Lunken Lab

OPTIMIST Study

Purpose of Optimist study

The goal of this pilot observational study is to determine if specific microbiome signatures can predict therapeutic responses in adult patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), living in British Columbia, Canada. 

The main questions this study seeks to answer are:

  • How do microbiome profiles differ between active and quiescent CD and non-IBD controls?
  • Can microbiome signatures across different sample types (fecal, intestinal washings, and intestinal epithelial biopsies) predict response to therapy in CD?

Researchers will compare microbiome signatures in patients with active and inactive CD as well as non-IBD controls to see if there are any microbial signatures that predict response to therapy.

What is involved

Control and IBD participants in Phase 1 will:

  • Provide stool samples both before the colonoscopy and two weeks after (using an at-home collection kit provided by the research team).
  • Agree to have several samples collected during the colonoscopy for research purposes (blood, biopsies, intestinal wash).
  • Complete an online questionnaire about their gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Record their diet using an online tool (ASA24 link) for three days prior to the second stool collection.

IBD patients enrolled in Phase 2 will:

  • Provide stool samples at 4, 8, and 12 months after the initial colonoscopy.
  • Record their diet using the online tool (ASA24 link) for three days before each stool collection.
  • Answer questions related to gastrointestinal symptoms at 4, 8, and 12 months post-colonoscopy.
  • If another colonoscopy is scheduled as part of care, agree to have several samples collected during the procedure.

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