Biomarkers exploration in IMIGD (IMIGD-Inception)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploration and validation of host and microbial biomarkers in newly diagnosed patients with immune mediated inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract (IMIGD-INCEPTION)
IRAS ID
287279
Contact name
Tariq Iqbal
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 4 days
Research summary
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterised by chronic intestinal inflammation and comprises Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) and is associated with significant morbidity. About 240,000 people in the UK have IBD, with the annual cost to NHS estimated at about £720 million. Although the exact aetiology is unclear, IBD is thought to result from dysregulated mucosal immune responses triggered by aberrant gut microbiota (dysbiosis), which are facilitated by defects in intestinal barrier function in genetically predisposed individuals. Pilot work carried out in our laboratory in Birmingham indicates that serum levels of the immune-modulating protein galectin 9 are elevated in IBD patients compared to healthy controls. This is one of several novel host biomarkers of IBD that may have significant prognostic implications and therapeutic potential. Moreover, exploring microbial signatures associated with disease activity is likely to help understand mechanisms of disease flares and facilitate early intervention with microbial modulatory therapies. The aim of the current prospective work in patients with newly diagnosed IBD (and other immune mediated inflammatory gastrointestinal disease – IMIGD) before treatment is to further characterize this marker in a treatment naïve cohort and to investigate how the expression of host molecules such as galectin-9 and gut microbiota varies with disease course and in response to treatment. We will take the opportunity, at the same time, of deep phenotyping of patients with new presentation IBD who will be followed up and evaluated for other novel biomarkers/treatment targets.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0515
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jun 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion