Four Canadian research teams will investigate new approaches to understanding, treating and preventing Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
TORONTO, September 14, 2026 – As Canada’s inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population continues to grow, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is committed to invest 1.5 million over three years across four research projects aimed at advancing understanding of Crohn’s and colitis and creating new possibilities for better treatment and care.
Canada’s IBD population is projected to reach 470,000 by 2035, underscoring the need to keep accelerating research that can improve how these diseases are understood and treated. Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s recent national survey of people affected by IBD also highlighted ongoing challenges in achieving remission and finding treatments that work, reinforcing the need for continued progress.
Through the 2026 Grants-in-Aid of Research Program, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada will invest $375,000 over three years in each of four projects.
The investments reflect an important part of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s approach to accelerating research impact: supporting strong science across different stages and areas of discovery, while building the evidence needed to move promising ideas closer to meaningful outcomes for people affected by IBD.
Research impact is built over time by investing in strong science, testing promising ideas and creating pathways for discovery for better patient care,” said Josh Berman, CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. “These investments are an important part of that journey. By supporting researchers who are examining IBD from different perspectives, we are strengthening the evidence base today while opening new possibilities for more precise and effective care in the future. We are deeply grateful to our donors, partners, volunteers, and supporters whose generosity and commitment make this research possible.
2026 Grants-in-Aid Recipients
Dr. Sun-Ho Lee, Mount Sinai Hospital
Host-microbe-immune interactions and the risk of postoperative recurrence of Crohn’s disease
Dr. Lee will investigate why Crohn’s disease can return after surgery, focusing on how gut bacteria and the immune system may interact in the earliest stages of recurrence. By identifying biological changes that occur before symptoms appear, the research could eventually help inform more tailored approaches to treatment, reduce the risk of repeat surgery, and improve quality of life.
Watch Dr. Lee explain his research
Dr. Stephen Girardin, University of Toronto, Department of Medicine
Excessive STING signaling as a novel pathophysiological process in Crohn’s disease
Dr. Girardin and his team will investigate how a Crohn’s-associated variant in the ATG16L1 gene may disrupt the cGAS-STING antiviral and antimicrobial pathway. The research explores a potential new explanation for why some people are more susceptible to Crohn’s disease and could help identify new treatment targets, including whether STING-pathway inhibitors developed for other diseases should be studied further in Crohn’s disease.
Watch Dr. Girardin explain his research
Dr. Marcel Behr, McGill University
A new therapeutic approach for Crohn’s disease
Dr. Behr and his team will investigate the hypothesis that infection with Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) may contribute to Crohn’s disease in a subset of people. Researchers will test antibiotic combinations and develop methods to detect MAP in Crohn’s disease tissue, laying groundwork for potential future clinical trials in people who are found to be MAP-positive.
Watch Dr. Behr explain his research
Dr. Irah King, McGill University
Investigating the role of PCSK9 and PCSK7 in epithelial regeneration
Dr. King’s team will investigate PCSK9, a protein involved in cholesterol regulation, and the related protein PCSK7, both of which have been linked to inflammation in the intestine. The research will examine their role in ulcerative colitis and assess whether targeting these pathways could have potential as a future treatment approach for IBD.
Watch Dr. King explain his research
Accelerating Research Impact
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s Grants-in-Aid of Research Program supports investigator-driven research with defined objectives that advance understanding of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and associated conditions. Projects are assessed for scientific merit, relevance, and translatability potential.
These projects are part of a broader research landscape that is helping move IBD toward a future of more precise, personalized care, building understanding of the biological differences that may influence how disease develops, returns, and responds to treatment.
The grant review process brings together scientific, lay, and nurse reviewers, helping ensure investment decisions reflect both scientific quality and relevance to the IBD community.
About Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s promise is to cure Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the lives of everyone affected by these chronic diseases. We are one of the top two health charity funders of Crohn’s and colitis research in the world, investing over $150 million in research since 1974, leading to important breakthroughs in genetics, gut microbes, inflammation, and cell repair, as well as laying the groundwork for new and better treatments.
We are transforming the lives of people affected by Crohn’s and colitis (the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease) through research, patient programs, advocacy, and awareness.
Media Contact:
Daud Arif, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
media@crohnsandcolitis.ca