Gut health
Modelling gut health
Extraordinary innovations including cell therapy, nanoparticle drug delivery systems and AI-informed diagnostic tools are built on the foundations of cutting-edge computational and biological modelling capabilities. The »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ School of Biomedical Engineering (SBmE) is contributing to developments in modelling that will underpin new diagnostic tools and treatments for patients affected by diseases of the gut, in projects including the following:
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- Sometimes diagnosis and treatment of gut health problems can be a process of trial and error, causing additional stress and frustration for patients and their families, as well as the clinicians treating them. A research team at the »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ School of Biomedical Engineering is developing artificial intelligence and machine learning tool sets to analyse genetic variations and other biomarkers for different diseases and disorders. This could provide much faster, more accurate diagnoses and support personalised medical treatments based on a patient’s genetic profile. For more, see
Case studies
Monitoring gut health
The gastrointestinal tract is one of the body’s most delicate, most complex, and most vulnerable environments. The capacity to monitor what’s going on in the gut paves the way for more effective treatments for patients, with less risk of harm. The School of Biomedical Engineering is working on revolutionary new ideas for monitoring gut health, including the below.
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- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for progressive immune disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, with no prospect of a cure. Conventional treatments often focus on reducing inflammation with immunosuppressive medications, however these drugs can carry significant risks, and often become less effective over time. An alternative is to use bioelectronic therapy, inducing anti-inflammatory effects through electrical stimulation of the vagus or sacral nerve. Associate Professor Mohit Shivdasani is leading a project to make IBD treatments easier to manage and more successful with a ‘closed loop’ approach that uses timely and accurate monitoring of inflammation patterns to inform optimal, personalised therapy via vagus nerve stimulation. With collaborators from the GSBmE including Dr Fei Deng, Dr Tianruo Guo, Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell, Scientia Professor Ewa Goldys, along with Dr Sophie Payne, Professor James Fallon, and Associate Professor Peter De Cruz, Mohit has developed ‘AutoGut’, a novel implantable biosensor device that will deliver a paradigm shift in IBD therapies.
Case studies
Restoring gut health
The treatment of disorders related to gut health often involves balancing therapeutic benefits with the risk of side effects. Researchers from the »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ School of Biomedical Engineering (SBmE) are looking at new ways to restore gut health without compromising patient safety and wellbeing, through projects including the following.Â
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for progressive immune disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, with no prospect of a cure. Conventional treatments often focus on reducing inflammation with immunosuppressive medications, however these drugs can carry significant risks, and often become less effective over time. An alternative is to use bioelectronic therapy, inducing anti-inflammatory effects through electrical stimulation of the vagus or sacral nerve. Associate Professor Mohit Shivdasani is leading a project to make IBD treatments easier to manage and more successful with a ‘closed loop’ approach that uses timely and accurate monitoring of inflammation patterns to inform optimal, personalised therapy via vagus nerve stimulation. With collaborators from the GSBmE including Dr Fei Deng, Dr Tianruo Guo, Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell, Professor Ewa Goldys, along with Dr Sophie Payne, Professor James Fallon, and Associate Professor Peter De Cruz, Mohit has developed ‘AutoGut’, a novel implantable biosensor device that will deliver a paradigm shift in IBD therapies. For more, see
Gastric wall damage is one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. While innovative 3D-printed patches containing living cells or medication can be helpful, these are currently created outside the patient’s body and can only be implanted with open-field surgery, increasing the risk of surgical complications including infection. Engineers at the »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ Medical Robotics Lab are developing the F3DB device which combines soft robotics with a tiny flexible 3D bioprinter and can be inserted into the body like an endoscope to print biomaterials directly onto organs. This could significantly reduce infection risk and also ensure that the 3D-printed patch is a perfect fit. For more, see
