The aim of this research project is to improve the current tools used in celiac disease diagnostics towards more reliable, objective and non-invasive procedures. Simultaneous, the aim is to develop completely novel means that can be exploited in the diagnostic workup. Moreover, the project soughs to identify factors (including environmental, life-style, genetic, microbial or immunological ones) that predict future onset of celiac disease and investigate the usefulness of such markers in the early diagnostics.
Background
Celiac disease is highly under-diagnosed largely due to the vast heterogeneity of the clinical picture and problems related with the diagnostic procedure. The current diagnostic workup is time-consuming and is based on the demonstration of small bowel mucosal villous atrophy in biopsies obtained upon invasive gastroscopy. The interpretation of the biopsies is coupled with several technical and interpretational difficulties. To overcome these problems, the celiac disease diagnostics is been developed towards non-invasive procedures and there is a need for objective and even more reliable and less-burdensome methods.
Funding source
Sigrid Juselius Foundation
Contact persons
Katri Kaukinen
Professor
katri.kaukinen [at] uta.fi
+358 50 318 6343