Gastrointestinal & Metabolic Diseases

Gastrointestinal diseases affect the passageway of the digestive system through which food and liquids travel. As many as 11% of Americans have these often chronic diseases that can present with debilitating symptoms and severely impact quality of life. In some cases, like in severe diarrheal disorders, patients are unable to properly absorb nutrients and can die without daily infusions or an intestinal transplant. To develop novel gene therapy A technique that uses a gene or gene(s) to prevent, treat or cure a disease or disorder. Most gene therapies work by adding a healthy version of a gene to replace one that is defective or missing into the genome of particular cells. Some of these therapies use viral vectors to deliver genes into target cells. gene therapy A technique that uses a gene or gene(s) to prevent, treat or cure a disease or disorder. Most gene therapies work by adding a healthy version of a gene to replace one that is defective or missing into the genome of particular cells. Some of these therapies use viral vectors to deliver genes into target cells. strategies, our scientists are devising methods to manipulate intestinal stem cells Cells that have the ability to differentiate into multiple types of cells and make an unlimited number of copies of themselves. stem cells Cells that have the ability to differentiate into multiple types of cells and make an unlimited number of copies of themselves. to correct disease-causing mutations in genes that control gut function. They’re also creating intestinal organoids grown from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells iPS cells are cells taken from a patient that are reprogrammed so that they can undergo differentiation into any type of cell in the body. By maintaining the genetic code of the patient, iPS cells play a crucial role in disease modeling and regenerative medicine. induced pluripotent stem cells iPS cells are cells taken from a patient that are reprogrammed so that they can undergo differentiation into any type of cell in the body. By maintaining the genetic code of the patient, iPS cells play a crucial role in disease modeling and regenerative medicine. to screen potential drug candidates. These efforts could lead to treatments for common digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and chronic acid reflux, as well as severe rare diseases.

Metabolic diseases disrupt normal metabolism, the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that convert food into energy. Center researchers are improving stem cell-derived disease models and advancing gene and cell therapies for complex metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity. Investigators are working towards new treatments for insulin resistance by measuring the metabolic abnormalities that cause Type 2 diabetes. They’re also uncovering how nutrient levels impact obesity-related inflammation. Another major aim of our scientists is to better understand the effects of maternal hyperglycemia on fetal metabolism and development. Studies have shown that pregnant women with diabetes are more likely to deliver babies with congenital brain and heart defects. Their work in this area could lead to interventions that give diabetic mothers a better chance of delivering healthy babies.