Research

What is this Study About?

The IMAGINE Network is currently recruiting healthy individuals along with persons with inMammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Our goal is to recruit 8,000 subjects and will study how three important variables (genes, diet and mental health) impact the gut microbiome and, in turn, how together they impact the disease course.

Who can Participate?

Adults or children with IBD or IBS, or healthy subjects

This study has been approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (REB #3000).

Primary Contact
Aida Fernandes
fernaa19@mcmaster.ca

Principal Investigator
Paul Moayyedi
McMaster University

Who can Participate?

Inclusion Criteria

1. Not meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines of 150-minutes of moderate-vigorous PA per week
2. Having been diagnosed with an IBD for over 1 year
3. Participants’ IBD is in remission
4. Participants must be between the ages of 19-64 years old.
5. Participants must be able to read and write in English

Your Role in this Study

Interested participants will contact researcher, be screened over the telephone, and be scheduled for an in-person session at the University of Victoria if eligible. The in-person session will consist of 3 steps: completing the baseline questionnaire, completing 5 scenarios using the mobile health app (IBD-Move), and completing a post-study questionnaire and interview. The scenarios are designed to test the core functionalities of the app, which include following along to a video that provides physical activity advice. The study will be audio and video recorded for data analysis purposes (recordings from all sessions are confidential). This study requires a 1-hour in-person time commitment from participants, located at the University of Victoria. Travel expenses will be reimbursed, and a $15 Amazon gift card is provided to participants.

This study has been approved by the University of Victoria Research Ethics Board (REB #23-0337).

Primary Contact
Cameron Trim
ctrim@uvic.ca

Principal Investigator
Cameron Trim
University of Victoria

What is this Study about?

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of intestinal ultrasound in assessing bowel healing in Crohn’s Disease patients on Entyvio. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio of having ultrasound done at baseline, week 14, 22, 30, 38, and 48, compared to just at baseline and week 48.

Who can Participate?

Patients ages 18-80  (inclusive) with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease that has failed less than 2 biologics/small molecules.

Your Role in this Study

Participants will receive Entyvio on the induction regime of 300mg IV at weeks 0, 2, 6, 10, followed by every 8 weeks afterwards.

This study will last approximately 100 weeks and consist of the following:

• Screening Period: up to 4 weeks
• Treatment optimization phase: 48 weeks
• Post-treatment optimization follow-up phase: 48 weeks

Please note: colonoscopies, stool/blood samples, intestinal ultrasounds, and etc are also done as part of the study.

This study has been approved by the Advarra Research Ethics Board (REB #Pro00075825).

Primary Contact
Mindy Xu
mxu@tidhi.ca

Principal Investigator
Dr. Mark Silverberg
TIDHI Innovation Inc.

What is this Study About?

The risk for clinical depression is 3 times higher in patients withinflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We think IBD may be linked to brain inflammation, increasing the risk for clinical depression. This link has not been studied before. This study measures whether brain inflammation occurs in people with IBD and which treatments of IBD are best in reducing brain inflammation.

Who can Participate?

Participants with a diagnosis of Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, aged 18-65 years old, no history of neurological illness, not currently taking any recreational drugs, not pregnant or breastfeeding.

This study has been approved by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research Ethics Board (REB #102/2016)

Primary Contact
Joeffre Braga
ibd.study@camh.ca

Principal Investigator
Dr. Jeffrey Meyer
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

What is this Study About?

The goal of our study is to collect inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients' opinions on the digital health tools available ot them. Your opinion will help us develop tools that better suit the needs of IBD patients in Alberta.

Who can Participate?

Adults aged 18+ who have IBD and reside in Alberta.

Your Role in this Study

Participants who complete the survey can express their interest in participating in a follow-up interview. Participants who complete the interview will recieve a $25 honorarium for their time.

You can complete the anonymous 5-minute survey here: https://redcap.link/digitalibd

This study has been reviewed for adherence to ethical guidelines by the University of Alberta Health Research Ethics Board (Pro00133852).

Primary Contact
Somayeh Raeisdana
raiesdan@ualberta.ca

Principal Investigator
Dr. Karen Wong
University of Alberta

What is this Study About?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a lifelong chronic inflammatory condition that requires ongoing interactions with the healthcare system. However, not everyone may feel safe accessing and receiving IBD-related care or communicating openly with their provider. One such marginalized group of individuals who may not feel comfortable are those who identify as transgender or gender diverse.

The purpose of this multidisciplinary, patient-oriented, pilot qualitative study is to explore care experiences and expectations in transgender and gender diverse individuals who live with IBD.

Who can Participate?

Individuals who are Canadian adults 18 years or older; are diagnosed with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis; and who self-identify as transgender or gender diverse are invited to participate.

Your Role in this Study

Individuals will have an opportunity to be interviewed virtually (via Zoom) either individually or in a group setting.

The goal of this project is to allow individuals a supportive place to share their experiences regarding accessing and receiving IBD-related care and to understand what strategies would encourage a comfortable and safe IBD-related healthcare space for individuals who are transgender or gender diverse.

This study has been approved by the University of Saskatchewan's Research Ethics Board (REB #4455).

Primary Contact
Natasha Tooke
natasha.tooke@usask.ca

Principal Investigator
Noelle Rohatinsky
University of Saskatchewan

What is this Study About?

Fibrosis (thickening and scarring) within the intestinal tract is common in patients with Crohn’s Disease. There are currently no approved therapies for treating fibrosis in the intestinal tract and therefore there is an urgent need for safe and effective antifibrotic therapies in fibrostenotic Crohn’s Disease. This oral therapy is hoping to be able to change that and help relieve stricturing Crohn’s Disease without having patients undergo surgery.

Who can Participate?

Patients age 18 and older with stricturing Crohn’s Disease. Patients must be living in Toronto, ON and able to travel.

Your Role in this Study

This study lasts for about 16 weeks and consist of a screening period, treatment period and safety follow-up.

Screening period (can last up to 35 days): Participants will come on site to go over their medical history, current and past medications, do an ECG (electrocardiogram), and colonoscopy. Patients will also go off site to Mount Sinai Hospital to complete an MRI for the intestines and an echocardiogram

Treatment period (last 12 weeks): Participants will come on site every 2-4 weeks for a doctor and nurse to do an assessment on their health and do an ECG. Participants will also be given study medication. At the final 12 week visit, participants will undergo a colonoscopy and ECG on site and an MRI and echocardiogram at Mount Sinai Hospital again.

This study has been approved by the Advarra Research Ethics Board (REB #SSU00224057).

Primary Contact
Mindy Xu
mxu@tidhi.ca

Principal Investigator
Dr. Mark Silverberg
TIDHI Innovation Inc.

What is this study about?

We want to test if fasting for certain hours daily can help with weight loss and improve gut inflammation. We are asking patients with Crohn’s disease who struggle with weight to participate in this 12-week study.

Your Role in this Study

If you join this study, you could be put into two groups. The first group does not fast and eats as usual. The second group is the group that will fast.

The fasting group fasts for a certain number of hours 6 days a week. They will eat their regular diet during their eating window. They will also meet with a registered dietitian (RD) online. The RD will teach the patient how to fast and help answer questions. The research assistant will call patients every two weeks to discuss changes in medications, disease symptoms and how well the patient is doing with the fasting.

The other group will be asked to eat their regular diet over the 12-week study. At the end of the study, they will get to meet with the RD and do the fast as well. The research assistant will call patients every two weeks to discuss medication changes and disease symptoms.

Both groups will complete surveys at the start and end of the study. These surveys will ask about your quality of life and physical activity levels.

Who can Participate?

We are recruiting patients who:

• are located in Calgary, AB or Kelowna, BC;
• are 18-70 years of age;
• struggle with their weight;
• and are affected by Crohn's disease.

This study has been approved by the University of Calgary's Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB21-1539_REN1).

Primary Contact
Munazza Yousuf
munazza.yousuf1@ucalgary.ca

Principal Investigator
Maitreyi Raman
University of Calgary