Epidemiology Group, Institute of Applied Health Sciences
University of Aberdeen, School of Medicine and Dentistry
Polwarth Building, Foresterhill
Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom AB25 2ZD
T: +44 (0) 1224 553727
g.j.macfarlane@abdn.ac.uk

Professor Macfarlane is a member of the Scientific Committee of the European League Against Rheumatism which organises its annual meeting, a member of the Heberden Committee of the British Society for Rheumatology, a member of Council of the British Pain Society and Chair of the Organising Committee for the British Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting. He chairs a National Institute of Health (NIH) External Advisory Committee for the OPPERA study in temporomanibular joint disorders.

Aberdeen is a regional referral centre for rheumatic diseases and as such has a wide rheumatological interests.

The Epidemiology group has a focus on the following:

• Lifecourse influences on chronic pain
• Bioliogical mechanisms of the onset and persistence of pain symptoms
• Randomised controlled trials of the management of chronic pain disorders in primary care

In addition we are undertaking studies currently in

• Ankylosing Spondylitis (through hosting the Scotland and Ireland Register of Ankylosing Spondylitis and the British Society for Rheumatology Ankylosing Spondylitis Register)
• Fatigue in the context of rheumatic diseases

Vasculitis: This clinical research fellowship offers the successful candidate an opportunity to develop skills in epidemiological analysis which will be applied to one of the largest existing databases of patients with ANCA associated vasculitis (AAV). The data set comprises a wealth of demographic, clinical and psycho-social information collected from consecutive patients attending clinics across the UK. This will allow the appointed fellow to examine many possible associations of disease status in this under researched field.

Aberdeen benefits from the expertise and close collaboration of a number of disciplines who share the common goal of improving outcomes in patients with multi-organ auto-immune disease such as AAV. According to the individual’s needs, there will be additional opportunities to explore aptitudes in basic science with the department of immunology who, amongst other objectives, are currently exploring the role of B cell regulation in SLE. Finally, there will be scope to attend dedicated multi-disciplinary vasculitis and SLE clinics and contribute to their clinical trials and observational studies.
In addition there is the possibility of research projects within any of the areas of research interest listed above.
For further information please contact: Professor Gary J Macfarlane (g.j.macfarlane@abdn.ac.uk)
www.abdn.ac.uk/epidemiology

The epidemiology group has two research fellows (externally funded) and 6 PhD students.
These fellows train in rheumatology with several focusing on chronic pain.
We offer a Masters in Health Science (Public Health and Health Services Research).

We run an annual Intensive Course in Applied Epidemiology which attracts students worldwide: www.abdn.ac.uk/epidemiology The next course will be held in Aberdeen 5th-9th March 2012.

Jones GT, Nicholl BI, McBeth J, Davies KA, Morriss RK, Dickens C, Macfarlane GJ. Role of road traffic accidents and other traumatic events in the onset of chronic widespread pain: Results from a population-based prospective study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011 May;63(5):696-701.

Hocking LJ, Smith BH, Jones GT, Reid DM, Strachan DP, Macfarlane GJ. Genetic variation in the beta2-adrenergic receptor but not catecholamine-O-methyltransferase predisposes to chronic pain: results from the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study. Pain. 2010 Apr;149(1):143-51.

Jones GT, Power C, Macfarlane GJ. Adverse events in childhood and chronic widespread pain in adult life: Results from the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study. Pain. 2009 May;143(1-2):92-6.

McBeth J, Symmons DP, Silman AJ, Allison T, Webb R, Brammah T, Macfarlane GJ. Musculoskeletal pain is associated with a long-term increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular-related mortality. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2009 Jan;48(1):74-7. Erratum in: Rheumatology (Oxford). 2009 Apr;48(4):459.

Macfarlane GJ, Pye SR, Finn JD, Wu FC, Silman AJ, Bartfai G, Boonen S, Casanueva F, Forti G, Giwercman A, Han TS, Huhtaniemi IT, Kula K, Lean ME, O'Neill TW, Pendleton N, Punab M, Vanderschueren D; European Male Ageing Study Group. Investigating the determinants of international differences in the prevalence of chronic widespread pain: evidence from the European Male Ageing Study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 May;68(5):690-5.