Stanford University has announced a $70 million gift from an anonymous donor to enable Stanford Children’s Health to launch the Center for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Celiac Disease.

The center aims to bring together expert clinicians, researchers, and IBD and celiac disease nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and social workers to build a world-class program for state-of-the-art clinical care. The gastrointestinal disorders addressed by the center will include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis, and very early onset IBD.

Combined with grants from the National Institutes of Health and foundation-funded research programs, the gift will enable Stanford Children’s Health clinicians and researchers to partner with Stanford Medicine scientists in microbiome science, human immunology, genetics, epithelial biology, biomedical engineering, and data science to further the understanding of the root causes of IBD and celiac disease in children; advance precision medicine; and help develop the treatments. Experts in the center also will accelerate the understanding of these chronic conditions, collect and share data, and synchronize approaches to improve diagnosis and gastroenterology treatment.

“We aim to build the nation’s destination center for innovation in pediatric IBD and celiac disease care, as well as a major research hub for these conditions,” said Michael J. Rosen, director of the new center. “The joint services we offer will give children from birth to age 22 the best chance to live full and productive lives.”

(Photo Credit: Getty Images/fizkes)