Investigating the pathogenesis of IBD and PSC using FFPE specimens
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis using formalin-fixed paraffin embedded specimens
IRAS ID
343473
Contact name
Joshua E Elias
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its highly associated liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis
(PSC), remains unknown. There is currently no treatment available to stem progression of PSC and many patients die from this condition at a young age. There is therefore an urgent need to better understand the underlying cause.
Recent advances in single-cell transcriptomic technologies have revolutionised our ability to study complex diseases like IBD and PSC. By enabling the analysis of gene expression at the level of individual cell types, rather than as an average across whole tissues, these technologies provide unprecedented insights into the cellular signals involved in disease pathogenesis. However, traditional approaches have relied on fresh tissue samples, making sample collection both labour-intensive and time-consuming, while limiting the number of patients that can be studied. These constraints reduce the statistical power of the findings and make it difficult to draw robust conclusions.This study aims to overcome these limitations by utilizing new technology that allows single-cell transcriptomic analysis to be performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. The use of archived FFPE blocks enables access to a larger and more diverse patient cohort, thereby increasing the statistical power of the analysis and the likelihood of identifying novel pathogenic signals. By leveraging this technology, we hope to uncover previously unidentified molecular pathways that contribute to both IBD and PSC, paving the way for the development of more effective treatments. For example, our lab has previously studied one particular pathway within the intestine (G-protein coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) pathway). The data generated in the proposed study will allow us to see if the GPR35 pathway is important in the pathogenesis of IBD and PSC and help us to identify the best way to target this pathway therapeutically.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0046
Date of REC Opinion
23 May 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion