Disruptive biosensors for detection and monitoring of inflammatory bowel diseases

When a patient with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and doctor meet in clinic, it is highly desirable to have tests that can provide accurate information on whether the patient’s disease is well-controlled, allowing decisions to be made and discussed simultaneously. Currently, the two most widely used tests in IBD clinics are: 1) the patient provides a sample of stool that needs to be deposited at the clinic, with results being available to the doctor after 2-3 weeks, 2) examination of the bowel via colonoscopy, which usually involves a waiting time of a few months. Both tests are suboptimal and invasive for the patients. Furthermore, they do not provide readouts of IBD activity, making it difficult to choose the optimal therapy for every patient. This research project will produce new rapid biosensors that will inform about the activity of immune cells in the gut of IBD patients and help to identify determine the disease state and the efficacy of therapies. This project draws on the strengths of a team of very diverse scientists, including experts in molecular imaging, IBD and immunology. During the project, the student will work with biologists, immunologists and chemists and will establish collaborations to develop as an interdisciplinary researcher. This project will create a whole range of positive outcomes for the student, including dissemination of results to the scientific community, outreach activities and network opportunities with industry partners.