Research
At Barts and The London Centre for Digestive Diseases we work jointly with colleagues at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Wingate Institute, to undertake a range of important research that will deliver benefits for patients. Highlights of our research activities are provided below.
Neurogastroenteroloy research
Neurogastroenterologyis a speciality that relates to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract associated with dysfunction of the nervous system controlling its function.
The gastrointestinal tract not only has an extensive nervous system within its walls but it also communicates directly with the central nervous system through nerves, hormones and immune cells. In addition there is evidence that the nervous system of the gut communicates directly with brain centres that control our psychological state, in particular our emotions and stress levels. It is therefore not surprising that gut function is affected when there is dysfunction of this nervous system either directly through disease or indirectly through the effects of our psychological state and most often through the combination of these factors.
The neurogastroenterology group based at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry is working hard to enhance patient care and become a centre of excellence. Click here to find out more.
Some of our other current research activity includes:
- Two year clinical trials into bacteria to combat inflammatory bowel disease. Contact Dr James Lindsay, consultant gastroenterologist.
- Research into the link between the central nervous system and the gut is being carried out by leading specialists at the Queen Mary University of London to enhance patient care.
- Clinical trials of new drugs for viral liver disease
- Clinical trials of new treatments for children with Crohn’s disease, either to improve height or reduce inflammation
- Using very small biopsies of inflamed intestine in the lab to test possible new drugs and understand how inflammation happens
- Trials of medicines to conduct the effects of reflux on the oesophagus
- Understanding tropical diseases in the intestine (we have a link with Zambia), which can also affect people in Britain
- The genetics of coeliac disease
All studies have been approved by the East London Research Ethics Committee.
