The main objective of Dr. John D. Rioux's team is to use genetic discoveries to improve the diagnosis and treatment of common diseases. This project will focus on the biological pathway of the IL23R gene (which has been closely linked to inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis) with the objective of using it as a model for translating other genetic discoveries into clinical discoveries.

"Our genetics studies have shown that multiple genes in the IL23R pathway influence an individual's risk to developing chronic inflammatory diseases. Knowing more about how these genetic variations influence the development of these diseases should make it possible to develop powerful biomarkers and better therapeutic alternatives," says Dr. John D. Rioux. This project brings together a group of researchers from the MHI, the Universit- de Montr-al, the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, H-pital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, as well as international collaborators from institutions including Harvard University and Oxford University.

This second CIHR grant of more than $2.3 million was provided in part by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada, specifically from the Ross McMaster Memorial Fund and from a philanthropic family from Montreal.

Source: University of Montreal