This past weekend, Professor Matthias Zilbauer of CSCI launched the new Cambridge Centre for Children’s Gut Health, welcoming over 100 children living with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Zilbauer, Professor of Paediatric Gastroenterology at the University of Cambridge and a consultant at Addenbrooke’s, part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), will be Director of the new centre.
This new centre will see cutting-edge research from scientists at the University of Cambridge – including the use of ‘mini-guts’ grown from cells donated by the children – alongside world-class patient care from doctors and medical staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
The launch took place at the Family Day for Children with IBD, organised by volunteers and attended by children and young people who are cared for by team members across the centre. The event showcases the benefits of the collaboration between staff, researchers, children and their parents.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have access to a huge amount of talented scientists, clinical academics, doctors and medical staff who are dedicated to improving the lives of their patients,” said Professor Zilbauer.
“But really, it’s about the brilliant children and teenagers that we meet, who, despite the difficulties they face living with these terrible conditions, are enthusiastic about getting involved in helping us better understand their conditions and search for new treatments.”
Professor Zilbauer and team at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute use cells donated by the children they treat to grow 3D cell cultures known as organoids – nicknamed ‘mini-guts’ as they share key characteristics of gut tissue – which allow them to study the diseases and identify potential new treatments. In 2024, they published research showing that ‘switches’ that modify DNA in gut cells play an important role in Crohn’s disease and how it presents in patients.
“To study these diseases, we need our children and young people to donate a few extra tissue cells when we’re investigating their condition. We couldn’t do our research without their help,” he said. “The children are amazing – they’re all really keen to help us and to contribute to finding new treatments, even when they know these treatments may not benefit them directly.”
Children and their families at the launch of the Centre for Children's Gut Health. Credit: Kelly Spike
Following publication of their study last year, the team received funding from the Helmsley Charitable Trust to expand their work, recruiting patients from six other centres across Europe. This has enabled them to recruit a further 500 patients and generate nearly 1,000 organoids. They are now going global, working with partners in South Korea, Taiwan and Senegal.
Through their work, they hope to identify new ‘biomarkers’ – signatures that can help them personalise treatments for individual patients and optimise their care. They hope, too, to identify new drug targets and, working with industry partners such as AstraZeneca on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and with other collaborators, to begin developing brand new treatments.
Professor Zilbauer said: “IBD treatments are gradually getting better, but these children will still face a life of medication and possible surgery. With their help, we can make sure they get the very best treatments, with access to the latest drugs, to the latest clinical trials, and to outstanding clinical care. That’s why we’re launching our new centre.”
Addenbrooke’s Hospital is a specialist centre in paediatric gastroenterology – one of the largest centres for paediatric inflammatory bowel diseases in Europe – diagnosing and treating around 100 new children every year with conditions including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Inflammatory bowel diseases do not just place a huge burden on patients physically, however – they can also have a significant impact on an individual’s mental health. For this reason, the centre will have a psychiatric team dedicated to providing vital support for the children’s mental health and wellbeing. This approach – looking at a patient’s physical and mental health holistically – is the ethos behind Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
Claire Glemas, Research Nurse and Patient Engagement Lead at CUH, said: “Inflammatory bowel diseases are lifelong conditions with no cure. It’s really tough for the children and young people we see, so it’s important that we look after every aspect of their health. By looking after their mental health alongside their physical health, we hope to make their lives easier.”
Claire, along with patient representatives Jen Rose and Seb Tucknott and a team of volunteers, is helping organise the Family Day on Saturday. Children and their families will get the opportunity to meet the scientists and medical staff and take part in hands-on activities that provide them with an insight into the kinds of research that will take place at the centre.
“It’s a great opportunity for families to find out more about the amazing science that’s taking place at our centre and to talk to the doctors and nurses who look after them in a more relaxed environment, outside of their usual hospital visits,” said Claire.
“But equally importantly, it’s a chance for our team to spend time with the families, getting to know them and their needs better, while making sure everyone has an enjoyable day.”