I completed an overseas research fellowship in Auckland, New Zealand with the support of a grant from Arthritis Australia (Leanne Stafford Award). This grant allowed me to pursue an interest in gout, which is one of the most common forms of arthritis in the community. However, despite having very effective treatments for gout, many people with gout continue to develop permanent disability due to this potentially curable condition. New Zealand is considered the “gout capital of the world” with the highest prevalence of this condition, particularly in people from Māori and Pacific Islander backgrounds. Along with participating in rheumatology clinics, I joined the Bone and Joint Research Group at the University of Auckland working on multiple gout studies under the supervision Prof. Nicola Dalbeth, who is a world-renowned expert in the field. Through completing this fellowship, I wanted to advance my research and clinical skills, with a plan to develop a gout research program back in Sydney, Australia.
During my 12-month fellowship, I spent four days a week at the University of Auckland as a Clinical Research Fellow conducting research in the areas of gout and calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, another form of crystal arthritis. My remaining time was spent undertaking outpatient clinics at Greenlane Hospital and attending Departmental activities at both Greenlane and Auckland City Hospitals (Auckland District Health Board). Over the course of the year, I authored five original research articles, one review article and presented the results of my research at four international scientific meetings. My research covered a range of topics including the association between gout and cardiovascular disease, the development of a radiographic scoring system for new bone formation in gout and the development of a core domain set for calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease. My research exploring the relationship between cardiovascular disease and gout will form the thesis of my Doctorate, which I am completing through the University of Auckland.
Through my research projects I have developed a collaborative network of colleagues who I continue to work with now that I have returned to Sydney. This includes individual researchers from Europe, USA and New Zealand and research consortiums including OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology) and G-CAN (the Gout and Crystal Arthritis Network). We are continuing to expand on projects started during my fellowship as well as commence new projects exploring how to improve gout care and address the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in people with gout. I am also in the process of setting up a dedicated gout clinic for people in Western Sydney, utilising the clinical experience I obtained in New Zealand, particularly around community engagement and improving health literacy in at-risk populations.
I feel very privileged to have had the support of Arthritis Australia to undertake my overseas fellowship. The experience has provided a strong foundation for my research and clinical career, and I will continue to use these skills to improve care for people with gout and other rheumatological conditions.