What is IBD Research?

IBD research is medical and social research that looks to improve outcomes for IBD patients.

Why get involved?

Research is only successful when patients participate.

Each piece of research which takes place in the UK goes through several steps to get approved and funded. One fundamental part of this is patient participation involvement (PPI) which ensure the study or research reaches toward the goal of helping patients through discussing the outcomes or goals with patients who are affected or interested in a particular study or research topic.

For some patients, being involved in research is too much and they do not volunteer to take part. But others do take part to push science, medicine and social sciences forward to improve outcomes for patients.

At Crohn’s and Colitis UK they have been involved in shaping and helping recruitment for IBD research for the past ten years. In recent years, as PPI has evolved and become a very important aspect of research, they have developed Research Champions.

Research Champions are people living with Crohn’s or Colitis, who volunteer their time and share their experiences in our partnerships with researchers across the UK. 

The role of a Research Champion is to be part of a research project, attending meetings to share their own views and experiences, as well as representing the Crohn’s and Colitis community. This is a unique opportunity to tell researchers what matters to people with Crohn’s and Colitis and make sure this is reflected in their work. 

I am a Research Champion, one of the first and now one of eight who work closely with a particular IBD research project or study to help champion their work to the general public and IBD community.

How do I get involved?

You can particulate in any IBD research by signing up for research studies. I’ve numbered these in such a way that they involve more time and effort as you go onwards.

There are several ways to find opportunities:

  1. Sign up for the Crohns and Colitis UK Resrarch newsletter – a direct email update with new studies looking for particpants.
  2. Take a look through the patient opportunies avalibale via the Crohns and Colitis UK Resrarch section of their website. This section is regularly updated and shared on their social media channels : Twitter – Facebook
  3. Read through The Power of Research – a detailed report on how Crohns and Colitis Uk have promoted, particopanted, shaped and sponseored reserch within IBD for the past decade.
  4. Look into get involved in shaping research via Crohns and Coltis UK here – this inovled sitting on the study board and not actually being a particant.
  5. Take part as a patient in the latest Patient Invovlement Day here or read up on the previous days to gain more insight.
  6. Apply to become a Research Champion – by volunteering your time to Crohns and Colitis UK.