Center for Basic and Translational Research on Disorders of the Digestive System

Diseases that affect the digestive system are among the most prevalent health problems in the world today, but little is known about the fundamental causes and basic biology of these disorders. Center for Basic and Translational Research on Disorders of the Digestive System, established in 2012, brings together faculty for intensive interdisciplinary collaboration intended to result in new treatments for a broad range of health conditions including hepatitis; inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; obesity and metabolic disorders; and many forms of cancer, notably fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, as well as colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancer.

The center promotes interdisciplinary basic research and collaborations among some 20 Rockefeller labs that study biological processes related to the digestive system, including its interactions with resident microorganisms and its interconnections with the immune, circulatory, and neuroendocrine systems. CDSS also encourages translational research that integrates basic studies and clinical investigations centered in The Rockefeller University Hospital, with the goal of making major contributions to the medical management of metabolic diseases, cancers, infections, and inflammatory disorders.