Dr. Marla Dubinsky: “Hope for People with IBD and Those at Risk”

Up to 1.3 million Americans have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a complex disorder of the immune system that results in uncontrolled inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common forms of IBD, causing severe GI symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding, that can wreak havoc with everyday life. These symptoms can often be controlled with medication, but many people still cycle through periods of remission and flare-ups. Deep, long-term remission is possible with certain biologic therapies, but since IBD is a chronic condition with no cure, therapy is life-long. A cure remains elusive because we don't know what causes IBD. However, the recent mapping of the human genome (the complete set of a person's genetic information) has strengthened our grasp of how genes relate to complex immune diseases like IBD. In addition, new knowledge of our digestive system's microbiome (the bacteria and other microscopic organisms living in our gut) has initiated promising research into the role of microbes in IBD. These immense advances have helped us better understand the disease's components, and set the stage for exciting new research that may lead to improved treatments, novel therapies, and perhaps even prevention. Learn More