Professor Lars Klareskog is one of the world’s-leading researcher in Rheumatology, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in particular. Among other things, he is the founder of Elsa Science https://www.elsa.science/en/ and together with Prof Lars Alfredsson from Karolinska Institute, Environmental Medicine, started the Epidemiology Investigations in Rheumatoid Arthritis (EIRA project). He is positive about future research and being able to detect RA at as early a stage as possible. He sees easily accessible knowledge and tools in lifestyle change as one of the most important parts that patients themselves can play a big role in.

• Origins of Research: Klareskog's interest in chronic diseases led him to rheumatology, where he began researching inflammatory diseases, eventually specializing in RA.
• The EIRA Study: Started in 1996, the EIRA project aims to understand the influence of lifestyle and environmental factors on RA development. It collects data from RA patients and healthy individuals to identify risk factors and potentially prevent the disease from manifesting.
• Early Detection and Prevention: The study reveals immune reactions associated with RA can begin years before symptoms appear, emphasizing the importance of early detection and intervention.
• Elsa Science: Klareskog emphasizes the significance of spreading knowledge to at-risk individuals. Elsa Science aims to disseminate research findings to empower individuals to make lifestyle changes that could mitigate RA risk factors.
• Individualized Treatment: Elsa Science aims to provide individualized treatment approaches, considering each person's unique genetic makeup, preferences, and symptoms. The platform allows users to track their symptoms, providing valuable data for research.
• Future Outlook: Klareskog envisions a future where early detection methods, individualized treatments, and lifestyle changes lead to better management and prevention of RA. He emphasizes the importance of ongoing research and development in this field.

Overall, the interview highlights the importance of collaborative research efforts, early detection, and personalized treatment strategies in tackling rheumatoid arthritis and promoting sustainable health outcomes.

Through the SASUF collaboration our EIRA study also extends to South Africa where we hope to investigate factors that determine risk and disease course of RA within the Western Cape South African (SA) multiethnic society. In this study, we're introducing new and innovative ways to collect information. We have a special device that can provide certain genetic information from analysis taken from just a tiny drop of blood, a smartphone app to ask people questions about their lifestyles, and a small ultrasound machine to look at joints in a new way. These studies are hoped to:

1. Enable better opportunities for prevention of disease progression from lifestyle and environment modifications. 
2. Inform us about specific features of RA in SA to help improve precision medicine care. 
3. Taken together such studies will improve our overall understanding of etiology and pathogenesis of RA.