Funding outcome

Approximately 1 in 150 Canadians suffers from common and debilitating gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), together known as IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases). Twenty-five percent of newly diagnosed IBD cases occur in children, which offers us the unique opportunity to examine the disease closer to the time of disease onset when fewer environmental factors (smoking, medications) are involved, allowing for research to more easily examine direct causes of disease development. As the causes of IBD remain poorly understood, and with previous studies suggesting that disease development involves gut bacteria, this study aims to examine the role of microorganisms as a cause of IBD in children. My research project is a direct extension of an ongoing study in the lab. By collecting fluid from within the intestines of children with CD and UC during colonoscopy, the lab has been able to identify changes occurring in the presence of good vs. bad gut microorganisms. One of these bacteria, called Burkholderia cepacia, was identified as a potential harmful bacterium that might be involved in causing IBD. My work will focus on examining the function of this specific microorganism to determine how it is involved in the development of CD and UC. I will infect different cells ( macrophages and epithelial cells) with this bacterium and test to see if it causes more harm than other bacteria do. Some of these studies I will also do on biopsies (small pieces of gut tissue taken during colonoscopy) from children with IBD. I will learn how to use a veriety of experiments, already in use in the Wine lab, to accomplish my goals. This research will test our hypothesis and indicate whether specific bacteria might be involved in causing IBD. By doing this, I hope to help determine more effective methods of diagnosis and treatments for children with IBD in the future.