Our 2021 Open Call was very competitive, and we received a number of high-quality applications. Each application was assessed by our awards panel and underwent a rigorous external peer review in line with Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) guidelines.
The four successful projects will begin in early 2022 and aim to hugely impact the lives of people with Crohn’s and Colitis.
Impact of Biologic Therapy on SARS-COV-2 Infection and Immunity (CLARITY IBD)
Dr Tariq Ahmad – Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Award: £43,427.42
Duration: 10 months
This study will help us start to understand the impact of long COVID on people with Crohn’s and Colitis, which could help shape services to support people with IBD who develop long COVID.
Dr Tariq Ahmad
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Molecular classification of patients with Ulcerative Colitis to enable personalised medicine – a feasibility cohort study
Dr Matthias Friedrich – University of Oxford
Award: £76,988.28
Duration: 24 months
I am very excited about this unique opportunity to assess whether it is feasible to introduce molecular profiling into clinical practice. This has the potential to enable a more personalised approach to medical therapy in Ulcerative Colitis, which could result in improved quality of life for patients.
Using machine-learning to predict intestinal inflammation in asymptomatic relatives of patients with Crohn’s Disease
Dr Natalie Prescott – King’s College London
Award: £99,754
Duration: 24 months
We want to find a better way of identifying which relatives of Crohn’s Disease patients are more likely to develop the disease themselves, so that they can be treated earlier to reduce long-term complications.
Dr Natalie Prescott
King’s College London
Feasibility study to assess the implementation of routine mental health screening and guided web-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) tailored for treating anxiety and depression in IBD in a large NHS gastroenterology service
Dr Federica Picariello and Prof Rona Moss-Morris
Award: £98,571.18
Duration: 18 months
Despite how common and debilitating anxiety and depression (low mood) are among people with Crohn’s and Colitis, treatment is rarely routinely offered. Through this project, we hope to begin a transformation, so that mental health support is integrated into other routine treatment for people living with Crohn’s and Colitis.
Our vision is that 1) depression and anxiety are routinely checked, and 2) treatment options for these are readily available according to individual needs and preferences, including COMPASS - a digital treatment programme with minimal support from a trained health professional, for patients who experience mild to moderate levels of anxiety and/or depression.
Dr Federica Picariello and Prof Rona Moss-Morris
We’re looking forward to sharing updates with you on the progress of these projects and the impact they could have for people living with Crohn’s and Colitis. If you would like to get involved in research, please visit our research involvement page and sign up to our community to be the first to hear about new ways you can take part.
