Gastrointestinal disease is probably not the last frontier for medical science, but it's definitely one of the least understood human health problems. While it's hard to know what's gone wrong - and even harder to determine the cause - medical researchers at the Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Unit (GIDRU) at Kingston General Hospital and Queen's University are leading the way to uncovering the mysteries of gastrointestinal disease and function.

In addition to attracting an increasing profile and attention in the scientific world, the research projects developed by GIDRU's international clinical scientists and experts are also garnishing financial support in this challenging and often overlooked research area.

Queen's University Department of Medicine's Dr. Michael Blennerhassett and Dr. Elaine Petrof were amongst 12 recipients of three-year awards in the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada Grants in Research Program. The program is intended to support research on finding a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Grants to a maximum of $150,000 per annum for up to three years are awarded to investigators working alone or in collaboration with others.

"Funding from organizations like the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation is crucial in supporting innovative research initiatives that may be directly applicable to our understanding of human disease," says Blennerhassett. "Increased knowledge may reveal new targets and pharmacological intervention in human disease, as well as new parameters for evaluation of existing therapies."

Blennerhassett received funding from CCFC for his study titled "Neuronal survival and axon regeneration in intestinal inflammation." The study examines the role of specific inflammatory factors in intestinal remodeling in colitis, a condition that causes intestinal tissue to become inflamed, develop sores and bleed easily. His study focuses on the early events in inflammation that cause functional and structural damage to the enteric nervous system which can cause the death of enteric neurons in severe colitis. Inflammation also causes intestinal smooth muscle cell (ISMC) growth, which results in bowel wall thickening. Together, these changes are major contributors to the altered bowel motility that is a significant feature of the inflamed intestine. Blennerhassett's study will provide a better understanding of how the intestinal nervous system is damaged in colitis and the processes that act to restore a stable condition. In time, this research will give insight into the formation of intestinal strictures in Crohn's disease, where these processes fail and are irreversible.

Recently recruited from the University of Chicago, probiotics and microbial-epithelial cell expert Dr. Elaine Petrof received funding for her study into the effect of probiotic conditioned media on inflammatory colitis. This research initiative will focus on how the combination of genetic background and exposure to environmental factors, or colonization by certain inciting bacteria, can result in the development of inflammatory colitis in susceptible individuals. Petrof explains that any live bacteria, including probiotic bacteria, have the potential to become pathogenic when the host defenses are compromised, be it from immune deficiencies or illness. As many of the treatments for IBD result in some degree of immune compromise, the use of conditioned media instead of live probiotic bacteria may improve safety.

"Because little can be done presently to correct genetic susceptibility, changing the gut flora, or intestinal bacteria normally present in the gut, is being intensely studied as a therapeutic strategy for IBD," explains Petrof. "These investigations could lead to novel probiotic-based treatments for the management of inflammatory disease."

In addition to the prestigious CCFC awards, post-doctoral fellows Pierre-Yves Gougeon and Donna Daly received two-year fellowships from the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG). These industry-sponsored awards are part of the CAG post-doctoral fellowship program established in partnership with the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) to support research excellence in Canadian gastroenterology, hepatology and related disciplines.

Pierre-Yves was awarded a fellowship sponsored by the international pharmaceutical company Janssen-Ortho Inc. for his research into the positive aspects of intestinal inflammation that promote healing and repair in IBD. With Canada having one of the highest incidences of IBD in the world, the importance of research into this little-understood disease is crucial.

Focusing on gastrointestinal function, Donna's research, sponsored by Axcan Pharma Inc., concentrates on identifying specific neural pathways between the gut and the brain and how ion channels (molecules that mediate nerve activity) can affect the release of a hormone linked to satiety. This study will provide a better understanding of the basic mechanisms to control food intake and potentially lead to future drug or dietary therapies in the treatment and prevention of obesity.

First established in 1983, GIDRU is located in a state-of-the-art facility at Kingston General Hospital and is home to over 20 post-doctoral and clinical scientists from as far away as Australia, Ireland and Mexico City. The researchers at GIDRU are committed to translating research findings into powerful new treatments to improve care for individuals battling digestive disorders.

Affiliated with Queen's University, Kingston General Hospital is a 456-bed specialized teaching and research hospital that serves more than 500,000 people in southeastern Ontario and is the community hospital for the Kingston area. KGH provides an array of specialized acute and ambulatory clinical services including trauma, cardiac, stroke, pediatric, perinatal, end stage renal and stem cell transplants. Home to the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, KGH is dedicated to compassionate, high quality health care in a dynamic academic research environment. It features a robust research program and provides hands-on skill training for close to 1,900 health-care students annually. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.kgh.on.ca.

For further information: Media contact: Kim Kattouw, KGH Public Affairs, (613) 549-6666 ext 4687, pager (613)536-7733, kattouwk@kgh.kari.net