New research on the molecular mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease points toward potential avenues for treatment, writes Heidi Ledford for Nature. IBD is a catch-all term for a variety of intestinal diseases involving chronic inflammation, with pain, diarrhea, and anemia being common symptoms. Incidence is increasing, and sufferers are desperate for effective relief. Ledford writes about three new studies that illuminate regulatory, autoimmune, and microbiological processes going on in some people with the condition. Two of the studies identified existing drugs that seem to hold promise for treating people with the right molecular profiles. Image by WolfpackBME via Wikimedia Commons
