How IL-23 Blockade in Crohn's Disease Changes Immune Cells
Official title: Circulating and Mucosal Predictors and Effects of Therapeutic Interleukin-23 Blockade in Crohn's Disease
Funded at Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason · NIH-11374365 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how the IL-23 blocking therapy risankizumab affects immune cells in people with Crohn’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | June 11, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $267,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI190698-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374365 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Crohn’s disease who are receiving risankizumab or are candidates for IL-23 blockade.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not receiving IL-23 blockade or those with Crohn’s disease not relevant to this treatment approach may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine both gut tissue and blood from Crohn’s patients treated with risankizumab to see how several immune cell types respond. They will measure cell counts and gene activity in Th17, MAIT, γδ T cells, and ILC3s, and track T cell receptor changes to understand clonal dynamics. Advanced techniques like single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics will show which cells are active where the disease is, inside the colon. By comparing patients who respond to treatment with those who don’t, the study aims to uncover why some people benefit from IL-23 blockade.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify why risankizumab works for some patients and guide more personalized Crohn’s disease therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Similar studies using advanced immune profiling have helped link treatment responses to specific cell populations, supporting the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lord, James Daniel — Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
- Study coordinator: Lord, James Daniel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Site-specific gene-microbial interactions in children with Crohn’s disease
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-
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This project uses artificial intelligence plus single-cell and other molecular data to predict which children and teens with Crohn's disease will have mild versus severe or treatment‑resistant disease.
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This project looks at metabolism patterns in children with Crohn's disease to help predict how their condition will progress and respond to treatments.
-
Pediatric Crohn’s Disease: Endoscopic and Imaging Healing with Anti-TNF Therapy
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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.