Ewa Cairns, Western University

Research

Read how they describe their research on their Western University profile.

Anti-Citrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Acpa)Anti-Homocitrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Hcpa)Arthritis Animal Models Autoimmune Disease B Cells Dr4 (Se) Transgenic Mice Mhc Class Ii Rheumatoid Arthritis (Ra)

Latest papers

Homocitrullinated Peptides Drive Pro-Inflammatory T Cell Responses in a Humanized Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2026
Identification of autoantibodies targeting citrullinated CLEC12A in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Journal of translational autoimmunity · 2025
The effect of HLA-DRB1*04:01 on a mouse model of atherosclerosis.
Journal of translational autoimmunity · 2023

All 22 publications

Latest funding

Efficacy of a Novel Peptide Immunotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis
CIHR · 2022 · Supervisor
$105,000
Novel Approach to Peptide Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis
CIHR · 2020 · Co-investigator
$918,000
The role of anti-homocitrullinated protein/peptide immune responses in Rheumatoid Arthritis
CIHR · 2013 · Nominated PI
$536,884

All 7 grants and awards

22 publications.

01

Homocitrullinated Peptides Drive Pro-Inflammatory T Cell Responses in a Humanized Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Ulanova S, Kaur J, Buckley G, Haeryfar SMM, Cameron L, Cairns E, Barra L

Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)2026

DOI: 10.1002/art.70239 PMID: 42257519

02

Identification of autoantibodies targeting citrullinated CLEC12A in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Barra L, Saunders S, Mangion M, Paré G, Maaroufi H, Garnier A, Cairns E, Fernandes MJ

Journal of translational autoimmunity2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtauto.2025.100287 PMID: 40336986

03

The effect of HLA-DRB1*04:01 on a mouse model of atherosclerosis.

Blackler G, Akingbasote J, Cairns E, Howlett C, Kiser P, Barra L

Journal of translational autoimmunity2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtauto.2023.100203 PMID: 37408614

04

Restoring Balance: Immune Tolerance in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Kaur J, Cairns E, Barra L

The Journal of rheumatology2023

DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.220881 PMID: 36725060

05

Presence of Autoantibodies in Males and Females With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis.

Hadwen B, Yu R, Cairns E, Barra L

The Journal of rheumatology2022

DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.211020 PMID: 35293336

06

IgA potentiates NETosis in response to viral infection

Stacey HD, Golubeva D, Posca A, Ang JC, Novakowski KE, Zahoor MA, Kaushic C, Cairns E, Bowdish DME, Mullarkey CE

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America202166 citations

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101497118

07

The effect of sex on immune responses to a homocitrullinated peptide in the DR4-transgenic mouse model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Cairns E, Saunders S, Bell DA, Blackler G, Lac P, Barra L

Journal of translational autoimmunity2020First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtauto.2020.100053 PMID: 32743533

08

Immune responses to peptides containing homocitrulline or citrulline in the DR4-transgenic mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis.

Lac P, Saunders S, Tutunea-Fatan E, Barra L, Bell DA, Cairns E

Journal of autoimmunity2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.12.002 PMID: 29242008

09

Relatedness of Antibodies to Peptides Containing Homocitrulline or Citrulline in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Lac P, Racapé M, Barra L, Bell DA, Cairns E

The Journal of rheumatology2018Senior author

DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.170446 PMID: 29196382

10

Anti-homocitrullinated protein antibody isotype usage in rheumatoid arthritis and their unaffected first-degree relatives.

Bell DA, Elhayek S, Cairns E, Barra L

Clinical and experimental rheumatology2017

PMID: 28598783

Efficacy of a Novel Peptide Immunotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

SupervisorCIHR2022Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Toor, Jaspreet

Keywords: Autoantibodies; Autoimmunity; Behavioural Testing; Flow Cytometry; Histopathology; Immune Tolerance; Medical Imaging Techniques; Mouse Models Of Human Disease; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Therapeutics/Immunotherapy

$105,000

Novel Approach to Peptide Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Co-investigatorCIHR2020Project Grant

Principal investigators: Barra, Lillian

Keywords: Hla-Dr4; Human T Cell Responses; Immune Responses To Citrullinated Antigens; Immune Responses To Homocitrullinated Antigens; Joint Histopathology; Mouse Models Of Arthritis; Peptide Treatment And Delivery Methods; Pre-Clinical Imaging; Pre-Clinical Locomotor Function And Pain Behaviours; Rheumatoid Arthritis

$918,000

The role of anti-homocitrullinated protein/peptide immune responses in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Nominated PICIHR2013Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Cairns, Ewa

Keywords: Anti-Citrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Acpa); Anti-Homocitrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Hcpa); Arthritis Animal Models; Autoimmune Disease; B Cells; Dr4 (Se) Transgenic Mice; Mhc Class Ii; Rheumatoid Arthritis (Ra); Shared Epitope (Se); T Cells

$536,884

The role of anti-homocitrullinated protein/peptide immune responses in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Nominated PICIHR2013Operating Grant - PA: Musculoskeletal Health, Arthritis, Skin and Oral Health

Principal investigators: Cairns, Ewa

Keywords: Anti-Citrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Acpa); Anti-Homocitrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Hcpa); Arthritis Animal Models; Autoimmune Disease; B Cells; Dr4 (Se) Transgenic Mice; Mhc Class Ii; Rheumatoid Arthritis (Ra); Shared Epitope (Se); T Cells

$100,000

Pathogenicity of Anti-Citrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (ACPA) from Healthy Siblings of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Patients

SupervisorCIHR2011Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Scinocca, Mathias J

Keywords: Autoantibodies; Autoimmune Disease; Citrulline; Fc¿Riib-/- Mice; Immunology; Inflammation; Rheumatoid Arthritis

$17,500

Arthritogenicity of the immune response to citrullinated antigens

Nominated PICIHR2009Operating Grant - PA: Musculoskeletal Health, Arthritis, Skin and Oral Health

Principal investigators: Cairns, Ewa

Keywords: Citrullinated Antigens; Hla-Drb1*0401 Transgenic Mice; Ra Patients; Rheumatoid Arthritis (Ra); T And B Cell Responses To Citrullinated Antigens

$100,000

Arthritogenicity of the immune response to citrulline in mice and in human Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Nominated PICIHR2008Operating Grant - PA: Musculoskeletal Health, Arthritis, Skin and Oral Health

Principal investigators: Cairns, Ewa

Keywords: Citrulline And Anti-Citrulline Antibodies; Hla-Drb1*0401 Transgenic Mice; Ra Patients; Rheumatoid Arthritis (Ra); T And B Cell Responses

$100,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Medicine
PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University
Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Biochemistry
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Co-authors at Western University, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Lillian Barra

Medicine

12 shared papers, latest 2026

Janet Pope

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

2 shared papers, latest 2014

Subrata Chakrabarti

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2010

Christopher Howlett

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Patti Kiser

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Gary Shaw

Biochemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Bret Wehrli

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2008

Lisa Cameron

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Dawn Bowdish

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Matthew S Miller

Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Charu Kaushic

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Caitlin Mullarkey

Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2021

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Subject: Prospective PhD student: Anti-Citrullinated Protein/Peptide Antibodies (Acpa) Dear Professor Cairns, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Homocitrullinated Peptides Drive Pro-Inflammatory T Cell Responses in a Humanized Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]