December 2025

Letter from Alice: Supporting You Year-Round

We want to do our very best to support you and your family, now and in the future. So, while we’re creating resources like guides and recipes, we’re simultaneously supporting critical research and clinical trials, initiatives that push us closer to a world Beyond Celiac, where we’re all free to live life to the fullest.

Good news to report on that front, by that way—with your support in 2025, we continued to climb closer to that goal; below are just some of the steps we took toward a world Beyond Celiac.

For the celiac community:

Brought celiac disease research from the laboratory to your hands through 17 new articles in Research News.
Assessed community needs and redesigned our website to make finding resources for living with celiac disease easier.
Relaunched the Patient and Family Advisory Board with 12 dedicated patients and caregivers whose perspectives guide our initiatives and research priorities.
Grew the celiac community and celebrated our wins together at 26 in-person and six virtual events.
Welcomed our sixth intern cohort, including representatives from PA, MA, NJ, and, for the first time, Puerto Rico.

For more celiac education and awareness:

Educated healthcare workers and researchers about the challenges of living with celiac disease through the publication and presentation of two original research studies.
Hosted a Beyond Celiac Coalition workshop with clinical trial coordinators to deepen understanding of the trial experience.
Collected diverse patient and caregiver experiences to guide future celiac disease studies and analysis. (Want to help shape research? Take the community makeup survey today.)

For a world beyond celiac disease:

Funded research into why some people with celiac disease don’t improve on the gluten-free diet and fueling further scientific understanding of the condition.
Launched a pilot grant program with the American Gastroenterological Association to reach scientists at all career levels interested in new celiac disease research.
Selected three companies with promising early-stage projects to accelerate celiac disease treatment innovation through Beyond Celiac Investments’ support.
Actively supported those working on treatments and a cure by recruiting for two celiac disease trials.

Appreciate this work? Send a little holiday cheer our way and make a gift—large or small, we appreciate it all the same! Anything helps, because we truly can’t do any of this without you.

Wishing you warmth and light this holiday season,
—Alice Bast

Thank you for your kind support this Giving Tuesday! Because of a generous 1:1 matching gift, your donation will have twice the impact in driving solutions to help our community.

Together, we are making a difference, and together we can find a cure!

P.S: Don’t worry if you missed the Giving Tuesday $50,000 match challenge—you still have time to give until the end of December! Make a Gift Today!

Gluten-Free Recipes

Lemon Snowballs

Whether or not you have snow where you are, you can make a pretty tasty stand-in; these treats are sweet and tart, a perfect pick-me-up for this time of the year.

Potato, Parsnip and Pear Latkes

This recipe makes for the perfect blend of starchy, sweet and savory latkes. Make them for your Hanukkah gatherings, a work party, or potluck with friends.

Voices of Celiac: Malik’s Story

“When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, it was a tough pill to swallow—I went through a whirlwind of emotions. Just hearing the word ‘disease’ can instantly make you feel like something is wrong with you. It truly felt like a grieving process. […] Things do get easier. I gained 10 pounds of muscle over the summer. This was something I struggled with before being diagnosed.

There’s a harmful myth that African Americans can’t get celiac disease, which is clearly false. I want to do my part to raise awareness in minority communities.”

Read Malik’s Story
Share Your Story

Trivia Question of the Month

Question

True or false: If a person has taken the blood test for celiac disease, they never need to be tested for celiac again.

Answer

False.

Celiac disease can be triggered at any point in life, from the very young to the very old. Even if someone received negative results from the blood test (such as TTG or EMA) before, it doesn’t mean they won’t develop celiac disease in the future. Anyone experiencing symptoms should be tested, even if they’ve been tested before.

The one exception to this is DNA testing: generally, if a person does not have the genes associated with celiac disease (HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8), doctors rule out celiac disease forever. However, genetic testing is usually done with spit, not blood—tricky wording in the trivia question, eh?

Learn more about celiac disease testing.

Research News

Only 1 in 10 children with high risk for celiac disease are being tested, a study funded by Beyond Celiac found

Only 1 in 10 children with high risks symptoms and conditions are being tested for celiac disease, according to new research by Beyond Celiac and Weill Cornell Medicine. This low rate of testing is “alarming,” the study says.

Research Opportunities

Celiac disease clinical study: ASPIRION

Struggling with your celiac disease symptoms? We are looking for people with celiac disease to take part in a clinical study. You may be eligible to participate if you:

Are 18 years or older
Are still experiencing symptoms, despite following a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months
Have a confirmed diagnosis of celiac disease

Living with celiac disease can be challenging. See if you may qualify for our study today.
*Intended for a US audience*

AVALON

AVALON is a phase 1 clinical trial assessing the investigational drug VTP-1000 in adults with celiac disease. This investigational targeted immunotherapy is designed to prevent or reduce symptoms from accidental gluten exposure by promoting tolerance to gluten.

18–65 years old
Celiac disease confirmed by biopsy within the past 10 years
Have been on a gluten-free diet for 12+ months

Additional criteria apply, and compensation for your time and travel may be available. Learn more at beyondceliac.org/avalon.
*Intended for a US audience*

Allergic Living Spotlight

Allergic Living’s Airlines & Allergies Guide: Domestic (USA) and International

Traveling for the holidays or planning a big trip for 2026? Check out Allergic Living‘s guide to airlines and allergies—they also include information on gluten and gluten-free meals whenever possible!

News & Updates

Notice Our New Look?

We’ve updated our website to improve usability and your experience—please excuse any bugs you may have encountered during our transition! Notably, we’re emphasizing the green more than ever before, because it’s the unofficial color of celiac disease, and we’re devoted to always putting our patients first. Enjoy the new look!

Gluten-Free Christmas Menu

If you’re celebrating Christmas, you may be worried about finding enough tasty, gluten-free options. Fear not! We’ve compiled a collection of recipes perfect for the season, from appetizers and salads to mains and desserts. Enjoy!

Guide to Managing Food Restrictions in Higher Education

We reviewed and endorse this free guide from Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). If you or someone you know has food restrictions and will be in higher education, download this comprehensive packet to better prepare for life in university accommodations!

Raise Money for Beyond Celiac on Facebook!

Happy birth-month to all our December-born community members! When your big day rolls around, consider raising money for Beyond Celiac so that we can help fund new research by scientists in the celiac disease field. And a HUGE thank you to everyone who’s created fundraisers for us throughout the years! These fundraisers help make our important work possible.