About the study

The Biomarkers and Stratification To Optimise outcomes in Psoriasis study (BSTOP) is a non-commercial observational study established in 2011 by Chief Investigator Professor Catherine Smith of the St John’s Institute of Dermatology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. BSTOP seeks to identify and characterise biomarkers of response to systemic and biologic treatments for psoriasis.

People suffering from severe psoriasis have a range of treatment options available to them. However, response to these treatments can vary widely from person to person. The BSTOP study examines which gene(s) and other 'biomarkers' are important in determining good or poor responses to the drugs that are used to treat psoriasis. Once discovered, researchers can develop a genetic and biological blueprint of each individual to identify which treatments are most likely to work for them, rather than the current approach which is 'try it and see'.

St John’s Institute of Dermatology Research Tissue Bank

BSTOP is securing a comprehensive collection of biological samples from people with psoriasis to build a biobank of samples used to address the top 10 research priorities identified by the James Lind Alliance. All study participants donate blood which is used to extract DNA, and a subset of participants is invited to donate additional samples such as skin and bloods to monitor RNA, serum and immune cells. The biological data extracted from these samples is paired with clinical data such as medical history, previous psoriasis treatments, and length and severity of condition.

BSTOP has so far recruited over 10,000 participants and collected more than 34,000 biological samples.

Partner Sites

Over 80 sites throughout the UK are part of BSTOP and we are open to new dermatology departments interested in recruiting to the study. If you are a researcher considering BSTOP for your hospital, please contact the study team.

Partnership with BADBIR

BSTOP has partnered with the British Association of Dermatologists’ Biological Interventions Register (BADBIR) to help facilitate data capture. BADBIR is an established longitudinal study of people with psoriasis in the UK, and is a vital resource for studying response to psoriasis treatment.

Study Protocol

You can view the current version of the BSTOP protocol here.