miGut-Health Partners at UEG Week 2024

UEG Week 2024, one of the largest and most prestigious events in the field of gastroenterology, once again brought together top experts, clinicians, and researchers to discuss the latest advancements in digestive health. The conference, held annually by the United European Gastroenterology (UEG), provides a platform for the global exchange of knowledge and groundbreaking research in the field of digestive and liver diseases. This year's event in Vienna highlighted key developments in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gut microbiota, and immunology, with the miGut-Health project making a strong appearance.

The event provided a valuable platform for the exchange of ideas and strengthening collaborative ties both within and outside the consortium.

Coordinator Professor Andre Franke (IKMB, UKSH) had the opportunity for insightful conversations with several other partners, including representatives from the European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) and Juozas Kupcinskas from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU).

One of the standout moments for the miGut-Health team came during a Plenary Session, where Dr Arno R. Bourgonje, a member of Professor Rinse Weersma’s team at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), delivered a talk titled “Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Exhibit Pre-Diagnostic Antibody Signatures with Shared and Divergent Changes Towards Disease Onset.” His presentation explored antibody patterns in the early stages of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, offering fresh insights into disease progression. Dr Bourgonje’s work was not only well-received but also earned him the Top Abstract Award for 2024. His abstract, along with those of other awardees, is available in the UEG Journal’s Abstract Issue.

Dr Johan Burisch (Hvidovre Hospital) also represented research related to miGut-Health with his talk on the “Characterization of a European Population with Recently Diagnosed Crohn’s Disease: Results from the Prospective Crohn’s Disease Cohort (CROCO) Study.” His research sheds light on the characteristics of newly diagnosed Crohn’s patients across Europe, furthering understanding of the disease's early trajectory.

Another highlight was Professor Rinse Weersma’s engaging presentation on “Can Microbiota Serve as Biomarkers?” which delved into the potential of gut bacteria to serve as diagnostic and prognostic tools in IBD.

In an abstract-based oral session titled "Understanding Disease Primers of IBD: Part 2," miGut-Health researcher Ruta Inciuraite (LSMU) presented compelling data on faecal microbiota changes in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Her research focused on the potential role of commensal bacteria in regulating the colonic epithelial barrier, using organoid models derived from UC patients and a cohort of people not affected by IBD. This work contributes to the broader understanding of how gut bacteria influence disease mechanisms in IBD.

For more information on UEG Week 2024 and its programme, visit the UEG Week 2024 website.