Broad regional support for research at Diakonhjemmet Hospital

South-Eastern Health is securing funding for several research projects at Diakonhjemmet Hospital for 2026 and several years ahead.

– This is a very pleasing outcome for research at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. The fact that so many projects are successful in strong competition is evidence of high academic quality. This is underlined by the fact that all projects have been awarded funding in the open thematic call, says Head of Research at the hospital, Professor Espen A. Haavardsholm.

The awards range from basic translational research to clinical treatment studies and service development.

– This shows support for our ambition to develop knowledge that is actually used in the health service, says Haavardsholm.

Total support for the seven projects at Diakonhjemmet Hospital is NOK 12,934,000 for the first year of operation (2026). Most projects have a time frame of three or six years.

Patient-oriented research

The projects range from how treatment can be better adapted to the individual patient to how knowledge can be used more quickly in the health service. Several of the projects also look at early and more targeted treatment of inflammatory joint diseases.

Among the projects that have been nominated for support are two large clinical treatment studies that could have a direct impact on patient treatment.

Hand osteoarthritis and obesity

One of the projects is based on the fact that obesity is a known risk factor for osteoarthritis, also in the hands. It is led by consultant and professor Ida Kristin Bos-Haugen,

The researchers will study the efficacy and safety of a GLP-1 receptor agonist in patients with painful hand osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity.

The goal is to find out whether treatment with a drug such as semaglutide can reduce pain and improve function. At the same time, the aim is to gain new knowledge about the connection between metabolism, weight and osteoarthritis pain.

Treatment practices for spondyloarthritis

Another important initiative is the TODAY study, led by senior consultant and professor Sella Aarrestad Provan.

This is a large clinical study looking at the treatment of axial spondyloarthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the back and pelvis.

In the study, the researchers are investigating whether anti-inflammatory drugs, called TNF inhibitors, can be used when needed in some patients. TNF inhibitors work by suppressing a signaling substance in the immune system that drives inflammation.

Today, these drugs are usually used continuously at a fixed dosage over a long period of time. The study will determine whether some patients can use these drugs as needed without their disease getting worse.

The results may have implications for how this disease is treated in the future, and for how health resources are used.

Early and personalized treatment for arthritis

The START project is led by consultant and senior researcher Silje Watterdal Syversen.

The study follows people who have recently developed a swollen and painful joint, often just days or weeks after the symptoms began. It includes all types of acute joint inflammation, including inflammation that can occur after infections elsewhere in the body. Such joint inflammation has not often been investigated in research before.

The goal is to find early signs in the body, for example in blood or joint fluid, that can tell us something about who is at risk of developing a long-term joint disease, and who will develop the symptoms.

Such knowledge can provide faster answers, better tailored treatment and greater safety for patients, early in the course of the disease.

Hand osteoarthritis and implementation of first-line treatment

The project Implementing a care pathway for patients with hand osteoarthritis is led by Professor Ingvild Kjeken. The goal is to implement a knowledge-based patient pathway that makes it easier for people with hand osteoarthritis to receive the right treatment.

The project will use digital self-treatment as the first step in treatment, along with a clearer division of tasks between different roles in the health service.

The core of the patient journey is the HAPPY Hands app, which provides patients with guidance, exercises and knowledge about the disease.

This allows more people to have access to recommended treatment, while at the same time ensuring that health service resources are used more purposefully.

More accurate use of methotrexate

Professor and research director Espen Andre Haavardsholm has been awarded funding for a doctoral scholarship for the METRO project.

The study examines how the drug methotrexate works in people with inflammatory joint diseases, such as arthritis.

Methotrexate is a widely used drug, but its effects vary from patient to patient. In the project, the researchers will look at the relationship between how much of the drug the body absorbs and what effect the treatment has on the disease and symptoms.

The goal is to gain knowledge that can provide better dosing and more personalized treatment, so that more people get good results from this important medicine.

Arthritis and skeletal health

Senior consultant and postdoc Gina Brinkmann has been nominated for a doctoral scholarship for the project "Can modern treatment of rheumatoid arthritis save the patients' bone health?". The study looks at how current treatment of arthritis affects the skeleton over time.

People with arthritis are at increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. This is due to both inflammation in the body and the use of certain medications. The project will investigate whether more targeted treatment can protect the skeleton better than before.

The goal is to reduce the risk of fractures and provide better knowledge that can be used in follow-up and prevention in people with arthritis.

Personalized dosing of biological drugs

Doctor and postdoc Ingrid Jyssum has been nominated for a doctoral scholarship for the RA-DRUM study.

The project investigates whether the dosage of TNF inhibitors for arthritis can be better adapted to the individual patient, using regular blood tests.

TNF inhibitors are effective drugs, but patients do not always need the same dose to get a good effect. By measuring the amount of drug in the blood over time, the researchers will find out whether more precise dosing can provide equally good or better treatment, fewer side effects and more targeted use of drugs.

The REMEDY Research Center

Research Director Espen A. Haavardsholm is also the center director of the REMEDY center, with Diakonhjemmet Hospital as the host institution.

He points out that the awards show how the strategic focus in rheumatology and musculoskeletal research associated with REMEDY is now really paying off.

All projects that received funding are rooted in the research associated with REMEDY.

– These are projects that develop new knowledge, test clinically important treatment strategies and help ensure that research results can be used more quickly in the health service.

All the awards to Diakonhjemmet Hospital