Past Grant Recipients 2014 - 2017
Helping manage symptoms
Living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis often means dealing with pain, weight loss, fatigue, anemia or diarrhea.
With the support of grants from Crohn's and Colitis Canada, the researchers noted below conducted research projects that focused on developing a better understanding of these symptoms with the goal of discovering novel treatments that will reduce or even eliminate symptoms altogether.
2017 Grant Recipients
Dr. Deanna Gibson | University of British Columbia
Co-investigators: Dr. Sundeep Sing, Dr. Kevan Jacobson, and Dr. Natasha Haskey
Research: The Mediterranean diet pattern reduces colitis
Date: 2017-2020
Amount: $375,000
Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) believe that diet impacts their symptoms and disease, but evidenced-based nutrition guidelines are lacking. Although patients blog about diet and many online sources of information state that certain diets can improve or exacerbate symptoms, few research studies have found a single dietary factor as being protective or harmful for IBD. Novel dietary approaches for the prevention and management of IBD are urgently needed, so health professionals can provide patients with sound nutrition guidance.
Fats are essential nutrients to health and must be consumed for normal development and survival. Different types of fats have different effects on the body. Dietary fat can impact the inflammation in our intestine, however the role of different types of fats and their impact on IBD remains unclear. Understanding the effects of fat in IBD is important since fat restriction in a patient with IBD could be harmful to their health and nutritional status.
This proposal will examine the effects of dietary fats on colitis both in isolation from each other and in combination as seen in the Mediterranean diet pattern. The Mediterranean diet pattern is widely suggested as an ‘anti-inflammatory’ diet and these properties are believed to be derived from the fat content of the diet. Dr. Gibson’s research shows that monounsaturated and saturated fats combined with fish oil are beneficial in mice with experimental colitis. She will examine the effect of this diet in patients with ulcerative colitis.
2016 Grant Recipients
Dr. Stephen Vanner | Queen’s University
Co-investigators: Dr. Katrina Gee, Dr. David Reed, and Dr. Alan Lomax
Research: Turning off the ‘Switch’: Preserving the Analgesic Actions of the Endogenous Opioid Pathway in IBD
Date: 2016-2019
Amount: $375,000
Pain is a debilitating symptom for many with IBD. Dr. Vanner is studying how the abdominal pain seen in IBD is caused and whether there are more effective ways to treat it. Ultimately, this work may lead to better management of pain medications.
2014 Grant Recipients
Dr. Dean Tripp | Queen’s University
Co-investigator: Dr. Mike Beyak
Amount: $268,620
Date: 2014-2017
Understanding and improving the psychosocial risk factors of IBD pain and poorer quality of life.