Human IBD Enteroid Study(MINIGUT)

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Modelling Intestinal iNflammation and predIctinG response to therapies Using human enTeroids

  • IRAS ID

    220345

  • Contact name

    Paloma Ordonez Moran

  • Contact email

    paloma.ordonezmoran@nottingham.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Nottingham

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    3 years, 0 months, 0 days

  • Research summary

    Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) is made up predominantly of Crohn’s disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). There is no specific known cause for these conditions but it is thought to be a combination of one’s inherited DNA, the bacteria in the bowel and the immune system. In the recent past we are seeing more bowel infections in patients with IBD specifically with a bug called Clostridium Difficile (CDI). We do not know why CDI happens but CDI can badly affect the outcome of IBD patients, not uncommonly leading to surgery. We are unsure how to treat these conditions and what specific treatment each patient would need. A better understanding of these conditions and how the medications that are used to treat them, actually work is needed.
    Unfortunately, most initial scientific studies are undertaken in animals. Although these are useful, they do not exactly replicate human nature.
    What would be very useful would be to be able to study human disease in humans but without putting humans at risk. This is exactly what this study is aiming to do.
    We aim to recruit patients with active IBD and/or CDI prior to their scheduled standard-of-care NHS endoscopy and seek permission to take extra bowel biopsies and a stool sample for research purposes. We will use these biopsies to extract stem cells. These cells will then be used to re-grow a miniature version of the bowel in our laboratory. This will allow us to study these conditions in a safe laboratory environment. The final aim of this study is that in the future this method might allow us to get to know exactly why IBD and/or CDI happen and work out what the best treatment options are.

  • REC name

    East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    17/EM/0126

  • Date of REC Opinion

    16 May 2017

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion