Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), are disorders which are believed to be caused by the cells of the immune system mistakenly attacking the tissues of the digestive tract. This phenomenon, known as autoimmunity, leads to massive inflammation of the affected area and consequently causes severe pain, diarrhea, bleeding, and other debilitating symptoms. IBD is typically a disease which begins in late childhood and is more prevalent in Westernized regions of the world, including North America. Furthermore, it is estimated that up to 800,000 people in Canada and the United States are diagnosed each year with either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, and this incidence is rising. With few treatments and no cure to date, this disease continues to affect both the population and our health care system. Although it is widely accepted that the inflammation associated with IBD is caused by immune cells attacking the gut tissue, it is unknown why this occurs. One hypothesis suggests that it is the resident bacteria normally found within the gut environment which lead to the activation of the immune system. In order to better understand the origin of IBD, and consequently to develop therapies which may be utilized to treat patients suffering from this disease, I aim to investigate the role bacteria play in activating T cells, a major subset of inflammatory immune cells. Furthermore, my work will utilize animal models to complement my findings in the human system and to allow for manipulation of experimental conditions relating to IBD. Ultimately, I believe my work concerning the interaction of bacteria and the immune system in the context of IBD will lead to a better understanding of this disease and contribute to the development of more effective patient treatments.