Inside GRAPPA

In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, Dr. Andre Lucas Ribeiro, Dr. Anna López Ferrer, and Professor Philip J. Mease explore the role of deucravacitinib, a selective TYK2 inhibitor, in the evolving treatment landscape of psoriatic disease.

Together, they examine the unmet needs in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, discuss the clinical evidence supporting deucravacitinib's efficacy and safety, and consider its potential place among existing treatment options. The conversation also highlights the importance of individualized treatment decisions, remaining evidence gaps, and future research opportunities.

• Explore ongoing unmet needs in psoriatic arthritis and the importance of expanding oral treatment options.
• Understand deucravacitinib's unique mechanism of action and how selective TYK2 inhibition differs from traditional JAK inhibitors.
• Review key findings from the POETYK clinical trials, including efficacy in joint and skin manifestations.
• Examine the safety and tolerability profile, including insights from long-term psoriasis data.
• Discuss how deucravacitinib may fit into clinical practice and which patient characteristics may influence treatment selection.
• Identify remaining research questions, including axial disease, difficult-to-treat PsA, and combination therapies.
• Look ahead to ongoing studies and future opportunities to advance personalized treatment in psoriatic disease.

Stay up to date with the latest psoriatic disease research, GRAPPA initiatives, and future episodes of Inside GRAPPA at grappanetwork.org.

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The GRAPPA app has been rebuilt from the ground up to become a more complete resource for the psoriatic disease community.

In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, host André L. Ribeiro is joined by Daniela Tovar Bastidas and Laura C. Coates to discuss the thinking behind the redesigned app, the year-long collaborative development process, and how the platform has expanded far beyond its original focus on clinical assessment tools.

They explore how the new app brings clinical resources, education, research, events, and patient-friendly information together in one place, with tailored experiences for GRAPPA members, healthcare professionals, and patients. The conversation also looks ahead at how tools such as the Diagnostic Ultrasound Enthesitis Tool (DUET), multilingual access, and continued user feedback can help the app evolve alongside the needs of the global psoriatic disease community.

• Why GRAPPA redesigned the original app around a broader clinical and educational mission
• Bringing assessment tools, research, events, and educational resources into one platform
• Designing tailored experiences for GRAPPA members, healthcare professionals, and patients
• Making trusted psoriatic disease information easier to access during clinical practice
• The collaborative development and user-experience process behind the redesign
• Expanding multilingual access for users around the world
• Incorporating clinical resources such as the Diagnostic Ultrasound Enthesitis Tool (DUET)
• How user feedback will guide future resources and updates

1:28 – Why GRAPPA redesigned the original app

3:45 – Daniela Tovar Bastidas explains the development process

5:36 – How the app serves members, healthcare professionals, and patients

8:18 – Supporting daily clinical practice through easier access to GRAPPA resources

9:45 – The future of the GRAPPA App and continued expansion

• GRAPPA App – Apple App Store
• GRAPPA App – Google Play
• GRAPPA Network
• DUET Study – GRAPPA Network

• Learn more about GRAPPA and its work in psoriatic disease research, education, and clinical care at grappanetwork.org.

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In this episode, host Dr. Mio Nakamura (University of Michigan) speaks with Dr. Lyn Ferguson (University of Glasgow) about her study on how body composition (not just weight) impacts psoriatic disease and cardiometabolic risk. This study was supported by a GRAPPA Pilot Research Grant.

• Obesity is strongly linked to worse psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis outcomes
• Visceral fat, liver fat, and muscle fat are more important than BMI alone
• Patients with psoriatic disease show:
• Higher visceral and ectopic fat
• Lower muscle volume
• Adverse muscle composition (low muscle + high fat) is a key risk marker:
• ~3× higher risk of type 2 diabetes
• 2× higher risk of heart disease
• May also help predict future psoriasis risk

• Stay up to date with the latest in psoriatic disease research and GRAPPA initiatives: https://www.grappanetwork.org

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In this special awards-edition episode of Inside GRAPPA, host Fabian Proft sits down with GRAPPA Co-Presidents Professor Joseph F. Merola and Professor Arthur Kavanaugh. Together they reflect on their first encounters with the organization, the origins and evolution of GRAPPA, and the collaborative culture that continues to shape psoriatic disease research worldwide.

Joe and Artie share candid stories from the early days of TNF inhibitor trials, discuss the growing impact of Young GRAPPA, highlight the essential role of patient partners, and look ahead to the next five years of scientific and clinical progress in psoriatic disease.

• Joe and Artie share how they first became involved with GRAPPA and what drew them into psoriatic disease research.  
• Artie reflects on GRAPPA’s early origins, shaped by global collaboration around the first TNF inhibitor studies.  
• GRAPPA’s culture remains defined by openness, interdisciplinary exchange, and highly approachable leadership.  
• Key unmet needs persist, including challenges in under-served psoriasis phenotypes and skin-to-joint progression.  
• Personalized medicine in PsA is still an unmet priority, despite major therapeutic advances.  
• GRAPPA’s future direction focuses on comorbidities, prevention, remission, and strengthening the next generation of leaders.  

• 00:00 - Welcome & introduction
• 00:52 - Joe's first encounter with GRAPPA
• 01:56 - Artie describes GRAPPA's origins and early collaborations
• 03:26 - What makes GRAPPA's culture unique
• 05:26 - The role of patient partners
• 07:56 - Why Joe and Artie stepped into co-presidency
• 09:52 - Current unmet needs in psoriatic disease
• 11:16 - Personalized medicine and future clinical direction
• 12:18 - GRAPPA's next five years
• 13:16 - How clinicians, researchers, and trainees can get involved

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In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, host Dr. Mio Nakamura (University of Michigan) speaks with Dr. Tina Bhutani-Jacques, MD, MAS, FAAD (Synergy Dermatology / University of California San Francisco) about her groundbreaking study on the role of sleep in psoriasis disease severity. Funded by the GRAPPA Pilot Research Grant, Dr. Bhutani-Jacques’s work is the first prospective cohort study to objectively examine sleep patterns in psoriasis patients.

💡 Together, they explore:

• How a patient’s unexpected experience sparked the idea to investigate sleep and psoriasis
• The design and findings of the pilot study using three nights of polysomnography in patients and healthy controls
• Early results showing reduced sleep efficiency, more awakenings, and nearly an hour less sleep per night among psoriasis patients
• The potential link between poor sleep, inflammation, and cardiovascular comorbidities
• Practical advice for clinicians on discussing sleep with psoriasis patients
• Next steps, including home-based sleep studies using wearables for more naturalistic data

🎧 Tune in for an engaging discussion that highlights how sleep—often overlooked—may be a key factor in understanding psoriatic disease and improving patient outcomes.

🔗 Learn more about GRAPPA’s research initiatives at grappanetwork.org.

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In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, host Dr. Hanna Johnsson spotlights the next generation of leaders in psoriatic disease research through a deep dive into the work of Young GRAPPA---a global, interdisciplinary network within GRAPPA, supporting early-career researchers and clinicians.

Joining the conversation are Dr. André L. Ribeiro (Chair, Young GRAPPA, Brazil) and Dr. Gizem Ayan (Chair-Elect, Young GRAPPA, Turkey), who share their personal journeys into leadership and reflect on how mentorship, collaboration, and international networking are transforming opportunities for early-career professionals.

💡 Together, they discuss:

• How Young GRAPPA has grown into a +200-member global network since 2021
• Projects driving impact, from the Slide Library and Do Not Miss newsletter to international webinars and surveys
• The power of mentorship, collaboration, and patient partnership in shaping research priorities
• Advice for early-career clinicians and researchers eager to get involved
• Dream collaborations and the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities early

🎧 Tune in for a conversation filled with practical advice, inspiration, and an open invitation to join Young GRAPPA in shaping the future of psoriatic disease care.

🔗 Learn more and apply to join Young GRAPPA at grappanetwork.org.

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In this special episode of Inside GRAPPA, we delve into the growing impact of the Patient Research Partner (PRP) Network—an essential part of GRAPPA’s mission to integrate the patient voice into scientific research on psoriatic disease.

Host Fabian Proft is joined by two influential PRPs: Maarten de Wit from the Netherlands and Suzanne Grieb* from the United States. Together, they explore the critical role of PRPs, the evolution of the network since its inception in 2013, and how these dedicated patient collaborators are shaping treatment guidelines, influencing steering committees, and helping recruit the next generation of partners.

What does it really mean to live the principle of “Nothing about us without us”? What kinds of challenges—and transformative insights—do patients bring to the research table? And what can researchers learn from patient partners about improving outcomes, communication, and the research agenda itself?

Listen in as we discuss:

• The origins and global growth of the PRP network
• Real-world experiences from PRPs living with psoriatic arthritis
• How patients are steering research priorities, not just participating in them
• Strategies for recruiting and onboarding new patient partners
• Where the network is headed—and how you might get involved

🎧 Tune in for a powerful conversation that highlights how experiential knowledge and scientific expertise can—and must—work hand in hand.

Subscribe to Inside GRAPPA on your favorite podcast platform.

Stay tuned. Stay curious.

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In this compelling episode of Inside GRAPPA, host Dr. Hanna Johnsson, a rheumatologist based in Scotland, leads an important conversation on one of the most pressing issues in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) care: what truly makes a case difficult to treat or complex to manage?

Dr. Johnsson is joined by two experts deeply embedded in the GRAPPA initiative to define these concepts:

• Dr. Fabian Proft, Head of the Division of Rheumatology at Charité Berlin, Germany, and long-time GRAPPA contributor.
• Dr. Shikha Singla, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, who brings firsthand experience from her combined rheum-derm clinic.

Together, they unpack the background, progress, and patient-centered approach of the Difficult-to-Treat (D2T) and Complex-to-Manage PsA Project.

• Clearer definitions aim to improve care for patients with persistent symptoms despite treatment
• “Difficult to treat” focuses on ongoing inflammation; “complex to manage” accounts for non-inflammatory factors
• A global literature review revealed inconsistent criteria in defining treatment challenges
• Surveys of clinicians and patients shaped a more inclusive, consensus-driven framework
• New definitions to be presented at EULAR—marking a major milestone in PsA research

• 00:00 – Introduction to the episode and today’s topic
• 00:36 – Guest introductions: Dr. Fabian Proft and Dr. Shikha Singla
• 01:00 – Fabian on the need for better definitions and understanding treatment failure
• 04:12 – Defining the terms: inflammation vs. non-inflammatory drivers of disease burden
• 05:15 – Why “complex to manage” is more appropriate than “difficult patient”
• 06:00 – How terminology shapes perceptions and supports more empathetic care
• 06:42 – Scoping literature review: methods and inconsistencies in existing definitions
• 07:57 – Healthcare provider survey: over 200 responses, strong support for two definitions
• 09:12 – Patient survey: nearly 600 responses and insights into global experiences
• 10:21 – Patient-reported challenges: joint pain, fatigue, medication side effects
• 11:54 – Cultural and social factors influencing patient experience
• 12:39 – The Delphi process and achieving expert consensus
• 13:15 – Project milestones: EULAR submission and upcoming publications

• Explore the full scope of this initiative on the GRAPPA D2T PsA Project Page.

• Visit our Website for more information.

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How do biological sex differences shape the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes in psoriatic arthritis (PsA)? In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, Dr. Hanna Johnsson delves into groundbreaking research led by Steven Dang and Dr. Lihi Eder, supported by the GRAPPA Pilot Research Grant. Their study explores sex-related differences in PsA through proteomic analysis, uncovering unique biomarkers and pathways that could redefine personalized medicine for PsA patients.

• The rationale behind investigating sex-specific differences in PsA.  
• Insights into how immune and inflammatory profiles differ between males and females.  
• Key findings from proteomic studies, including pivotal proteins and pathways like NETosis, Rho GTPase, and cytokine signaling.  
• The potential for sex-specific biomarkers to guide diagnosis and treatment in PsA.

• Visit the GRAPPA Website for more research updates.  
• Subscribe to Inside GRAPPA wherever you get your podcasts to stay informed on the latest in PsA research.

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In this episode of Inside GRAPPA, Dr. Joel Gelfand joins host Mio Nakamura to discuss a groundbreaking pragmatic trial that may transform access to phototherapy. A long-standing GRAPPA member and trailblazer in dermatologic research, Dr. Gelfand shares insights from the "LITE Study," a patient-centered, nationwide trial comparing home-based vs. office-based phototherapy for psoriasis.

You'll hear:

   •   Why phototherapy remains a preferred treatment for many patients, even in the biologic era

   •   Surprising results comparing office phototherapy to adalimumab (a biologic) in previous trials

   •   How skin of color patients may benefit most from home phototherapy---and why

   •   Real-world barriers to accessing phototherapy and how the study tackled them head-on

   •   What's next: From research findings to implementation science and changing payer coverage

This episode is essential listening for dermatologists, rheumatologists, and researchers passionate about improving access and outcomes for patients with psoriatic disease. Tune in for a conversation that blends clinical science with patient advocacy---and may reshape the standard of care.

🧪 Learn more about PCORI's mission: pcori.org


📄 Stay tuned for the full publication of the LITE Study

💡 Want to get involved in pragmatic research? Dr. Gelfand shares how you can participate in studies like the CP3 trial—no research background required.

🎧 Subscribe to Inside GRAPPA for more deep dives into cutting-edge research on psoriatic disease.

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