protective cartilage that protects the ends of bones) will be the most common chronic disease in the Netherlands in 2040 and is associated with high healthcare costs, disability and a significant negative impact on the quality of life of patients. At present, the prediction and treatment options are still limited, the results of existing interventions are suboptimal and the knowledge to tailor the treatment to individual patient profiles is lacking.

Through the TopTreat program, the consortium wants to develop a unique and highly accurate technology platform that should enable advanced phenotyping of patients, joint-on-a-chip technology, ambulatory motion and gait sensor analyses and biomechanical modelling of joint dynamics and cartilage stress levels in order to collect more specific characteristics of osteoarthritis. Data-driven prognostic modelling and artificial intelligence enable the most optimal treatment to be tailored to the needs of individual osteoarthritis patients.

Total budget € 4.7 Million

Contact: Prof.dr.ir. Nico Verdonschot and WP6 coordinator: Dr.ir. Periklis Tzanetis