Mcmaster researchers develop targeted phage therapy for inflammatory bowel disease

Elena Verdu, professor in the Department of Medicine and director of the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research InstituteOne challenge is that AIEC are defined by what they do, not simply by how they appear in a microbiome analysis. To identify them, we need to test their behaviour, such as their ability to adhere to and invade intestinal cells and persist in immune cells."

The project reflects a uniquely collaborative research environment at McMaster. The Verdu lab focuses on the role of the gut microbiome in human health and disease, while the Hosseinidoust lab specializes in targeted antimicrobials, particularly bacteriophages. By working closely across disciplines and leveraging McMaster's axenic research facilities, which allow scientists to study the microbiome under highly controlled conditions, the teams were able to connect bacterial behaviour, immune responses and therapeutic design in ways that would be difficult to achieve in isolation.

The findings point to a precision‑medicine approach for IBD. The bacterial function targeted by the phage can be measured in stool samples and was found to be higher in a subset of patients with Crohn's disease, suggesting a potential way to identify those who could benefit most from this therapy.

"This is what personalized medicine should look like: matching the right biological tool to the right patient," says Hosseinidoust.

Next steps for the team include evaluating broader collections of bacterial strains from IBD patients and developing combinations of phages - work that brings the approach closer to human trials.

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McMaster University

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