AI driving breakthroughs in inflammatory bowel disease

Friday, 27 September 2024

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Generous funding from The McCusker Charitable Foundation is helping University of Newcastle researchers use artificial intelligence (AI) to fast-track treatment innovations for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Image of Dr Kaiko and Dr Keely wearing grey button up shirts in a lab. Research equipment is out of focus in the background.Image of Dr Kaiko and Dr Keely wearing grey button up shirts in a lab. Research equipment is out of focus in the background.
Researchers are using a novel AI-based discovery tool to mine large datasets of healthy gut samples looking for molecules and microbial strains that support a healthy intestinal barrier, ground-breaking research made possible thanks to support from The McCusker Charitable Foundation.

Around 100,000 people in Australia are currently living with IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and this number is expected to rise with Australia having among the highest prevalence rates in the world. However, current standard treatments focus on targeting immune cells and inflammation, often failing to control the disease.

With the support of generous funding from The McCusker Charitable Foundation, researchers from the University of Newcastle’s School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy are turning their attention to the vast pool of knowledge contained in the gut microbiome in a world-leading research project.

The McCusker Charitable Foundation has been supporting medical research for more than 30 years. One of our Foundation Directors had lived with ulcerative colitis for many years. Just three years ago, our son was also diagnosed, and many friends have similar gut-related conditions. The number of cases just seems to be increasing exponentially. Dr Kaiko and Dr Keely's exciting work at the University of Newcastle may lead to new treatments for IBD and IBS, helping thousands of people worldwide.

I was born at Newcastle East Hospital (my dad was a doctor there) and I have fond memories of the beach, sea pool and parks. So, it puts a smile on my face, that 57 years later I can give back through the University of Newcastle.”


Tonya McCusker AM
Administrator and Director
The McCusker Charitable Foundation

“Some of the biggest challenges to overcome in discovering new therapies is time and cost. This funding will enable us to advance our work using AI to mine the immense datasets of healthy gut microbiomes and hopefully identify possible new treatments for IBD sooner, improve quality of life and reduce the need for intestinal surgery,” says research co-lead and alumni, Dr Gerard Kaiko, Senior Lecturer, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy.

Ultimately, the aim is to develop new targeted drug therapies to achieve remission and improve the quality of life for more people living with IBD.

“We may also be able to apply this new AI-based drug design platform to identify drug candidates for other chronic diseases where the gut microbiome is known to play a role in the disease, including cancer and diabetes,” says research co-lead, Professor Simon Keely, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy.

To learn more about how you or your business can philanthropically support an area of research that you're passionate about, please see Kate's contact information below.

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