Multidimensional analysis of the gut microbiome, including the virome,archaeome, bacteriome, and mycobiome,along with genetic and immunological profiling in adult IBD patients: Correlation with disease pathogenesis and response to biological treatment
Project manager: dr Agnieszka Krawczyk
Implementation period: 2026-2030
Project type: OPUS 29
The aim of the project is a comprehensive analysis of the gut microbiome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), i.e., Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The analysis will include the most important groups of microorganisms: bacteria, fungi, archaea, and viruses. Advanced sequencing methods (nanopore and NGS) will be used, and microbiome data will be integrated with genetic analyses and an immunological profile covering 96 inflammation-related proteins. This broad approach will provide deeper insights into how microbiological, genetic, and immunological factors influence the development of IBD and the effectiveness of biological therapy.
The project aims to address key questions:
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What does the microbiome of IBD patients look like? Which microorganisms—including viruses, fungi, archaea, and bacteria—colonize the intestines of affected individuals, and how does their composition differ from that of healthy controls?
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How can the presence of specific microorganisms intensify inflammation or disrupt normal immune system function?
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Do particular genetic variants promote an imbalance between the host and the microbiome, increasing the risk of chronic inflammation?
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What determines the effectiveness of biological therapy? How does combining genetic, microbiome, and immunological information help explain why some patients respond well to treatment while others are resistant?
The significance of the project stems from the rising incidence of IBD, the increasing severity of these conditions, and the frequent challenges related to treatment ineffectiveness. An innovative aspect of the study is the inclusion of virome analysis—the viral component of the gut microbiome, which may have a crucial impact on inflammatory processes yet remains poorly understood.