Danique van Rijswijck

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by persistent inflammation of the joints. A hallmark of RA are the anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) that develop through abnormalities in the cellular and humoral immune response, and which are highly specific for RA. In this project, we will develop a mass spectrometry-based quantitative assay to enable ACPA clonality screening and serum level characterization. Subsequently, we will use this assay to better understand the development of RA and autoimmune diseases in general, with the ultimate goal of preventing the development of autoimmune disease rather than curing it.