Competence Network Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

1. Funding phase

Projects: 01GI9984 - 01GI9988, 01GI0101
Funding period: 01.07.1999 - 30.06.2002
Volume: 9,2 mio EUR

2. Funding phase

Projects: 01GI0284 - 01GI0287
Funding period: 01.07.2002 - 30.06.2004
Volume: 4,05 mio EUR

3. Funding phase

Projects: 01GI0484 - 01GI0487
Funding period: 01.10.2004 - 30.06.2009
Volume: 1,8 mio EUR

Total Funding

Funding period: 01.07.1999 - 30.06.2009
Volume: 15,05 mio EUR

Network Speaker: Prof. Dr. Ulrich R. Fölsch
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin
Schittenhelmstr. 12
24105 Kiel
Tel.: +49 431 597-3937
E-Mail: info@kompetenznetz-ced.de

Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases comprise a variety of different disorders with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis representing the main entities. These diseases largely manifest in young adults. Life-time prevalence of these debilitating diseases is as high as 0.5-1% in some industrialized, Western societies. In Germany more than 300.000 individuals are affected. More than 1 million patients exist world-wide with strongly increasing incidences in Asia and the developing countries. Severe, mostly bloody diarrhoea, pain and severe systemic symptoms make these inflammatory conditions a large burden on the individual level and for societies, too.

Inflammatory bowel diseases are polygenic conditions with multiple disease genes determining genetic susceptibility and sub-phenotype characteristics. However, the life-style of industrialized societies is a necessary pre-requirement to precipitate genetic susceptibility into disease manifestation. The competence network contributes together with other research structures (e.g. the German National Genome Research Network) to discovery of the genetic etiology and main pathopyhysiologic mechanisms. Highlights include the discovery of two of the known susceptibility genes (CARD15, DLG5) and main contribution to development of new therapies (e.g. the completed phase III studies for certolizumab pegol that enabled a market application which is currently under EMEA and FDA evaluation). The ultimate aim of the competence network is an improved quality of life for those affected by inflammatory bowel disease. In addition to helping the development of new therapies on all levels, the network strives to improve the general quality of care through vertical networking that includes universities, physician specialists, general practioneers, medical assistants and the patients.

The Competence Network Inflammatory bowel disease is part of the funding program "Competence Networks in Medicine".
For more detailed information regarding the Competence Network Inflammatory bowel disease see: http://www.kompetenznetz-ced.de/.