Congratulations to DMCBH researchers Drs. Helen Tremlett and Deanna Gibson on receiving funding through Genome BC’s Data Access, Integration and Analysis 2 (DAIA2) program!
The two researchers are among six project leads who will use the Health Data Platform BC to integrate different sources of health information to better understand disease and improve patient care.
Dr. Tremlett’s project will explore how health data can help identify multiple sclerosis earlier, while Dr. Gibson’s research will investigate ways to better understand and predict inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups before they occur.
By bringing together diverse health data, these projects aim to uncover new insights that could support earlier diagnosis, more personalized care and better health outcomes for British Columbians.
Learn more about the projects being led by DMCBH members:
Genetic Susceptibility, Healthcare Use and the Multiple Sclerosis Prodrome (GENESIS-MS)
Project leader: Dr. Helen Tremlett
This project will investigate whether genetic risk and patterns of healthcare use can help
identify multiple sclerosis years before symptoms become apparent.
Research has shown that people who later develop multiple sclerosis (MS) often use healthcare services more frequently for 5-15 years before clinical symptom onset or diagnosis. This suggests a long prodromal period (when early warning signs or symptoms of an illness first appear) when the disease may already be developing but cannot yet be reliably recognized.
GENESIS-MS will analyze DNA from 1,411 participants in the BC Generations Project, including people with MS, people with a family history of MS and individuals without MS. Researchers will calculate polygenic risk scores and securely link them with long-term health records held in Health Data Platform BC. This will allow the team to examine how inherited risk relates to doctor visits and prescription use before symptoms appear.
By identifying genetic and healthcare patterns associated with the MS prodrome, the project could support earlier recognition, inform future prevention strategies and improve the timing of care and treatment.
Integrated Multi-Omics to Predict and Understand IBD
Project leader: Dr. Deanna Gibson
This project aims to predict and ultimately help prevent inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups
by examining how diet interacts with gut microbes and the body.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a lifelong condition with unpredictable symptoms. Many patients continue to experience recurring flares despite treatment. The burden is also growing among immigrant communities, including South Asian populations, but current care cannot reliably predict when a flare will occur or identify which food-related exposures contribute to disease activity.
The research team will analyze stool and blood samples from people with IBD and healthy participants, including recent immigrants, alongside detailed dietary information. Using a multiomics approach, researchers will study gut bacteria, their activity and the small molecules they produce. These findings will be securely linked with provincial health records through Health Data Platform BC, and machine learning will be used to identify relationships among diet, microbial activity and clinical outcomes.
The project is expected to develop biomarker panels and predictive models that could warn of upcoming flares and identify people at higher risk. The findings could support more personalized and equitable care, reduce hospitalizations and improve quality of life for people living with IBD.
