NIH Reporter #5IK2BX005710-05

Control of Inflammatory Acidity in Mucosal Inflammation

This award supports research on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) focusing on understanding and developing therapies targeting inflammation and acidity in mucosal tissues, particularly benefiting veterans.

Description

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which are multifactorial, chronic conditions that result in numerous perturbations in the GI mucosa. The incidence of IBD has been steadily increasing, with over 1 million Americans currently affected. The economic impact of IBD was roughly $31.6 billion in 2014. Importantly, IBD represents a disease with one of the highest hospitalization rates among veterans (>100,000 hospitalizations from 1975-2006), with psychosocial conditions (PTSD, depression, anxiety) contributing to IBD severity. In addition, IBD-associated cancer is on the rise in some veteran populations. Currently, less than 50% of IBD patients respond to the current biological therapies, thus, a better understanding of IBD pathogenesis and the development of more effective therapies could significantly impact the veteran population.

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