title: Advances in IBD genetics.
abstract: IBD is a spectrum of chronic disorders that constitute an important health problem worldwide. The hunt for genetic determinants of disease onset and course has culminated in the Immunochip project, which has identified >160 loci containing IBD susceptibility genes. In this Review, we highlight how genetic association studies have informed our understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD by focusing research efforts on key pathways involved in innate immunity, autophagy, lymphocyte differentiation and chemotaxis. Several of these novel genetic markers and cellular pathways are promising candidates for patient stratification and therapeutic targeting.
authors.affiliation: IBD Centre, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Paediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University, 5850/5890 University Avenue, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Limbergen
authors.affiliation: IBD Research Group, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and University of Queensland School of Medicine, Herston Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radford-Smith
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Satsangi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy