Research

Examples of Dr Ceponis scholarly activities include research on diagnostic ultrasound role in the management of rheumatoid arthritis, diagnosis of secondary Sjögren's, and collaboration with UCSD Hemophilia Center. The latter study has pioneered introduction of MSKUS as a rapid diagnostic tool for joint bleeds in patients with hemophilia. This innovate clinical research and ultrasound use in hemophilic arthropathy was highlighted in NatureOutlook supplement magazine: 27 NOVEMBER 2014 | VOL 515 | NATURE | S171. 

Most recent research activities include ongoing project of using minimally invasive ultrasound guided-percutaneous synovial biopsies for synovial sampling from different types or arthritis. When compared to traditional approach (e.g. at the time of arthroplasty), the minimally invasive synovial biopsies offer several advantages including both early and also longitudinal sampling of synovial tissue which allows to explore mechanisms of disease at all stages. This project is being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Firestein’s laboratory as part of NIH AMP initiative, which takes advantage of new bench research analytical technologies that can provide unique inside to target tissue such as synovium to identify novel molecular signatures and pathways and therefore recognize new therapeutic targets to meet an unmet demand in the treatment of various joint diseases. The minimally invasive ultrasound guided synovial biopsy project is also looking into its role as a tool in precision medicine which may substantially change future standard of care and improve arthritis outcomes at the individual patient level.

Another most recent example of Dr Ceponis scholarly activity includes collaboration with Prof. S. Xu from UCSD Department of NanoEngineering. The collaboration is aimed at building and investigating soft and conformal ultrasound probes that would allow comprehensive, and more reliable, real-time imaging of small joints.