In order to increase access to care and advance research on gastric diseases in children, Stanford Children's Health has launched its new Center for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Celiac Disease, thanks to a $70 million donation from an anonymous donor.
Children with IBD and celiac disease require comprehensive and dedicated care to achieve the best outcome and control of their diseases, so this new center will bring together expert physicians, researchers, nurses, dietitians, psychologists and expert social workers to build a world-class program in cutting-edge clinical care.
"Our goal is to build the nation's destination center for innovation in pediatric IBD and celiac disease care, as well as a major research center for these conditions," said Michael J. Rosen, director of the new center.
Gastric diseases to be addressed by the center will include Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis and very early onset IBD.
"The joint services we offer will give children, from birth to age 22, the best opportunity to enjoy full and productive lives," said Rosen, also a pediatric gastroenterologist at Stanford Children's Health, and Stanford University professor for pediatric IBD and celiac disease.
Physicians and researchers will partner with Stanford Medicine scientists in microbiome science, human immunology, genetics, epithelial biology, biomedical engineering and data science to better understand the root causes of IBD and celiac disease in children; advanced precision medicine, to help develop tomorrow's treatments.
The gastric disease center experts will also accelerate understanding of these chronic conditions, collect and share data, and synchronize approaches to improve diagnosis and treatment in gastroenterology.
The Center for Pediatric IBD and Celiac Disease will work closely with leading subspecialists in fields such as advanced endoscopy, surgery, pain management, mental health, nutrition and integrative medicine at Stanford to address the comprehensive care needs of children with these conditions.
"Our close collaboration with expert immunologists and clinical geneticists allows us to provide advanced diagnostic and treatment options for children with IBD and celiac disease who do not respond to standard treatment," Rosen said.
He added that this collaborative work could make a real difference in the coming years by improving the ability to personalize treatment of gastric diseases, select bio-specimens and patient-reported outcome data for researchers around the world, and develop clear guidance on which drugs are safest and most effective for which children.
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford physician-in-chief Adalyn Jay and Stanford School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics chair Pete Harman, among others, were grateful for the generous gift with which, they said, they will be able to bring together "the best minds at Stanford to change the lives of children with IBD and celiac disease."
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