Propel a Cure for Crohn's Disease

06/17/2026

A recent study found that a specific genetic marker, HLA-DRB1*01:03, was linked to more severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. More research is needed, but findings like these help advance our understanding of why disease severity can vary from person to person.

HLA-DRB1*01:03 emerges as a genetic determinant of severe disease in both patients with Crohn's disease and patients with ulcerative colitis. Although further validation is needed, assessing HLA-DRB1*01:03 carriage might help identify patients who could benefit from more intensive monitoring or earl...

06/15/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Katerina Chatzi, Co-Founder & CEO of Promakhos Therapeutics, for recently receiving a Harvard President's Innovation Challenge Award!

Propel a Cure is proud to have supported the development of Promakhos's innovative approach to disease. Their drug candidate aims to restore a natural biological signal that appears to be missing in patients and has shown promising results in preclinical models.

We thank Dr. Chatzi and the Promakhos team for daring to think differently and for advancing transformative solutions for the Crohn's community.

Hear Dr. Chatzi share more about Promakhos's game-changing findings in the accompanying video clip:

The President’s Innovation Challenge celebrates student and alumni ...

06/14/2026

Stories like this are why we do what we do. Behind every diagnosis is a family hoping for better treatments, fewer complications, and a future free from disease.

We’re currently evaluating new research opportunities to fund in 2026. If you’d like to help accelerate the search for a cure, please consider supporting our mission.

propelacure.org/donate

06/11/2026

Up to 40% of people living with experience biologic failure—either never responding to treatment or losing response over time.

For many patients with Crohn’s disease, the current therapy landscape isn’t enough.

That’s why Propel a Cure funds innovative research aimed at uncovering new disease mechanisms, identifying novel therapeutic targets, and advancing the discoveries that could ultimately lead to a cure for Crohn’s disease.

Learn more about the research we’re supporting at propelacure.org/researchprojects.

Want to help accelerate the search for a cure? Donate at propelacure.org/donate.

06/11/2026

“Even though we know men's and women's immune systems differ, many studies still overlook these differences, which can limit how well we understand disease, and in turn bias treatment options."

Autoimmune diseases, where the body's own immune system mistakenly goes on the attack, are much more common in women – and a new study analyzing more than 1.25 million blood cells goes a long way to explaining why.

06/10/2026

We’re incredibly grateful to Fathom, one of our corporate partners, for their generous support and commitment to our mission. Fathom is an AI wellness companion designed specifically for . Learn more at https://fthm.co/propel-a-cure

06/09/2026

New NIH research has identified a key immune pathway linked to severe early-onset .

Researchers found that rare mutations in the GPR15 gene prevent protective immune cells from reaching the colon, allowing inflammation to build. This discovery helps explain how severe intestinal inflammation develops and may point to more targeted treatments in the future that restore immune balance rather than broadly suppressing the immune system.

https://www.miragenews.com/nih-finds-cells-protecting-against-bowel-disease-1688338/

Discovery opens the door for improved diagnoses and treatments.

06/06/2026

🔬 Researchers have created the largest single-cell map of IBD to date, analyzing more than 2.2 million cells from the blood and gut tissue of people with Crohn’s disease and healthy controls.

The study linked genetic risk factors for IBD to specific cell types, helping researchers identify genes and biological pathways that may contribute to disease development. Findings suggest that both immune dysfunction and impaired repair of the gut lining may play a role in IBD.

This work provides a valuable resource for understanding how genetic risk influences disease and may help guide future treatment development.

Scientists have created the most detailed cell map to date showing how genetic variation influences inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), revealing the specific cells and genes that drive the disease.

06/03/2026

Researchers have discovered how a specific protein seems to play a part in explaining why many Crohn's patients experience post-surgical disease recurrence.

https://nieuws.kuleuven.be/en/content/2026/ku-leuven-discovers-protein-that-helps-predict-recurrence-of-crohns-disease

Researchers at KU Leuven have taken an important step in understanding why patients with Crohn's disease often experience a relapse after bowel surgery. Their research shows that a reduced amount of GPX4 protein in the intestinal wall is strongly related to a higher risk of recurrence.

06/01/2026

The trauma of Crohn’s isn’t just physical. Painful flares, emergency hospitalizations, surgeries, and years of uncertainty can leave lasting psychological scars.

Research suggests that PTSD may also be linked to a higher risk of disease exacerbation, highlighting the powerful connection between mental and physical health.

Medical trauma is real. And it deserves to be part of the conversation.