Molecular Rheumatology (TCD) and The Centre for Arthritis and Rheumatic diseases (SVUH, UCD) have developed a number of industry partnerships around drug discovery and translational research. These studies utilize the ex vivo whole tissue synovial explant model, sorted synovial cells and multiplex protein assays, transcriptomics and a systems biology approach to establish pre-clinical drug development studies of novel biotherapeutics and small molecular weight candidates.