Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an ongoing or chronic health problem that causes inflammation and swelling in the digestive tract. The irritation causes bleeding sores called ulcers to form along the digestive tract. This in turn can cause crampy, abdominal pain and severe bloody diarrhea.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition that affects the large intestines, particularly the colon. It is classified as one of the two inflammatory bowel diseases along with Crohn’s disease.

Ulcerative Colitis Causes

Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Pregnancy

Dysbiosis and the Microbiome

Mesentery: a new organ?

FODMAP Research

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colorectal Cancer

Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)

Latest Inflammatory Bowel Disease News and Research

Annual COVID-19 boosters crucial for immunocompromised individuals

New research findings provide solid evidence that annual COVID-19 vaccine booster doses continue to be advisable for certain immunocompromised people, researchers at McGill University say.

1 Apr 2025

Study reveals disparities in healthcare utilization among racial and ethnic groups with IBD

A study published today in the American Journal of Gastroenterology reveals significant disparities in healthcare utilization among racial and ethnic groups with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the United States.

1 Apr 2025

Machine learning identifies key comorbidities predicting premature death in IBD patients

Researchers use machine learning models to investigate patterns between multimorbidity and premature deaths among decedents with irritable bowel disease.

28 Mar 2025

Harnessing intestinal microbes to combat inflammation and infections

Despite being an everyday necessity, nutrition is something of a black box. We know that many plant-based foods are good for us, but we don't always know why.

27 Mar 2025

Scientists link emulsifiers in processed foods to allergy and immune disorders

Review identifies common food additives in ultra-processed foods—particularly emulsifiers like carrageenan and polysorbate 80—as key drivers of gut dysbiosis, inflammation, and allergic diseases by disrupting intestinal barriers and activating proinflammatory pathways.

26 Mar 2025

City of Hope researchers uncover the two-step process of tumor formation

Researchers at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. with its National Medical Center named top 5 in the nation for cancer by U.S. News & World Report, have found that cell mutations are necessary but not always sufficient for tumors to form.

26 Mar 2025

Researchers unlock key process for regenerating intestinal cells after injury

Researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center have solved a cellular mystery that may lead to better therapies for colorectal and other types of cancer.

25 Mar 2025

Research identifies pressure-sensing protein behind gut motility

After every meal, the intestines perform an action called peristalsis - moving food through their hollow interiors with coordinated contractions and relaxations of the smooth muscle.

25 Mar 2025

Epstein-Barr virus triggers inflammatory cell death in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, relapsing disease that causes painful inflammation and ulcers in the colon.

24 Mar 2025

Machine learning helps predict early mortality in IBD patients

Almost half of people who died with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) died prematurely, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241117 that used machine learning models to predict death.

24 Mar 2025

New research paves the way for non-hormonal endometriosis treatments

Roughly 200 million women around the world suffer from endometriosis, a condition that causes tissue from the lining of the uterus to grow in places outside of the uterus.

22 Mar 2025

Mount Sinai-led research uncovers mechanisms behind Crohn's disease inflammation

A research team led by Mount Sinai has uncovered mechanisms of abnormal immune cell function that may lead to Crohn's disease, according to findings published in Science Immunology on March 21.

22 Mar 2025

CB1R inhibition shows promise in protecting gut barrier from alcohol damage

Heavy alcohol consumption is a leading cause of gastrointestinal diseases, with binge drinking linked to increased intestinal permeability-a condition commonly known as "leaky gut."

19 Mar 2025

Plant-based diets and IBD

This study highlights the link between plant-based diets and reduced IBD risk, suggesting dietary choices play a crucial role in managing chronic inflammation.

19 Mar 2025

Semi-synthetic bile acid could be a promising therapeutic option for TH17-mediated intestinal diseases

A research team from the Medical University of Vienna has made further progress in the treatment of intestinal inflammation.

14 Mar 2025

RCSI study finds immune cell ‘memories’ can increase the risk for blood clots long after inflammation

New research from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has found that white blood cells which ‘remember’ past inflammation events are quick to overreact, raising the risk of blood clots.

10 Mar 2025

Eating ultra-processed foods harms your gut—here’s how inflammation takes hold

Ultra-processed foods disrupt gut microbiome balance, causing inflammation, reduced microbial diversity, and increased gut permeability. This microbiome imbalance contributes to chronic diseases including diabetes, IBD, cancer, and neurological disorders.

6 Mar 2025

Nationally recognized gastroenterologist joins NYU Langone to lead Pediatric IBD Program

Nationally recognized pediatric gastroenterologist, Michael Dolinger, MD, MBA, joins Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone as director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program within the Pediatric Gastroenterology Program.

5 Mar 2025

Study finds potential biomarker for joint inflammation in Crohn's disease

People with Crohn's disease and related joint inflammation linked to immune system dysfunction have distinct gut bacteria or microbiota, with the bacterium Mediterraneibacter gnavus being a potential biomarker, according to new study by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers.

5 Mar 2025

Epstein-Barr virus infection predisposes people to develop Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease, a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease, has many known contributing factors, including bacterial changes in the microbiome that foster an inflammatory environment.

3 Mar 2025