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Aziza Atiya Tahir Elmesmari is a Research Associate at the University of Glasgow, specializing in Immunology and Infection. Her primary focus is on patients affected by musculoskeletal diseases, specifically Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Aziza's work has established the pathogenic role of the posttranscriptional regulator microRNA-155 in the activation of monocyte macrophages in RA patients. Her current research is centered on understanding the biology of dendritic cells, which are capable of reinstating local and systemic immune tolerance, and the regulation of joint flares by synovial tissue macrophages. The unique structure of the human synovium, characterized by a barrier-like lining and housing tissue-resident macrophages and dendritic cells, is central to her studies. Aziza has demonstrated the reciprocal interactions between myeloid cells and the stromal compartment of the joint, driving synovial pathology and resolution of inflammation. She has developed a 3D human synovial organoid system to investigate the outcomes of cell interactions and has utilized imaging techniques, multiplex soluble mediators, and multiparameter flow cytometry to pinpoint protective pathways, particularly the role of the MerTK/GAS6 pathway in disease remission.