Research summary
Childhood arthritis and other rheumatic diseases are the leading causes of chronic illness and disability in children, yet many patients miss the critical early window to halt inflammation before it causes permanent damage. As Canada Research Chair in Precision Medicine in Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, Dr. Rae Yeung is working to change that by developing evidence-based tools to guide faster, more precise treatment decisions.
She and her research team are combining genomic and functional studies with machine learning to create predictive scores that can detect inflammation early and identify the molecular pathways that drive disease. This approach will help clinicians match patients to the most effective therapies sooner, reducing disability and improving quality of life. The methods they develop could also be adapted to other inflammatory diseases, offering a model for transforming care across age groups.