Leading-Edge Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The UPMC Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center specializes in translating research findings into cutting-edge treatments and developing therapeutic strategies for improving patient care.

Treatments for Today, Research for Tomorrow

The past 10 years have been a time of great strides for IBD research and novel therapies.

Today, IBD management requires an understanding of the risks and benefits of new therapies and integration of surgical care, when warranted. The future of IBD management relies on translating laboratory discoveries into clinical care.

Advancing Our Understanding of IBD

Our physician scientists direct several multi-center, international research trials on novel IBD treatments. They are respected authorities in genetics, immunology, and clinical research and their groundbreaking discoveries — such as linking new genes to IBD — have rendered a better understanding of IBD worldwide.

And, more importantly, the research has advanced an individualized approach to care.

While we work toward improving the everyday life of all our patients, finding a cure for IBD is — and always will be — one of our primary goals.

Additional research focus at the UPMC IBD Center includes:

• An NIDDK/NIH-sponsored, genome-wide association study in IBD that highlights the close pathogenetic relationship between early- and adult-onset IBD.
• Participation in a national database for patients with IBD that allows investigators to case similarities in an effort to better understand the disease and formulate proper treatment plans.
• Phase I to Phase IV clinical pharmaceutical trials testing the effectiveness of new compounds in treating IBD. Many trials have come to fruition and gained FDA approval, becoming standard medications for the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.