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The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) IBD BioResource has beaten expectations, reaching their goal of recruiting 25,000 people with Crohn’s and Colitis two years early.
IBD BioResource hits 25,000 milestone
Launched in 2016, the NIHR IBD BioResource gives people who have been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis a chance to be a part of a national research programme. This helps researchers understand Crohn’s and Colitis better, with immediate access to people living with the conditions, speeding up their research to create new treatments.
The 25,000 participants are asked to provide a small blood sample, clinical data and could be asked to take part in future studies or trials if they meet the inclusion criteria. Studies could range from completing an online survey, to providing a fresh blood sample or even participating in a trial of a new treatment.
Research is well underway; more than 10 studies are using the NIHR IBD BioResource. Three years in, the number of people involved is still rising, with 90 hospitals actively recruiting people diagnosed with Crohn’s or Colitis.
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Getting to the 25,000 initial recruitment mark is a fantastic tour de force. The NIHR IBD BioResource is a nationwide effort, recruiting people who have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis specifically so that they can help researchers to better understand the causes of IBD and develop better treatments.
The NIHR IBD BioResource now hope to increase their recruitment target to 50,000 participants over the next five years, funding permitting. They want to be able to increase the number of recruitment sites and researchers using this important resource for their work in Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and non-IBD studies.
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We are delighted to support this crucial tool for helping us understand Crohn’s and Colitis better, with the optimism that this will lead to better treatments and ultimately a cure. With 25,000 people involved, the NIHR IBD BioResource is an established resource that can be used by any researcher and we hope that its rich data makes it possible to improve the lives of people living with Crohn’s and Colitis.
Want to be part of the NIHR IBD BioResource? Sign up!
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Last updated: 22/07/2026
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