New treatments for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Ulcerative Colitis, are being developed by researchers at Hudson Institute who are studying the gut microbiome.
Professor Sam Forster leads research combining microbiology, immunology, and computational biology to understand the role of gut microbes in IBD. The research aims to identify beneficial microbes that are disappearing due to antibiotic overuse.
The goal is to develop therapeutic approaches targeting specific bacteria to prevent inflammation, rather than treating it after onset. This is a shift in strategy that could dramatically improve outcomes for patients like Charlotte (13) and Noah (11), who live with the condition.
Dr. Ed Giles, a paediatric gastroenterologist at Monash Health, collaborates with Prof Forster and treats Charlotte.
Funding is needed to continue the research.