Discovering Novel Treatments

Dr. Jean Sévigny | Université Laval
Research: Novel P2Y6 antagonists as a potential therapy for inflammatory bowel disease
Date: 2021-2024
Amount: $375,000

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes debilitating ailments of the intestine that affect over 300,000 Canadians and for which effective treatment alternatives are needed.

Danger signal molecules can cause chronic inflammation of the gut in people living with IBD. Dr. Sévigny’s previous study on mouse models found that chronic inflammation of the gut could be prevented by blocking danger signal molecules from binding to the P2Y6 receptor found on the intestinal surface.

Dr. Sévigny will test novel P2Y6 blockers that may lead to a novel IBD treatment envisioned as a pill that would be more economical and practical for patients than current immunotherapies.

To learn more about Dr. Sévigny’s research, watch the video below.


 

Dr. Karen Madsen | University of Alberta
Research: The use of SGLT2 inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease
Date: 2021-2024
Amount: $375,000

Empagliflozin (EMPA) is a drug that is used in the treatment of diabetes to help reduce levels of glucose in the blood. However, in large clinical trials, it has been shown to have beneficial effects on the heart and kidney by reducing inflammation.

Dr. Madsen and her team tested the ability of EMPA to reduce inflammation in an animal model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and found it to be very effective at healing gut inflammation. They are now exploring EMPA’s effects in immune cells from IBD patients. Results from this study may provide evidence that EMPA could be used to treat IBD as a novel therapeutic agent.

To learn more about Dr. Madsen’s research, watch the video below.

Dr. Theodore Steiner | University of British Columbia
Research: Using intestinal organoids to model chronic injury and repair in IBD
Date: 2021-2024
Amount: $375,000

Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) that are found on the intestine are essential for absorbing nutrients, regulating fluid balance, and forming a tight barrier to keep bacteria and certain food products out of the bloodstream.

IECs are constantly produced and replaced to keep the intestine healthy and primed to respond to damage. However, when the damage is severe, the dead cells can be replaced in unhealthy ways thus causing people with repeated intestinal damage, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to develop chronic gut dysfunction.

In this study, Dr. Steiner plans to understand specifically what changes are taking place in the damaged gut cells, and how they compare to the permanent changes seen in people with IBD. The results of this study will aid in the testing of new drugs and other treatment options for IBD.

To learn more about Dr. Steiner’s research, watch the video below.

Dr. Kirk Bergstrom | University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus
Research: Role of the gut mucin sialome in protection from microbiota-driven colitis
Date: 2021-2024
Amount: $375,000

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition where the intestinal tract launches inflammatory responses against microbes in the gut causing damage to intestinal tissues.

A universal cause or treatment has yet to be discovered. Therefore, a better understanding of how to manage our microbiota is needed. The goal of Dr. Bergstrom’s research is to learn how sugar molecules attached to secreted mucus in the intestine interact with our gut microbes to prevent colitis.

New data suggests that sialic acid – a key sugar molecule on the mucus – is essential for healthy gut-microbe relationships. Dr. Bergstrom’s research will advance our understanding of how sialic acid promotes protection of the gut from colitis. The results of this study will help identify new pathways to prevent or treat chronic diseases like ulcerative colitis.

To learn more about Dr. Bergstrom’s research, watch the video below.