The fight against IBD cannot be fought individually but collectively, with unity and shared purpose.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) have silently and relentlessly pervaded the lives of millions of people worldwide, causing debilitating effects on human health that extend far beyond their visible symptoms.

IBD has emerged as an urgent global health concern, demanding immediate attention from medical communities, policymakers, and society as a whole. In the United States alone, an estimated 3 million people suffer from Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and these conditions impact more than 10 million people worldwide.

Fortunately, there is a dedicated community of researchers and healthcare professionals advancing the field and improving outcomes for patients.

At the recent Advances in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (AIBD) meeting, held December 14-16 in Orlando, three of these visionary leaders were recognized. Each year, the Bruce and Cynthia Sherman Charitable Foundation awards three Sherman Prizes to IBD clinicians, researchers, surgeons, and academics, recognizing exceptional and pioneering contributions that transform the care of people with IBD.

The 2023 Sherman Prize Honorees are:

• Corey Siegel, MD, MS, Director of the Center for Digestive Health and Co-Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Constantine and Joyce Hampers Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Hanover, NH.
  
  Siegel pioneered new models of IBD care that have significantly improved outcomes for patients and made an incredible effect on the field. Focusing his career on improving the patient experience and optimizing care, Siegel is a changemaker who is highly regarded for bringing the science of risk communication to the field of IBD, advancing systematic approaches to quality improvement, and expanding access to high-quality care.
  
• Thaddeus Stappenbeck, MD, PhD, Sherwick Endowed Chair in Inflammation & Immunity and Chair of Inflammation and Immunity at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
  
  One of Stappenbeck’s first big breakthroughs was finding a way to study wound healing in the mouse colon — a crucial area of research because mucosal ulcerations are a key feature of moderate to severe IBD. His lab innovated the use of endoscopic biopsies in a pre-clinical model, which he called “the missing technical piece” to be able to study wound healing in the colon. This laid the groundwork for further discovery of the processes that defined each stage of intestinal repair.

The 2023 Sherman Emerging Leader Prize Honoree is:

• Andres Yarur, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.
  
  Among Yarur’s research findings are discovering that people who have active disease, despite having detectable levels of anti-TNF medication in their blood, may not have optimal concentrations in the gut itself. He has also significantly advanced the knowledge of the interaction and optimization of combination therapy regimens. 
  
  

These honorees join the esteemed Honor Roll of Sherman Prize recipients, IBD visionaries, and emerging leaders who go above and beyond to improve patients’ lives and make a significant impact in the fight to overcome IBD. For more information, visit ShermanPrize.org.

The fight against IBD cannot be fought individually but collectively, with unity and shared purpose. As we refine and adapt the healthcare system, let us prioritize the development and implementation of comprehensive care platforms, promoting early detection, extensive research, and accessible treatments. Together, we can work to find a cure and ensure a brighter, healthier world for generations to come.

For more than two decades, AIBD has attracted experts in the field to share optimal treatment strategies, discuss best practices, and provide real-world takeaways to help attendees improve patient outcomes through education. For more information, visit advancesinibd.com.