The IBD research team at IKOM studies disease mechanisms in IBD and aims to use this knowledge in clinical medicine. The team’s work is based on a large, still expanding research biobank with tissue, blood and faecal samples collected over several years. The laboratory parts are organized in three main research disciplines with exchange of data and observations between projects: The Cell and Molecular Biology Unit performs a range of advanced molecular analyses of patient material, and use state-of-the-art patient-derived models like organoids for functional studies to elucidate the underlying processes that control clinical diversity. The Histopathology Unit explores and develop histological indexing and molecular pathology as a tool for pathologists to predict prognosis and treatment response. The Genetics and Genomic Unit analyses patient samples using genetics and multi-omics approaches and interpret the results in light of clinical data and results from e.g., experiments in human organoids.

The work is done in collaboration with researchers at NTNU, researchers and clinicians at hospitals within the Central Norway Regional Health Authority, and several national and international partners. CAG-IBD is part of the Gemini Centre InTRaCC (Individualized Treatment and Research on Crohn’s and Colitis) together with the IBD Research Group at University of Oslo/Oslo University Hospital Ullevål and the Medical Biotechnology Group at SINTEF Industry.

CAG-IBD receives large grants from the Research Council of Norway (NFR), The Liaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and NTNU, and the Joint Research Committee between St. Olav’s University Hospital and NTNU (FFU). Some of the members in the research team are part of the NFR funded Centre of molecular inflammation research (CEMIR) at IKOM, the Inflammatory bowel diseases research group.