Chronic inflammatory arthritides (IA) are immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) that are currently incurable. If left untreated, IA results in irreversible joint damage, limited mobility and a decreased quality of life. Early identification and early treatment of IA are required to prevent this. At-risk populations have been defined, although it is not possible to predict which at-risk individual will develop IA or prevent onset of IA. A better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms operative in the earliest phases of IA will improve identification of at-risk individuals or early IA patients and development of new therapies or preventive interventions. This thesis therefore studied: i. immunological processes responsible for IA development and ii. perspectives of patients or at-risk individuals towards translational research studies and therapeutic interventions, which will help to tailor therapy according to patients’ needs once it is available. This thesis revealed that studies in lymphoid organs are well-tolerated and may aid the identification of novel drug targets, as they will provide novel insights into early immunopathogenesis. Furthermore, this thesis showed that the Treat-to-Target strategy is not strictly applied in axial spondyloarthritis patients in daily clinical practice. Further studies are needed to investigate if this results in worse outcome for the patients or that is prevents overtreatment. Finally, we concluded that preventive interventions for IA might be accepted by at-risk individuals and physicians, although we need additional studies to better understand these perspectives and improve education for at-risk individuals.