New projects supported by the Coeliac Research Fund

The Coeliac Research Fund in Australia has announced the successful grant recipients of the 2009 Grants Program, with seed funding going to support three new research projects over the coming year.

The three research projects include a study into plant enzyme therapy for managing coeliac disease; measurement of the subtle neurological effects of eating gluten in those with coeliac disease; and an investigation into whether immune tolerance is abnormal in coeliac disease.

The first study, to be carried out by scientists at Melbourne Health, will comprise a six week trial treatment whereby the effectiveness of the plant enzyme supplementation will be evaluated. A group of volunteers will eat gluten plus the supplement, whilst another group will be given a placebo. The changes in the gut will be monitored and villous atrophy assessed before and after the research period.

The second study will be conducted by a team at Monash University’s Department of Gastroenterology. The project will look for an association between subtle neurological deficits such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor memory and coordination, and gluten exposure. The results are likely to have significant implications for the quality of life in patients with coeliac disease before and after diagnosis, and help to qualify the 'fuzzy' feeling reported by many with coeliac disease.

The third study is a collaboration between Associate Professor Tony Kelleher and researchers at St Vincent's Centre for Applied Immunology in Sydney and Dr Bob Anderson and his team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne. Although approximately 1 in 3 people carry the essential susceptibility genes for coeliac disease, only 1 in 100 actually develop coeliac disease. The reason for this is unknown however it is thought that environmental factors influence the balance between a destructive pro-inflammatory and a tolerant immune response to gluten. The study is designed to gain a greater understanding of the immune tolerance to gluten.

More information on the Coeliac Research Fund’s grant program, and the research supported by the fund, can be found at www.coeliacresearchfund.org