Discovering Treatments & Cures Through Innovative Translational Research
The incidence of stress-related illnesses like irritable bowel
syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have surged in the
past few decades. The underlying cause of these and other
stress-related diseases involves a complex interaction between
genes and environment. In response to a stressor, a plethora
of genes are rapidly turned "on" (activated) or "off" (repressed).
Some of these genes and their functions are known, but others
remain unidentified. The long-term goal of our laboratory is to
understand where these genes fit in response to a stressor and the
interactions between the gut and brain in stress-related disorders.
Our recent interests focus on the regulation and function of the
corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of neuropeptides and
their receptors, because their expression levels correlate with the
degree of gastrointestinal inflammation in patients with IBD. We
hope our research will establish how these neuropeptides help
maintain a normal immune response in the gut and whether
manipulation of CRF/urocortins can help ameliorate intestinal
inflammation. Therapies that target this inflammatory pathway could
improve the quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel
diseases and decrease the lifetime cost of treatment.
