In January 2016, a new research resource was launched to recruit people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) to help investigators better understand Crohn’s and Colitis and find new treatments.
The NIHR IBD BioResource is made of volunteers from around England who are willing to participate in research studies and trials on the basis of their genetic makeup or clinical features.
Now two years in, the IBD BioResource has been rolled out to 60 sites and reached an important milestone: 10,000 patients have now signed up.
Getting to the 10,000 recruits mark is a fantastic achievement and I am very grateful. The IBD BioResource is a nationwide effort, recruiting people who have Crohn’s or Colitis specifically so that they can help researchers to better understand the causes of IBD and develop better treatments. Since its launch we have been delighted by the level of enthusiasm shown by recruitment sites and patients alike, and particularly by the scale of interest from scientific community to use the IBD Bioresource.
Dr Miles Parkes
Consultant gastroenterologist at Cambridge University Hospitals and national lead for the NIHR IBD BioResource project
The NIHR IBD BioResource recruits people diagnosed with Crohn’s or Colitis and asks them to provide a small blood sample and clinical data. Researchers then study the genetic makeup of these samples.
People who sign up to the NIHR IBD BioResource are then invited back to participate in future research studies and this could involve giving another blood sample or a stool sample, completing a questionnaire or participating in a trial.
We are delighted to support this interactive BioResource which offers hope to thousands of patients suffering from Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (IBD). The 10,000 patients who have signed up are helping investigators to better understand and improve treatments for these debilitating, life-long illnesses. Access to this growing resource will enable researchers to translate the significant progress made in genetic research over the past few years into clinical benefit to improve the lives of people living with IBD and will open new doors to new discoveries.
Helen Terry
Director of Research, Crohn’s & Colitis UK
Researchers hope more people will come forward to sign up as volunteers for the NIHR IBD BioResource, to help better understand IBD and develop new treatments for those who are living with this condition.
