Redditacious

Greetings, I would like to adddress a question to Troy.
I read the posted link and believeI have a decent grasp of what you are working on.
I have had Crohn's disease for 15 years. Initially the disease was thought to be an over-reactive immune system and was treated with large doses of TNF antibody inducing biologic medications (Remicade) , immunosuppressive, and chemotherapy drugs.
Some of the latest research is hinting that Crohn's is an under responsive immune and that certain bacterial pathogens form a biofilm that prevents more beneficial bacteria from colonizing. Clinical trials are being done with large doses of antibiotics and antifungals followed by probiotic therapy and more recently fecal transplants. There has even been some successful studies done with helminthic therapies.

TL; DR what are your thoughts on the large rise of irritable bowel diseases in relation to intestinal bacteria? What do you think is the near future for treatments of these types of disease?

Thanks for your time and I look forward to following your future work.

Excellent plug Michio Kaku

You probably won't see this, but I will add it anyway. I had my first bowel resection for Crohns disease in my late teens. Not anything comparable to the people you help, but it did make me recognize my own mortality at a young age and it was terrifying. I was released from the hospital 2000 miles from my family and any support. There aren't many teenagers who contemplate their mortality, let alone discuss it. This part of your program is something I wish I had had. I expected some feels when I came here, but this part really touched me. Most places, when you are gone, that's it. Your follow up and sharing cherished memories of past loved ones and acknowledging how they affected your lives is priceless. I don't have a point, just a thanks, for what you do and sharing what you do. Thank you.

Thanks for responding and sparking an interest in what I think you are doing! It has been a little challenging, but I have enjoyed reading your publications and look forward to educating myself more in that area of study.
If I'm not mistaken you are studying the toxicity and modes of attack of a virus and the genetic factors involved that correlate with the success of the attack. More specifically determining what the functional aspects of DNA are and it's relevance, and possibly predicting severity of disease and then applying these findings to human genetics and disease?

Oh man,I have been out of academia for 15 years so I hope what I said/am asking makes some sense. If not can you ELI5 what you are specifically working on?

Hiya, great to see someone stay strong. I have Crohn's disease and my favorite shirt says "I hate my guts" with an anatomy drawing of the GI tract below it :) 2 surgeries (one emergency open surgery and one laparoscopic.) My pain is always been lower right quadrant. Now I'm having high center abdominal pain. I brought up Oddi to them because the symptomology is much more like what I have. (Crohn's and Oddi are similar, yet different in pain and systemic complications). The doctorssaid it's so rare, not likely. Endoscopy, Ct enterography, colonoscopy upcoming to narrow down diagnosis.

anyway, How did they come to a definitive diagnosis? As I understood it's kind of a if it's not something else then maybe Oddi. Also how were you treated? ERCP? (Endoscopic laser), laparoscopic, or open surgery? Thanks for any questions you can answer.
Oh, do you feel that this "physical" malfunction is partially responsible for your schizoaffective behavior (I hate to define physical and mental health differently as many physical illnesses cause "mental" illness) I ask because for myself, it can be very hard to get myself outside (or anywhere a bathroom isn't present) sometime, let alone overcome the fatigue and pain reach out and connect with people socially. I also think the constant physical stress taxes the mental faculties, and that long term physical stress causes emotional anxieties.

Sorry if none if this made sense as it was posted on moblie at 3 am, upon my familiar porcelain throne. Thanks again for sharing, hopefully the future brings you relief :)
Edit: letters