2019-20 Innovation Fund Awards

Awarded jointly to a patient and an early career researcher, this £12,000 funds MRI scans to investigate a link between leaky gut and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory arthritis condition primarily of the spine.

Shaun Beebe, who was diagnosed with the condition in his twenties, is the lead recipient, and will work on the study with Early Career Researcher, Hannah Williams, and gastroenterologist Dr Giles Major from the University of Nottingham. They are collaborating with rheumatologists Prof Dennis McGonagle and Dr Sayam Dubash from Leeds BRC.

The disease affects 1-2% of the population, slowly immobilising the spine over decades, and can spread to the heart and eyes. There is no current cure.

Mr Beebe, who is now a Head of Operations for the University’s Faculty of Science, has researched his condition extensively, and suggested to the team that MRI could be used to discover more about a known link between gut and spine in Ankylosing Spondylitis.

AS is thought to be caused by environmental and physiological factors triggering a genetic heritability, with around 60% of patients having sub-clinical gut inflammation, and perhaps a ‘leaky gut’. The study will image 20 patients to assess gut permeability, which could lead to a more patient-friendly procedure than the current hours of repeated urine tests.

Establishing the link between leaky gut and inflammation could also lead to better treatment pathways, and indicate ways the same method could help with other conditions such as the link between inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis.