Finding a Diagnostic Blood Test for PSC

We're delighted to announce that we have awarded Dr Elizabeth Goode and Dr Simon Rushbrook a £10,000 grant for work to develop a blood test to diagnose PSC.

There is a desperate need to develop a blood test for patients with PSC to help improve the diagnosis of this condition more rapidly and with a greater degree of certainty.

Drs Goode and Rushbrook are looking for an antibody that is specific to people with PSC.

PSC is caused by an overactive immune system resulting in the production of immune cells which infiltrate the liver and colon, causing scarring and damage.  Results from genetic studies in PSC suggest that this is caused by a specific antigen, activating the immune system.

At present, we do not know which antigen the immune system is responding to in PSC. Identifying the antigen could allow researchers to more deeply investigate the immune system using brand new and exciting scientific tools, which in turn could lead to the development of new therapeutic drugs for PSC.