More IBD Genes Identified

According to a study published online in the journal Nature Genetics, researchers have identified 13 more genes that are associated with ulcerative colitis. The study looked at the genes of 2,009 people with ulcerative colitis and 1,580 controls in order to determine which genes affected ulcerative colitis. Researchers then place the number of genes now known to be associated with ulcerative colitis at 30, and about half of those are also associated with Crohn's disease.

While this new information may seem esoteric, it does help further the understanding of the causes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It could be years before this data is able to be applied in any meaningful way for people who have IBD, but every new piece of data brings the medical community one step closer to prevention and effective treatment of IBD.

_Sources:

_{McGovern DP, Gardet A, Törkvist L, et al. "Genome-wide association identifies multiple ulcerative colitis susceptibility loci." Nat Genet 2010 Mar 14 [Epub ahead of print]. 23 Mar 2010.}