Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research

The Canterbury Inflammatory Bowel Disease Project

The Canterbury IBD Study is a population-based research project designed to investigate IBD epidemiology (frequency), aetiology (causes), clinical outcomes and treatments. Over 1400 IBD patients (comprising more than 92% of all people with IBD in Canterbury in 2005) were recruited into the study. Each subject completed a questionnaire and gave blood samples for genetic and other analyses. The research is continuing using the gathered clinical and environmental information, serum and DNA from this population.

Lay Summary of Results from the Canterbury IBD Study in 2006

Publications from the IBD project

Listen to the Insight programme on Radio New Zealand.

Collaborators on the IBD Project:

The Gene Structure and Function Laboratory (University of Otago, Christchurch) Nutrigenomics (Auckland) Crohn's and Colitis Support Group

Healing through Sealing – Leaky Guts in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Researchers in Dunedin are investigating the role of gut permeability or "leakiness" in causation of several diseases including Crohn's disease. The group is also looking at how probiotics ("good bacteria") may help in treating disease.

Summary of the gut permeability projects

Recent publications from the Dunedin group

New Zealand IBD Clinical Trials Network

The listed units have established facilities for conducting clinical trials in inflammatory bowel disease and are currently participating in trials of new treatments in New Zealand. It is possible that other units will join this network also.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Auckland Hospital Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Mark Lane Clinical Trial Coordinators / Research Nurses: Kirsten Rosser Contact: Tel: +64 9 3074949 ext 25581 Fax: +64 9 3078984	Shakespeare Specialist Group North Shore, Auckland Investigator: Dr Ian Wallace Study Coordinator: Kathy Love Contact: Tel: +64 9 489 2384 Fax: +64 9 486 0189
Department of Gastroenterology Wellington Hospital Investigator: Dr John Wyeth Clinical Trial Coordinators / Research Nurses: Kathryn Adams Contact:	Department of Gastroenterology Christchurch Hospital Investigators: Assoc Prof Murray Barclay and Dr Richard Gearry Clinical Trial Coordinators / Research Nurses: Judy Hoar and Rhondda Brown Contact: Tel: +64 3 3640135 Fax: +64 3 3641624
Department of Gastroenterology Waikato Hospital Investigator: Dr Frank Weilert Clinical Trial Coordinators / Research Nurses: Chris Tuffery, Nancy Sullivan, Sherryl Hayett Contact: Tel: +64 7 839 8899 ext 23017 Fax: +64 7 858 0984	Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Middlemore Hospital Investigator: Dr Susan Parry Clinical Trial Coordinators / Research Nurses: Contact: Tel: +64 9 2760044 ext 8749
Department of Gastroenterology Hawke's Bay Hospital Investigator: Dr Malcolm Arnold Research Coordinator: Diana Schmid Contact: Tel: +64 6 8788109 ext 6628 Fax: +64 6 8781328	Department of Gastroenterology Dunedin Public Hospital Investigator: Dr Michael Schultz Research Nurse: Merrilee Williams Contact: Tel: +64 3 474 7007 ext. 8054 Fax: +64 3 474 7724

Advantages to conducting clinical trials in New Zealand include:

A single national ethics committee process with no cost attached. The committee meets monthly.
A rapid regulatory approval process via the SCOTT committee, which acts under the auspices of the HRC. SCOTT committee turnaround time is usually less than 4 weeks.
There are large numbers of patients with IBD in New Zealand, which has one of the highest incidence rates in the world.
New Zealand has limited access to new biological therapies in normal clinical practice.