Toronto, September 23, 2024 – With the announcement today of five new projects in 2024, Crohn's and Colitis Canada has now funded just under 400 research projects since it was founded in 1974.
Lori Radke, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada President and CEO, says: “This research investment looks into gaps in our knowledge and will work towards filling them. Continued research funding is one way we fulfill our promise to find cures and better treatments.”
“We’re thrilled to add even more impactful research funding in 2024, our 50th anniversary. In those 50 years, we have invested $150 million into world-leading Canadian research. We are currently funding 41 ongoing research projects.”
For more information on our 50th anniversary and our achievements, visit www.crohnsandcolitis.ca/50th. For a timeline of our research-related milestones, visit www.crohnsandcolitis.ca/50thresearch.
To understand the specific value our Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIAs) and Innovation in IBD Research Grants (INNs) contribute to the Canadian research ecosystem, read our article.
The recipients of the 2024 grants are:
Dr. Christophe Altier – University of Calgary
Research subject: More than one-third of those living with Crohn’s or colitis experience pain, even after receiving treatment that successfully reduces gut inflammation. This research investigates the persistence and amplification of pain by blocking a specific molecule that alleviates pain in mouse experiments.
Hope for people with Crohn’s or colitis: Targeting this molecule or re-purposing anti-cancer drugs that target it offers a potential way to develop new treatments to manage chronic pain. Read more about this research.
Read more about this research
Dr. Waliul Khan – McMaster University (Hamilton)
Research subject: Intestinal wound healing that leads to scarring is a common complication of Crohn’s and colitis. Preliminary studies have shown that the metabolite of a specific amino acid reduces the severity of colitis and scarring. This study looks into the anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring role of this metabolite.
Hope for people with Crohn’s or colitis: The hope is that this metabolite could be the basis for new drugs to treat Crohn’s and colitis. Read more about this research.
Read more about this research
Dr. Kathy McCoy – University of Calgary
Research subject: Certain gut bacteria are involved in the development of Crohn’s and colitis, but the mechanisms are unclear. This team aims to identify specific bacteria responsible for triggering inflammation by collecting gut bacteria samples from patients before and after treatment. The samples will be transplanted into mice to investigate those mechanisms.
Hope for people with Crohn’s or colitis: The goal is to discover more targeted treatments by separating the effect of gut bacteria from other factors, e.g. diet, lifestyle, genetics.
Read more about this research
Dr. Deanna Santer – University of Manitoba
Research subject: This team recently discovered that the levels of a receptor for a specific immune signaling protein that helps control inflammation are significantly fewer in those with colitis. This research looks into quantifying how this protein alters the gut and its healing, as well as how its anti-inflammatory activities are altered in colitis.
Hope for people with Crohn’s or colitis: The hope is that a new therapy targeting this protein can be developed that does not only suppress the immune system.
Read more and watch a video about this research
Dr. Laura Sly – University of British Columbia
Research subject: Current Crohn’s and colitis treatments have significant side effects, and this team aims to reduce them by building on an innovative drug delivery mechanism that coats drugs in a sugar cage. Animal research has shown that this mechanism delivers the same results at a 90% reduced dosage level. Experiments seek to further validate this finding in mice with colitis.
Hope for people with Crohn’s or colitis: The goal is to develop a drug delivery system that allows for reductions in drug dosage amounts, which will decrease side effects and make more drug options available.
Read more and watch a video about this research
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
We are on a relentless journey to transform the lives of people affected by Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis by delivering impact, specifically
- finding the cures for these lifelong diseases, and
- improving the quality of life of everyone affected by these diseases.
Our 2023-2026 Impact Strategy creates a roadmap with a focus on
- accelerating the impact of research – address key gaps and success factors; shorten the timeline from discovery to patient impact
- reaching further – help more people with Crohn’s and colitis and their caregivers with our wide range of programs
- boosting awareness and understanding – engage and motivate Canadians
- driving system change – advocate and partner to influence change
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