Microbiome manipulation in IBD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Faecal microbiota transplant for microbiome manipulation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (The CATCH-IBD study)
IRAS ID
349001
Contact name
James Alexander
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria that play an essential role in human metabolism. Distortion in the gut microbiota has been associated with many digestive diseases. We now know that manipulation of the gut microbial ecology has the potential of influencing disease processes. One such condition is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
We are interested in measuring changes in the gut microbiome of patients with IBD. We wish to how the microbiome changes and how long these changes last for.To alter the gut bacteria, we will use a method called ‘faecal microbiota transplant (FMT)’.
FMT involves taking stool (poo samples) from healthy screened donors, processing this in the laboratory to keep the desired microbes (but removing the unwanted waste material) and administering this into the gut of affected patients. We already know that FMT is a very effective treatment for particular patients with a form of gut infection called Clostridioides difficile infection.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/LO/0679
Date of REC Opinion
5 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion