Novel bacteriotherapeutics in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), predominantly Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), is a chronic inflammatory condition of unknown aetiology. It is caused by an aberrant immune response to the environment, including the microbiota. IBD is incurable, with debilitating albeit hidden symptoms and an increasing incidence worldwide. The cost to the Australian economy was $2.7 billion in 20123. IBD affects 1 in 250 Australians aged 5-40. Over the last decade, an explosion in microbiome research in IBD has not yet affected diagnostic algorithms or treatments. I have developed a program at Hudson Institute to isolate and mechanistically characterise bacteria while simultaneously measuring host immune response to form a more complete understanding of the host-microbiome in IBD. My preliminary work has shown several exciting novel candidates for bacterial therapeutics and new targets for therapy. The exceptional technical resources and infrastructure that I have established in a world-leading environment will ensure transformational changes from this program, including a clinical trial of bacteriotherapy. I am seeking students to progress this working into Phase I clinical trials.