Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the site of digestion and absorption of nutrients from food. It consists of the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum along with accessory organs like the liver and pancreas. The inside of both the small and large intestines is surrounded by a protective, slippery mucus layer. Mucus functions to separate the intestinal wall from the digested food passing through, as well as the trillions of bacteria which live in the intestine. These bacteria are part of a healthy digestive tract by breaking down large food molecules and producing crucial vitamins for our intestines to absorb. Diseases of the GI tract are pervasive within our population and can severely impact a person's quality of life. More than 270,000 Canadians are affected by the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. It is currently thought that IBD occurs when an individual's immune system overreacts to changes in the gut causing severe inflammation of the intestines. It has also been shown that some bacteria, commonly found at low numbers in healthy guts, can contribute to the onset and/or recurrence of IBD in some patients. However, how these bacteria contribute to the severity of IBD is not well described. The research we conduct will look at how bacteria, which are commonly found in the intestine, are able to penetrate the protective mucus layer to exacerbate the intestinal inflammation seen in IBD patients. We will investigate the methods used by bacteria as well as the environmental conditions of the intestine that contributes to their ability to cross the mucus barrier. The goal of this research is to find commonalities between bacteria that contribute to IBD severity, which will then help us to identify them more quickly in the IBD patient population. In addition, the results from our research can inform novel therapeutics and preventative measures designed to reduce the recurrence and/or severity of IBD.