Weekly Briefing - September 24, 2021 | Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI)

Welcome to the OARSI Weekly Briefing - the single resource you need to stay up to date with OARSI & World Congress news, membership announcements, and happenings within the OARSI & OA community.

Bookmark this page for weekly updates.

Join the conversation online by following OARSI on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Abstract Submissions Now Open!

The Osteoarthritis Research Society International invites you to submit your research for an in person or virtual oral or poster presentation at the 2022 World Congress to be held in Berlin, Germany. The submission period will close on November 12, 2021. Click HERE to read additional information on the submission process and to ensure your abstract is submitted to the appropriate category.

SUBMIT TODAY

SAVE THE DATE: OARSI Clinical Trials Symposium - Wednesday, October 20th

The OARSI Clinical Trials Symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, October 20th at 9 am EDT. This symposium is envisioned as a debate continuing the discussions held with OARSI, the FDA, and the Arthritis Foundation (AF) in June of 2021. The debate “How can we design clinical trials for regulatory approval in OA” will feature OARSI members and individuals from the FDA. More information and registration to follow.

Sponsored By

Engagement Committee - OARSI Live Survey

The OARSI Engagement Committee is planning the next iteration of the OARSI Live webinar series. The committee would like to hear from you to help plan the series.

Please take 3 minutes to complete the following survey to let us know your preferences in regards to the frequency, cost, and length of the webinars. Your feedback will be very helpful in planning the future of the OARSI Live series.

This survey will remain open until 12 pm EST on Monday, September 27th.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PY7BZDW

Member Spotlight: Gillian Hawker

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will spotlight the past Clinical Research Award Winners. This week's Member Spotlight is 2020 winner, Gillian Hawker.

How long have you been a member of OARSI and why did you join?

Honestly, I cannot remember the year, but I do remember that the meeting was in Boston – I met David Felson there, but I recall few other clinical researchers and there were only a few clinical research posters stuck way back in the hall by the washroom. Otherwise, the meeting with completely basic bone and cartilage research! I joined because, as a rheumatologist, I did not feel my own profession was really interested in OA or my research and I needed a community of peers for critical feedback, support, and comradery.

What do you enjoy most about OARSI?

OARSI is where I go to be with my “peeps” – people who share the love of research in the OA field with the goal of a world where we can effectively prevent and treat OA without the need for surgery! The membership and highly collegial and it is really a community that shares and challenges and dreams together.

Tell us a little bit about your research?

I have done health services research in OA for about 30 years now – initially largely focused on understanding why people in some regions of the countries in which we live were more likely to get a joint replacement for OA than people living in other regions. This launched a life-long interest in area variations for so-called “elective” surgeries like joint replacement. Subsequent work focused on how gender, race/ethnicity, health beliefs, social network, and other factors influenced access to surgery. I have also studied determinants of outcomes for joint replacement – specifically the likelihood of experiencing a “good outcome”. Collectively, this research has underpinned work to develop criteria for patient appropriateness for joint replacement for OA.

What does winning the clinical research award mean to you?

As I noted above, the OARSI community is the one I value most highly with respect to my academic OA work. Thus, receiving this recognition from the OARSI community is just plain wonderful! I am very grateful to those who nominated me and to those who felt me worthy of this important award.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love being outdoors, period. Hiking, walking, gardening, bird watching (backyard version), swimming, etc. Irrespective of the weather, I am happiest with the sun on my face (with sunscreen of course) and wind in my hair. I also love to cook… more savory than sweet… and spending time with my family, preferably out of doors with good food!

OARSI Discussion Groups

OARSI's Discussion Groups bring together individuals with a focus on specific OA-related specialty areas. To make the Discussion Groups easier to join we have updated our database. Now OARSI members can log in to their profile and select the Discussion Group(s) that they would like to join. By updating your profile with your Discussion Group preferences, we will be able to send targeted emails to each Discussion Group and maintain an official roster for each group. To update your profile, follow these steps.

Log in to OARSI.org
Click on the menu button in the top left of the screen
Select ‘My Profile’
Select ‘Edit'
Select the ‘My Account’ tab
Scroll to Discussion Groups and select your group(s)

OARSI Live Call for Presenters

The OARSI Live webinar series is currently on hiatus and will resume this fall. We are looking to schedule our fall program and are seeking webinar presenters. If you would like to present on an OARSI Live webinar, please contact Vincenzo Nelli with a brief summary of your proposed presentation.

OARSI Connect '21 Recordings

Did you know that all of the recorded sessions from OARSI Connect ‘21 are available to registered attendees through April 2022!? If you missed a session because you attended another session or it occurred at a time that was inconvenient for you, you can view it by logging into the virtual meeting website. Just navigate to the Agenda page and select the session(s) you want to view.

If you missed OARSI Connect ‘21, you can still register and have access to the recordings. It simple, just register HERE.

Important Dates & Upcoming Deadlines

October 20, 2021 - OARSI Clinical Trials Symposium
November 12, 2021 - Abstract Submission Deadline
2021 Membership Dues: Be sure to renew your OARSI dues. Renew.
April 7 - 10, 2022 - OARSI World Congress in Berlin, Germany

2021 Industry Partners

2022 Industry Partners

User login

Not a member?

Not logged in?

Weekly Briefing - September 24, 2021

Bookmark this page for weekly updates.

Member Spotlight: Gillian Hawker