Genome Sequencing Plays Increasing Role in Pediatric IBD

Jul 13, 2015 | Kanaaz Pereira, Connect Moderator | @kanaazpereira

Over the past two decades, researchers have been better able to understand the role of genetics in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). At Mayo Clinic, a unique collaboration between pediatric gastroenterology and the Center for Individualized Medicine (CIM) offers young patients the opportunity for deep sequencing of DNA, and in most cases exome sequencing to try to identify the genetic basis of their symptoms as well as a therapeutic strategy to treat them. Dr. Michael C. Stephens, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic has  been actively involved in an international effort to identify better ways to stratify patients with IBD, with a focus on factors that predict more-severe disease. "One of our goals is to use the integration across pediatric and adult GI as well as the CIM to provide a comprehensive multidisciplinary program for families with multiple affected members. The family could come to Mayo and have adult and pediatric specialists collaboratively build a treatment strategy," says Dr. Stephens.

Read more in the Digestive Diseases Update.

For more information on IBD, visit mayoclinic.org/IBD.

Dr. Stephens is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic. Content originally posted in the Digestive Diseases Update.  

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Gastroenterology & GI Surgery blog.

Please sign in or register to post a reply.