How genes and DNA changes influence celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease
Official title: Celiac and inflammatory bowel diseases: functional post-GWAS approach
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11173823 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for DNA changes that alter gene activity to help predict risk, severity, and treatment response for people with celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $889,388 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI173261-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173823 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) may be eligible to provide samples or join related studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without celiac disease or IBD, or those seeking immediate changes to their medical treatment, are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this project.
What this research studies
We will use genomic and DNA-methylation methods to find places in the genome where one version of a gene changes how nearby genes are turned on or off. The team will focus on intestinal epithelial cells and immune cells to find regulatory DNA changes tied to celiac disease and IBD. By linking those changes back to known genetic risk regions, they aim to pinpoint functional genetic variants that matter for symptoms and treatment response. The work is done in collaboration between Hackensack and other clinical centers, using laboratory and patient-derived samples.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors better predict who is at higher risk, who may develop severe disease, and which treatments are more likely to work for individual patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies, including the investigators' own work on allele-specific methylation, have shown promise as a post-GWAS approach but applying it specifically to intestinal epithelial cells and IBD is a newer direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tycko, Benjamin — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Tycko, Benjamin
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.