Lillian Barra, Western University

Research

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

Rheumatoid Arthritis Atherosclerosis Autoantibodies Biomarkers Cytokines Macrophages Mouse Models Post-Translational Modifications

Latest papers

Corrigendum to "Cardiovascular disease incidence among aging patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)" [Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 12 (2026) 104845].
Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD · 2026 · senior author
Sleep disturbances in patients with vasculitis.
Sleep medicine · 2026 · senior author
Clinical Relevance and Prognostic Significance of Isolated Angiitis of the Vasa Vasorum in Temporal Artery Biopsies.
The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques · 2026

All 61 publications

Latest funding

AI-Assisted Multimodal Imaging for Joint Damage Assessment, Flare Prediction, and Personalized Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis
CIHR · 2026 · Co-investigator
$1,154,386
The role of immune responses to citrullinated and homocitrullinated proteins in rheumatoid arthritis-associated atherosclerosis
CIHR · 2025 · Nominated PI
$780,300
Efficacy of a Novel Peptide Immunotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis
CIHR · 2022 · Supervisor
$105,000

All 7 grants and awards

61 publications.

01

Corrigendum to "Cardiovascular disease incidence among aging patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)" [Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 12 (2026) 104845].

Hajiesmaeili Y, Garcia OE, Azarpazhooh MR, Stranges S, Barra L

Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2026.104957 PMID: 42716849

02

Sleep disturbances in patients with vasculitis.

Tanaka M, Stranges S, Speechley K, Garcia OE, Mason M, Borchin R, Burroughs C, Yeung C, Gordon J, Gurubhagavatula I, Pagnoux C, Merkel PA, Barra L

Sleep medicine2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2026.109097 PMID: 42385437

03

Clinical Relevance and Prognostic Significance of Isolated Angiitis of the Vasa Vasorum in Temporal Artery Biopsies.

Pejhan S, Barra L, Basharat P, Allen LH, Bursztyn LLCD, Proulx A, Chen RY, Smith M, Hackett M, Hammond R

The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques2026

DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2025.10413 PMID: 40937484

04

Cardiovascular disease incidence among aging patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Hajiesmaeili Y, Espin Garcia O, Azarpazhooh MR, Stranges S, Barra L

Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2026.104845 PMID: 42321103

05

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.)2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/art.70239 PMID: 42257519

06

Biosimilar Rituximab in ANCA‐Associated Vasculitis Compared to the Originator: A Multicenter Cohort Study

Mendel A, Barra L, Behlouli H, Bernatsky S, Clifford AH, Tervaert JWC, Dehghan N, Fifi‐Mah A, Makhzoum J, Meunier R

ACR Open Rheumatology2026

DOI: 10.1002/acr2.90119

07

Acute aortic syndrome as an early complication of giant cell arteritis.

Mirza K, Barra L, Fernández-Codina A

Internal and emergency medicine2025

DOI: 10.1007/s11739-024-03850-x PMID: 39719522

08

Cognitive impairment and other neuropsychiatric manifestations in patients with primary vasculitis: a systematic review.

Chen RY, Mandzia J, Barra L

Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2025.152806 PMID: 40784139

09

Does Prior Authorization for Tocilizumab Lead to Unacceptable Treatment Delays in Giant Cell Arteritis?

Jiang Z, Barra L

The Journal of rheumatology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.2025-0423 PMID: 40374507

10

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 autoimmunity2025First author

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

AI-Assisted Multimodal Imaging for Joint Damage Assessment, Flare Prediction, and Personalized Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Co-investigatorCIHR2026Project Grant

Principal investigators: Hu, Pingzhao; Hitchon, Carol A; O'Neil, Liam J; Pope, Janet E

Keywords: Ai Agent; Deep Learning; Flare; Joint Damage; Joint Inflammation; Large Language Model; Multimodal Imaging; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Thermal Imaging; X-Ray Imaging

$1,154,386

The role of immune responses to citrullinated and homocitrullinated proteins in rheumatoid arthritis-associated atherosclerosis

Nominated PICIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Barra, Lillian

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Autoantibodies; Biomarkers; Cytokines; Macrophages; Mouse Models; Post-Translational Modifications; Rheumatoid Arthritis; T Cells; Transcriptomics

$780,300

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

Nominated PICIHR2020Project 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 effect of modified lipoproteins on macrophages isolated from rheumatoid arthritis patients

SupervisorCIHR2018Undergraduate: Summer Studentship Award - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: D'Andrea, Secondino

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Rheumatoid Arthritis

$5,000

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

Co-investigatorCIHR2013Operating 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

Co-investigatorCIHR2013Operating 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

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

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

Ewa Cairns

Medicine

12 shared papers, latest 2026

Nader Khalidi

Medicine

11 shared papers, latest 2026

Nataliya Milman

Department of Medicine

7 shared papers, latest 2026

Saverio Stranges

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

6 shared papers, latest 2026

Jessica Widdifield

Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation

5 shared papers, latest 2024

Leilani Famorca

Medicine

4 shared papers, latest 2023

Derek Allan Haaland

Medicine

3 shared papers, latest 2024

Janet Pope

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

3 shared papers, latest 2024

Arielle Mendel

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Michael Walsh

Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2016

Gerard Cox

Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2016

Mary Bell

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2020

David Cabral

Pediatrics

1 shared papers, latest 2015

Vipul Jairath

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Carol Hitchon

Internal Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Christopher Ma

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Lillian Barra

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Michael Walsh

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Carol Hitchon

Biochemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Osvaldo Espin Garcia

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Nicholas Power

Department of Surgery

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Manal Gabril

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Robert Hammond

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Christopher Howlett

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Patti Kiser

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Bret Wehrli

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Michael Walsh

Nephrology

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Qi Zhang

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Susanne Benseler

Community Health Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2015

Yuhong Yuan

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Sasha Bernatsky

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Michael Walsh

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Heather Reich

Medicine/Nephrology

1 shared papers, latest 2015

Grace Parraga

Department of Medical Biophysics

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Gary Shaw

Biochemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2014

Glen Hazlewood

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Bryan Heit

Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Lakshman Gunaratnam

Medicine/Nephrology

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Lisa Cameron

PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, Western University

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Rheumatoid Arthritis Dear Professor Barra, 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 "Corrigendum to "Cardiovascular disease incidence among aging patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)" [Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 12 (2026) 104845]." (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.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "The role of immune responses to citrullinated and homocitrullinated proteins in rheumatoid arthritis-associated atherosclerosis" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. 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]