Research

Persons from across Canada are being invited to participate in the IMAGINE research study. The IMAGINE Network is investigating the interactions between inflammation, microbiome, diet and mental health in patient with IBD (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IMAGINE is also studying whether new therapies (fecal transplants, diet, probiotics, cognitive behaviour therapy) have the potential to transform the management of IBD and IBS and their associated mental health issues.
 
You may be eligible to participate in this study if you have been diagnosed by your physician with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, or are a healthy individual without gastrointestinal symptoms.

Visit www.imaginespor.com for more information and to find a recruitment site near you.

What is this study about?

The Toronto Immune & Digestive Institute is inviting you to participate in a study to determine the best treatment target(s) in management of Ulcerative Colitis (UC).  Disease activity and response to therapy in UC are assessed through patient reported symptoms, endoscopy, biopsy, and biomarkers. In this study, most participants will be treated with a Health Canada approved biologic Entyvio and randomized to different treatment groups which differ by treatment target.  


Who can participate?

UC patients who are 18 years or older with active symptoms of UC. There are other criteria that you will need to meet to qualify for the study, which the study team will discuss with you. The study team will also discuss the potential benefits and risks of being involved in the study and explain what participating would mean for you.


Your role in this study

To determine whether you can take part in the study, you will be invited to go to our clinic to undergo medical tests and assessments. This visit will occur up to 4 weeks before the start of study treatment. If you qualify and enter the study, you will be asked to return to our clinic to receive infusions every 4-8 weeks depending on the group you are in and undergo an assessment approximately every 16 weeks for 2 years (9 visits). Your participation is voluntary. You are allowed to leave the study at any time. Participation can be stopped if you or your study doctor have concerns or if you change your mind about being in the study. You will not be paid for taking part in this study. However, you may be reimbursed for travel to and from the study center and for parking expenses. There will be no charge for any study-related treatment or care.

This study has been approved by Advarra's Research Ethics Board (REB# MOD01412585).

Primary Contact
Nina Chan
nchan@tidhi.ca

Principal Investigator
Mark Silverberg
Toronto Immune and Digestive Health Institute

What is this study about?

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effects of a fasting mimicking diet on depressive symptoms in Participants with inflammatory bowel disease. This is an exploratory randomized two-arm trial using a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) or a caloric-sufficient diet (CSD) matching the composition of the FMD in Participants with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are in clinical remission but experiencing depressive symptoms.

Who can participate?

IBD patients in remission but experiencing depressive symptoms between the ages of 18 and 65 and located in Edmonton, Alberta.
 

Your role in this study

Participants will begin with a 3-week baseline period and then will be randomized to either a FMD or a CSD for a period of 3 months. The dietary intervention will be carried out for a 5-day period once a month for 3 months. Participants will consume their normal diet between the cycles.

Blood and stool samples will be collected before and after each 5-day period to test for changes in immune function and microbial activity. Questionnaires related to quality of life, dietary intake, disease activity, physical activity, anxiety, fatigue and depressive symptoms will be filled out regularly throughout the trial.

FMDs have essentially no refined sugar or starch, with low protein levels and complex carbohydrates and healthy fats from plant-based products. To determine if the beneficial effects are due to either the reduced calories of the FMD or the dietary composition of the FMD, the control group will consume a diet with their normal caloric intake but consisting of the same plant-based foods as in the FMD.


This study has been approved by the University of Alberta's Research Ethics Board (REB# Pro00115405).


Primary Contact
Raymond Odsen
rodsen@ualberta.ca
 
Principal Investigators
Karen Madsen
University of Alberta

What is this study about?

In this study the Preconception and Pregnancy in IBD clinic is investigating the relationship between mental health, IBD disease activity and pregnancy. We also hope to explore the barriers that patients may face discussing their mental health.

Who can participate?

Women who are:

• 18 years of age or older AND;
• pregnant AND;
• diagnosed with IBD (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis).

Your role in this study

You will be asked to complete an online survey, which will be completed through SimpleSurvey, a secure online survey platform. The online survey should take no longer 10-15 minutes to complete.


Please access the survey through the following link:

https://form.simplesurvey.com/f/l/MentalHealthIBDPregancyConsentForm?ds=TiNCju7ivt


This study has been approved by the Mount Sinai Research Ethics Board (REB# 21-0264-E).


Primary Contact
Serena Perena
serena.perera@sinaihealth.ca
 
Principal Investigators
Vivian Huang
Mount Sinai Hospital

What is this study about?

The Montreal Heart Institute is inviting you to participate in a study to evaluate the effects of a combination of antifungal drugs called terbinafine and itraconazole to treat Crohn Disease.

The development of inflammation during Crohn's disease is linked to the presence of complex intestinal microorganisms, called microbiota.

This microbiota can be composed of bacteria and fungi. These yeasts have the ability to adhere to the walls and cause a local immune reaction in the intestine causing inflammation.

Terbinafine is a drug that has been used for many years to treat certain types of fungal infections of the skin and nails.

Itraconazole is used to treat certain forms of fungal infections, both internal (inside the body) and external (on the skin). It exerts an action that prevents fungi from reproducing.

The objective of the CD-IT study is to evaluate the response to the combination of two antifungals in patients with Crohn's disease who do not respond adequately to current therapy.

This research project is approximately 28 weeks (7 months) in duration, divided into 6 visits plus a follow-up phone call. The treatment period is 20 weeks (5 months) using the combination of two antifungal drugs or placebos.

Who can participate?
 

• Adults between 18-65 years with active Crohn disease, with Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) ≥ 5 to ≤ 16
• Montreal area or Sherbrooke area

This study has been approved by the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (REB# F1H-31333).

Primary Contact
Julie Fleury
Julie.fleury.chum@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
 
Principal Investigators
Jean-Claude Tardif
Montreal Heart Institute
 
Edmond-Jean Bernard
University of Montreal Health Centre (CHUM)
 

What is the study about?

We are developing a transition program that aims to improve the process of transitioning to adult care for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients across Canada and internationally.

What is involved?
 

• Interviews with research team
• Filling out questionnaires
• Educational webinar
• Taking part in the study can last about 36 months

Are there benefits to participating?

We want to learn if better transition will lead to better health.

Who can apply?
 

• Teens 16 - 17.5 years old
• IBD diagnosis
• Participation in this study is voluntary

This study has been approved by the SickKids Research Ethics Board (REB# 1000078476).

Primary Contact
Claudia Tersigni
claudia.tersigni@sickkids.ca

Principal Investigator
Eric Benchimol
SickKids, CHEO, BCCH, McMaster

What is this study about?

In this study we are testing a mobile application called LyfeMD. We want to see if using the LyfeMD app helps people improve their Inflammatory Bowel Disease, mental and physical health more than normal patient care.

LyfeMD provides tailored lifestyle therapies such as nutrition, physical activity, and yoga-based therapies. Using these therapies does not change the other medical care you receive, like medication.

There is NO COST to this study.

Who can participate in this study?

For this study we are looking for people with either Ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD) in remission, who have a mobile phone, and are interested in tailored lifestyle therapies.

This study has been approved by the University of Calgary's Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB#20-1534_REN1).

Primary Contact
For more information, please reach out to:

Research Coordinator: Munazza Yousuf
Ph: 403-592-5231
Email: munazza.yousuf1@ucalgary.ca

Principal Investiagtor
Maitreyi Kothandaraman
University of Calgary

The ACED Job Demands and Accommodation Planning Tool (JDAPT) is aimed at helping people think about their support needs at work when they are living with a chronic health condition that can cause challenges, either occasionally or all of the time. The JDAPT asks about health-related difficulties with a range of job demands. It then provides the user with a personalized list of potential work supports and accommodation ideas.

We want to learn whether the tool is helpful to people who are looking for support in managing their chronic, episodic health condition.

We need your help!

If you are currently resident in Canada and:

• living with a chronic health condition or disability
• in paid employment for 20 or more hours a week, and are
• interested in learning about and using different types of work supports or accommodations,

We invite you to take part in the JDAPT pilot evaluation study to help us understand whether the tool is helpful for people who are looking for support for support at work to help manage their chronic, episodic health condition.

What's involved:

• Completing an online questionnaire about you, your work, and your health
• Using the JDAPT and responding to some questions about the tool
• Completing two follow-up questionnaires – one three months after using the JDAPT and another questionnaire nine months later to help us learn about your use of the tool

To thank you for your time, participants will receive a total of $100 in three installments. You will receive a $30 honorarium after completing the first questionnaire and the JDAPT. You will receive $35 for each of the two follow-up questionnaires.

Please click here to learn more or join the study: https://aced.iwh.on.ca/get-involved

This study has been approved by the University of Toronto's Research and Innovation Research Ethics Board (REB#41940)

If you have questions about the study, please contact the ACED Study team at the Institute for Work & Health by email at aced@iwh.on.ca.

Principal Investigator
Monique Gignac
Institue for Work & Health
 

The PediCRaFT (Pediatric CRohn’s Disease Fecal Microbiota Transplant) Trial is the first Health Canada approved fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) trial for children living with Crohn’s disease across Canada.

Study involves:
i) Colonoscopy (optional): Patients will have baseline disease severity assessed on endoscopy, and receive FMT infusion into the terminal ileum via colonoscopy. Initial baseline colonoscopy (supervised by pediatric anesthesia, endoscopy nurse, and pediatric gastroenterologist) through McMaster Children’s Hospital’s outpatient pediatric endoscopy suite..

ii) Rectal enema (optional): Patients may receive a rectal enema FMT infusion instead of colonoscopy, based on availability and patient preference. This is done through the McMaster Children’s Hospital outpatient Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition clinic.

iii) Oral FMT Capsule (6 weeks): Twice per week, for 6 weeks, you will be given oral capsules that you may take at home. Capsules will contain healthy bacteria. 

Who is eligible?
Children ages 3 to 17 years old, diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or IBD-U. 

Study Requirements:
1.) Bloodwork
2.) Urine Samples
3.) Stool samples
4.) Complete a 6-Question survey

This study has been approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (REB#4457)

To find out more information please get in touch with:

Research Contact: Lee Hill
Email: hill.lee.devlin@gmail.com
Telephone: 514-443-8488

Principal Investigator: Dr Nikhil Pai

The purpose of this study is to better understand the monitoring experiences, enablers and barriers, benefits and drawbacks, and preferences in adults with Crohn’s Disease. There is little information about patient perspectives and beliefs regarding disease monitoring and gathering this information can help to guide health care. Such an understanding will help to develop both communication strategies for patients to enhance understanding of rationale and best structure measurement of disease activity to optimize adherence and patient acceptance. We will gather information about your experiences and preferences during Crohn’s disease monitoring using online focus groups. Focus groups allow for 6-8 people to come together to share their knowledge and expertise in a confidential group format.

Who can participate?

• Are diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease;
• Are 18 years of age or older;
• Live in Canada, United States, Australia, United Kingdom [England, Scotland, Wales];
• Speak and understand English fluently; and
• Have experienced at least 2 types of disease monitoring [endoscopy (ex. colonoscopy), magnetic resonance enterography (MRE), CT scan, intestinal ultrasound, blood tests, or stool tests].

Primary contact
Toyin Ogunyannwo
oluwatoyin.ogunyannw@ucalgary.ca

Principal Investigator
Dr. Kerri Novak

What is this study about?

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effects of a fasting mimicking diet on depressive symptoms in Participants with inflammatory bowel disease. This is an exploratory randomized two-arm trial using a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) or a caloric-sufficient diet (CSD) matching the composition of the FMD in Participants with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are in clinical remission but experiencing depressive symptoms.

Who can participate?

IBD patients in remission but experiencing depressive symptoms between the ages of 18 and 65 and located in Edmonton, Alberta.
 

Your role in this study

Participants will begin with a 3-week baseline period and then will be randomized to either a FMD or a CSD for a period of 3 months. The dietary intervention will be carried out for a 5-day period once a month for 3 months. Participants will consume their normal diet between the cycles.

Blood and stool samples will be collected before and after each 5-day period to test for changes in immune function and microbial activity. Questionnaires related to quality of life, dietary intake, disease activity, physical activity, anxiety, fatigue and depressive symptoms will be filled out regularly throughout the trial.

FMDs have essentially no refined sugar or starch, with low protein levels and complex carbohydrates and healthy fats from plant-based products. To determine if the beneficial effects are due to either the reduced calories of the FMD or the dietary composition of the FMD, the control group will consume a diet with their normal caloric intake but consisting of the same plant-based foods as in the FMD.


This study has been approved by the University of Alberta's Research Ethics Board (REB# Pro00115405).


Primary Contact
Raymond Odsen
rodsen@ualberta.ca
 
Principal Investigators
Karen Madsen
University of Alberta