Dr. Virginie Joris, researcher at the MERLN Institute (Maastricht University) and member of the CircBioCare consortium, has received a ZonMw Off Road grant for her project JOINT2BRAIN: Deciphering Joint-to-Brain signaling in Osteoarthritis. Her project is one of 24 selected in the 2026 round, announced by ZonMw on 1 October 2026.
What is the ZonMw Off Road grant?
The ZonMw Off Road grant supports creative researchers who want to test daring, unconventional hypotheses in biomedical and health research and develop them into a proof of concept.
Can osteoarthritis affect the brain?
Osteoarthritis causes pain, stiffness and reduced mobility, with a major impact on daily life. Many people living with OA also experience depression, yet the biological link between joint disease and mental health remains largely unknown.
JOINT2BRAIN will investigate whether molecules released by osteoarthritic joint cells can travel through the body and reach the brain, potentially contributing to the onset of depression. Using advanced cell culture models that mimic communication between the joint and the brain, Virginie will explore how OA may influence brain function.
The results could open new ways to understand, diagnose and treat both the physical and mental effects of osteoarthritis, ultimately improving patients’ quality of life.
A natural link with CircBioCare
JOINT2BRAIN builds on the same idea that drives CircBioCare: joint tissues affected by osteoarthritis release molecules that circulate throughout the body. While CircBioCare aims to use these circulating microRNAs and proteins as blood biomarkers for early knee OA, JOINT2BRAIN asks where else they might act. Within our consortium, Virginie contributes her expertise in microRNA biology, in silico tools and in vitro models.
Following her recent ON/EORS Education Grant, this ZonMw Off Road grant confirms Virginie as one of the rising researchers in the osteoarthritis field. Congratulations from the whole CircBioCare consortium!
