Grant: Canadian Microbiome Initiative - LOI

Microbes that reside in the intestinal tract play an important role in the development of Crohn's disease (CD). Many patients with CD require surgical removal of diseased intestine due to complications or failure to respond to medical treatment. Within one year of surgery, inflammation recurs at the site of bowel resection in a majority of patients. By studying the events that happen following surgery, we can learn about possible changes in microbes that may cause disease recurrence. In this project, we will follow CD patients after they have surgery and take samples from the intestine for assessment of the types of microbes that are present. We will also take serum and urine samples in order to measure changes in microbial and host metabolites that may be associated with disease recurrence in the intestine. We will look for differences between patients who remain in remission, and those who relapse. We will also compare the types of microbes present when an individual is in remission, and those that are present following relapse. These studies will help us find predictive factors that lead to disease recurrence, and may allow us to develop treatments to prevent disease relapse.