Letter from Alice: Funding Research Beyond US Borders
I am pleased to announce that Beyond Celiac has recently announced the award of grants for $1.6 million to five celiac disease research projects around the world. This makes us the premier nonprofit funder of international celiac disease research, a role we take great pride in.
These new multi-year grants are focused on non-invasive/minimally invasive biomarkers of celiac disease, the microbiome, and restoring/inducing immune tolerance to gluten antigens. The grants will fund research at prestigious institutions in five countries including Israel, Portugal, and Finland. The awards are as follows:
Research Accelerator Grant Awards
- Shed cell transcriptomics for the identification of celiac disease dynamics by Shalev Itzkovitz, PhD, at the Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovot, Israel) in collaboration with the Schneider Children’s Medical Center (Petah Tikva, Israel)
- Novel Biomarkers of mucosal damage for non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of celiac disease by Michael FitzPatrick, MRCP, DPhil, (previous Beyond Celiac awardee) at University of Oxford (Oxford, UK)
Established Investigator Awards
- Identifying predictors for progressive phenotypes of Celiac disease by Rok Seon Choung, MD, PhD, at Mayo Clinic (MN, USA) in collaboration with the Naval Medical Center (MD, USA) and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NY, USA)
- CeliAct(TIV) – Translocation, Inflammation and Virulence: dissecting mechanisms of gluten-microbiota interactions in Celiac Disease by Sónia Gonçalves Pereira, PhD, at the Instituto Politécnico de Leiria (Leiria, Portugal), in collaboration with the Celiac Disease Research Center at Tampere University (Tampere, Finland)
- Preclinical 2D celiac patient-based iPSC-small intestinal epithelial in vitro model by Kati Juuti-Uusitalo, PhD, at Tampere University (Tampere, Finland)
Our commitment to identifying and funding the world’s best and most promising research remains steadfast. Accelerating research for treatments and a cure for celiac disease will help our community members live longer, fuller lives. Over the past several years, we have committed millions of dollars to directly fund celiac disease research as part of our comprehensive Science Plan to have treatments toward a cure by 2030.
Our Scientific Advisory Board, led by Beyond Celiac Chief Science and Strategy Officer Salvo Alesci, MD, PhD, has worked diligently to identify and select the most promising science projects. The rigorous grant selection process included recommendations from members of our Scientific Advisory Board, including Lisa Fahey, MD; Benjamin Lebwohl, MD; Dale Young Lee, MD, MSCE; Daniel Leffler, MD; Edwin Liu, MD; Stephen Miller, PhD; Joseph Murray, MD; and Kari C. Nadeau, MD, PhD.
At Beyond Celiac, we are proud to be the leading catalyst for a celiac disease cure in the U.S. Our mission is to serve as a patient advocacy and research-driven organization that drives diagnosis and accelerates the discovery of new treatments. By engaging with the top scientists in the field, making the right investments in research, and supporting the broad community of those with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, Beyond Celiac is creating a future in which people can live healthy lives and eat without fear – a world Beyond Celiac.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We couldn’t do this important work without you!
Together for a cure,
—Alice Bast
Gluten-Free Recipes
Sweet Bread for Easter or Passover
This almond cake with golden raisins is the perfect dessert for your next spring gathering. Try making this to impress your family and friends at Easter, or collect kosher ingredients and bring it to your Passover get-together. Or, better yet, make it for yourself and indulge with a slice for dessert every day of the week!
Roti (Indian flatbread)
Roti is undoubtedly a staple of Indian cuisine, and it’s popular across all of South East Asia as well. They’re fairly easy to make, but traditionally contain wheat—we’re here to help! Try this gluten-free recipe with your next curry.
This recipe is courtesy of our friends at Gluten-Free Palate.
T-shirt Deadline for our May 5K is April 9th!
This May people all across the United States (and a few international participants!) will lace up their sneakers to participate in in our Step Beyond Celiac 5K. Our virtual Step Beyond Celiac 5K can be run or walked from anywhere you are, even indoors on a treadmill, and all proceeds go toward research for treatments for this autoimmune condition.
Want to support a worthy cause? Sign up by April 9th and we will send you an official race t-shirt that you can wear to raise awareness for celiac disease!
Register now to secure a shirt!
Voices of Celiac: Liz’s Story
Growing up I had chronic pain, I was exhausted all the time, and I could fall asleep within 5 minutes of eating a meal. But that pain was normalized, so I just lived with it.
I believed that I was doing something wrong—not eating well, not exercising enough, that there was something in my lifestyle I could control or change—but no matter what I changed the pain was there, so I learned to ignore it.
Read Liz’s Story
Share Your Story
ILLUMINATE-062 Study
Participants are needed for the ILLUMINATE-062 Study, which is looking at the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication designed to break down gluten in the stomach compared with placebo in those with celiac disease who are on a gluten-free diet. The study will evaluate how well the investigational medication reduces celiac-related symptoms and intestinal damage due to gluten exposure.
Participants who have been diagnosed with celiac, which was confirmed by a biopsy, and have been on a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months are needed. Study-related care is provided at no cost and a travel stipend may be provided.
Learn more
Antidote Survey
We’re writing to share that Beyond Celiac, Antidote, and SCORR Marketing are conducting a survey to learn what people who have been affected by celiac disease think about clinical research, and we’d love to have your input. By answering these questions, you can help us make clinical trial participation easier for those who would like to take part.
Survey participation will take about 20 minutes; your individual answers will remain confidential, and we will publicly share only the combined, overall results.
Take the survey
PROACTIVE Study
Still experiencing celiac disease symptoms despite your gluten-free diet? This phase 2 clinical trial is testing the investigational medication PRV-015 in combination with a gluten-free diet for ongoing celiac disease symptoms.
Take the survey
Applications Open for the 2023 Beyond Celiac–SSCD Early Career Research Grant
Beyond Celiac is excited to announce the launch of our 2023 Beyond Celiac–Society for the Study of Celiac Disease Early Career Research Grant Award! This grant is designed to support early-career researchers who are committed to advancing the understanding of celiac disease and finding innovative ways to improve the lives of those affected by this serious autoimmune disease.
We believe that investing in the next generation of researchers is critical to driving progress in celiac disease research. Our hope is that this grant will not only support celiac science but also inspire and empower the next generation of celiac researchers.
Learn More and Apply
Allergic Living Spotlight
My Top Food Allergy Pet Peeves: It Doesn’t Have to Be This Hard
“These are the top things that have been on my mind lately as I navigate life with food allergies. I’ve always had to deal with the issues, but they’ve become allergy pet peeves because it’s my firm belief that their negative impact could be significantly mitigated. It takes awareness, caring about customers and the resolve to do it.”
News, Events & Updates
After four years of effort, teenager Grace Tate has successfully pushed a bill through the Missouri state government to make the second Wednesday of May Celiac Awareness Day! Read about her diagnosis journey and activism.
Raise Money for Beyond Celiac on Facebook!
Happy birth month to all our April-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.
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