Human gut physiology in health and disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation of human gut physiology in health and disease
IRAS ID
250526
Contact name
David Bulmer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Our current understanding of human gastrointestinal function and how this changes during diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and obesity are still poorly understood despite the growing obesity epidemic and high prevalence of symptoms such as abdominal pain and disordered motility across the general population (>10% of the UK population). Our study will utilise acellular samples; previously collected non-identifiable tissue samples; or samples provided by a Research Tissue Bank (RTB) to address this gap in our understanding of how the human gut normally functions (physiology) and how this changes during disease (pathophysiology) though the study of these tissue and samples in laboratory experiments. For example, we will study the anatomy and activity of sensory nerves and other cells within these tissue samples to understand how sensations such as pain and fullness are generated in response to normal gut stimuli such as distension or nutrients. We will then examine how these responses change in diseased tissue to provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the generation of symptoms such as chronic abdominal pain. To do this we will, for example, measure differences in the mediators present in normal and diseased tissue samples, and study how these samples and mediators can effect neuronal activity in cell and tissue assays. By studying the normal and diseased function of the human gut we will gain greater insight in to human physiology and the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal disease. Importantly these insights will identify new opportunities to treat symptoms such as pain or promote desirable sensation such as satiety in obese patients.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1659
Date of REC Opinion
14 Sep 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion