Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders account for 20% of primary care consultations and are important drivers of mortality, morbidity, and escalating healthcare cost. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affects 1% of the North-West London population, with increasing incidence amongst our ethnically diverse population. Regional deprivation is associated with high alcohol use and obesity leading to a high prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD).
The GI tract is home to over 40 trillion bacteria, which together with communities of fungi and viruses, is known as the microbiome. Disturbance of the microbiome and host-microbe interactions underlie many GI and liver diseases, mediated through loss of gut barrier function, dysregulation of immune function, disruption of metabolism and carriage of pathobionts. Experimental probing and manipulation of this key ecosystem hold the key to improving patient outcomes. Digestive Diseases Theme will leverage unique local expertise and convergence science opportunities to address five areas of GI/liver disease which arise from disorders in the intestinal microbiome:
- Colonisation with multi-drug resistant bacteria in vulnerable patients
- Translocation of microorganisms due to impaired epithelial integrity
- Precision medicine to guide treatment in IBD using host-microbiome profiling
- Precision medicine in ALD
- Testing novel treatment strategies and premorbid diagnostics in checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis and hepatitis
Key Individuals
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Dr Nick Powell
Clinical Reader in Gastroenterology - Co-Theme Lead -
Professor Julian Marchesi
Professor of Digestive Health - Co-Theme Lead -
Professor Mark Thursz
NIHR Imperial BRC Director -
Dr Alex Thompson
Lecturer in Sensing in Cancer -
Dr Benjamin Mullish
Clinical Lecturer -
Dr David MacIntyre
MRC-CDA Fellow & Lecturer in Reproductive Systems Medicine -
Dr Evangelos Triantafyllou
Lecturer in Liver Immunology -
Dr Horace Williams
Clinical Senior Lecturer -
Dr Isabel Garcia-Perez
Lecturer in Precision & Systems Medicine -
Dr James Alexander
Clinical Lecturer -
Dr James Maurice
Clinical Research Fellow -
Dr Jia Li
Reader in Biological Chemistry -
Dr Jiri Pavlu
epartment of Immunology and Inflammation -
Dr Jonathan Hoare
Consultant Gastroenterologist -
Dr Jonathan Swann
Senior Lecturer in Microbiomics and Human Development -
Dr Julie McDonald
Lecturer -
Dr Lesley Hoyles
MRC Intermediate Fellow in Data Science -
Dr Lucia Possamai
Consultant Hepatologist and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer -
Dr Nikihl Vergis
Clinical Senior Lecturer -
Dr Phil Tozer
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon -
Dr Pinelopi Manousou
Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer -
Dr Sam Au
Senior Lecturer -
Dr Sarah Butcher
Head of Bioinformatics Support Service -
Dr Simon Peake
Consultant gastroenterologist -
Dr Tamas Korcsmaros
Senior Lecturer in Intestinal Epithelial Biology -
Dr Tamir Rashid
Clinical Reader in Liver Regeneration -
Dr. Joram Posma
Research Associate -
Professor Ailsa Hart
Professor of Practice -
Professor Elaine Holmes
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Professor Gary Frost
Chair in Nutrition & Dietetics -
Professor Huw Thomas
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Professor Kevin Murphy
Professor of Endocrinology & Metabolism -
Professor Marc-Emmanuel Dumas
Reader in Translational Systems Medicine -
Professor Paris Tekkis
Professor of Colorectal Surgery -
Professor Rob Goldin
Professor of Liver & GI Pathology -
Professor Robert Glen
Chair in Computational Medicine -
Professor Rongjun Chen
Professor of Biomaterials Engineering -
Professor Stella Knight
Senior Research Investigator -
Professor Timothy Orchard
Professor of Gastroenterology
