Be Part of Research: “If it wasn’t for the HPOS study I may not have seen my GP and been referred for further investigations."

19 June 2025 - Press Release | Berkshire mum with psoriasis encourages others to take part in research

Nadia Lowe is encouraging others to register with the Be Part of Research service, as part of the UK’s biggest-ever recruitment drive for clinical trials.

More than half a million people, including more than 10,000 in Berkshire, have signed up to Be Part of Research, managed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). But significantly more people are being asked to sign up to this life-changing service. The campaign, which launched in June, aims to register another 1.5 million people. The free online service matches people to suitable studies based on their interests, location and demographic data, such as age, sex and ethnic group. People choose conditions for trials they want to take part in, for example heart disease and diabetes. They are then contacted about suitable trials by email. Be Part of Research has already been used to enroll more than 90,000 people across the UK to over 100 studies including the UK’s first norovirus vaccine trial.

The call for more people to sign up comes as new figures show more than 6,500 participants in Berkshire took part in research supported by the NIHR in the 12 months from 1 April 2024.

Nadia’s story

Nadia, 50, from Maidenhead, has lived with psoriasis, a skin condition that causes red, scaly patches on the skin, since age 16. She is taking part in a study that looks at psoriasis and the potential development of arthritis.

“I have experienced fluctuations in my psoriasis over the years, with the worst times occurring when I first developed the condition as a teenager, after giving birth and after contracting COVID-19, during which times the majority of my body was covered. I also have psoriasis on both sides of my family. My father and maternal grandfather both suffered very badly."

“Depending on how bad my skin is, it can determine which clothes I can wear and whether I can do certain activities like swimming. In the last few years I’ve also suffered with joint pain and at times this has been very wearing and it’s made me feel older than I am.”

Nadia, mum to 3 sons aged 31, 20 and 13, was invited to take part in the HIPPOCRATES Prospective Observational Study (HPOS). The study aims to better understand and identify which patients will develop arthritis, known as psoriatic arthritis, with the long-term aim of trying to prevent the development of arthritis before it occurs.

“Nobody knows how debilitating it can be to have a skin condition unless they suffer themselves. I was interested to see if I would learn anything new from doing the study and if there would be any support and guidance for me to manage my psoriasis or if any new treatments were available.”

Taking part in research

The study requires participants to complete a small number of online questionnaires every 6 months over a 3 year period. Nadia, who works in a local further education college managing a team of learning support assistants, said: “It wasn’t too much of a commitment. I was asked to show where I was affected with psoriasis by clicking on an image of a body and answered questions about joint pain. I could use my phone to complete the information and didn't require any special equipment or a printer."

“Each time, the trial would show my results and advise whether I should see a GP. Following one of the results, it did recommend that I saw my GP which led to a referral to rheumatology. Tests showed that, thankfully, I didn’t have psoriatic arthritis, but I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis.”

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease caused by wear-and-tear, leading to cartilage breakdown and joint pain. Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition linked to psoriasis that causes joint inflammation and can affect the skin and nails. Nadia, who enjoys walking, swimming and going to the gym said: “I am keen to be able to help others with psoriasis, and if my experience can help with research, that would be wonderful."

"It was definitely beneficial for me to take part in the study as it resulted in me getting a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and has therefore meant I can help to manage my symptoms now. I wasn’t given any specific medication but I am trying to manage my weight in the hope this will put less pressure on my joints. If it wasn’t for the study I may not have seen my GP and been referred for further investigations.”

Up to one-third of patients with psoriasis will develop related arthritis, causing inflammation in the joints and tendons. The HPOS study, led by the University of Oxford and University College in Dublin, aims to gather data from 25,000 patients over 3 years.