Dr. Shai Bel Wins ERC Proof of Concept

Congratulations to Dr. Shai Bel upon receipt of a grant from the European Union. An innovative treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases will now proceed to the pre-clinical stage.

150,000 Euros (approx. 600,000 NIS) will be awarded to a researcher who succeeds in developing an innovative therapeutic approach for those suffering from Crohn's disease and Colitis.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn's and Colitis, are chronic diseases that affect 1% of the population in the developed world. The current treatments weaken the immune system, which can have potentially serious consequences such as infection and the development of cancer. In addition, over 50% of patients do not respond to any existing treatments.

Two years ago, thanks to a preliminary ERC grant, Dr. Bel and his team discovered a possible new approach to treating these diseases. The method they developed encourages the intestine to produce mucus that protects the tissue from bacteria and helps to heal the intestine.

Now, with the support of an ERC Proof of Concept grant, this innovative approach can be tested in preclinical models, determining the potential to treat clinical patients.