Understanding why biologic medicines don't always work for ulcerative colitis
Identifying Neutrophil Specific Mechanisms for Resistance to Biologics in Ulcerative Colitis
This research aims to discover why common biologic treatments for ulcerative colitis are not effective for everyone, focusing on specific immune cells in the gut.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126772 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition where current biologic medicines, like vedolizumab and adalimumab, only help about 30% of patients. This leaves many people without effective treatment options. Our team is looking closely at specific immune cells called neutrophils within the gut lining of patients with ulcerative colitis. We believe that certain types of these cells, located in particular areas, might be preventing the biologic medicines from working well. By studying these cells and their genetic makeup in patient tissue, we hope to uncover new reasons for treatment failure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is relevant to patients with ulcerative colitis who are considering or currently using biologic therapies like vedolizumab and adalimumab.
Not a fit: Patients whose ulcerative colitis is well-controlled by current treatments or who are not candidates for biologic therapies may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to predict who will respond to current biologic therapies or help develop new treatments for those who don't respond.
How similar studies have performed: While the overall problem of biologic resistance is known, this approach of identifying specific neutrophil subsets and their spatial orientation as a cause for resistance is a novel and untested area.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sumagin, Ronen — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Sumagin, Ronen
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 below.