How does Gut Reaction help patients?

CUH panel members meeting researcher

The Gut Reaction Health Data Research Hub aims to accelerate the development of new treatments and improved diagnostics for IBD (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis).


Gut Reaction supports research into IBD by combining health data sets from people living with IBD in different locations – for example in NHS hospitals, research resources such as the IBD BioResource and patient registries such as the IBD Registry.

This is only possible because of the generosity of the participants enrolled in the NIHR BioResource. BioResource participants give consent for researchers to use their data for health research.

Gut Reaction also focusses on opportunities for ‘personalised medicine’. This means finding which treatment is most likely to be effective for each individual. Understanding which treatments were most successful for the thousands of patients in Gut Reaction will allow future patients to avoid the ‘trial and error’ approach that is experienced by many people with IBD.

People with IBD are central to Gut Reaction’s work. We work closely with patients and the public to ensure that health data benefits those living with IBD.

Our patient advisory committee (PAC) provides oversight and patient input into this project. Their insight and expertise will play a vital role in Gut Reaction’s success.

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