Fibrosis Initiative
The Fibrosis Initiative is an ongoing study that aims to reveal why certain IBD patients develop fibrosis, which is a buildup of scar tissue in the gut that can cause intestinal blockages (strictures) and often requires surgical removal. This research should pave the way for the development of new methods to prevent and treat fibrosis.
Scientists believe that complications like fibrosis don’t happen randomly. Instead, specific genetic mutations and defective proteins, together with environmental factors likely explain how the disease will progress in a particular patient. The Foundation is currently funding work at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles that uses state-of-the-art stem cell technology to transform blood samples from IBD patients and turn them into three-dimensional “mini guts.” These mini guts are derived from blood samples from IBD patients that are stored at an extensive Cedars-Sinai biobank (a storage unit for biologic materials).
Homing in on the differences between the mini-guts that came from patients with and without fibrosis will enable us to learn more about who is most likely to develop fibrosis and which genes and other factors, like gut microbes, might play a role in its development. The mini-gut models can also be used to screen, identify, and test new drug candidates (new treatments) in a lab setting before testing them on humans.
A proof of concept demonstrating that this state-of-the-art technology can be used to effectively create mini guts with fibrosis in the lab has recently been published. Further information about this project can also be found in a recent press release.
This project was generously supported by Jonathan D. Rose, MD, PhD as part of the Jonathan D. Rose, MD, PhD, Pathology in Precision Medicine Research Collaborative.
