UAE Epi-IBD Study

Understanding what causes IBD in Emiratis

A nationally funded research study at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, exploring how our environment, lifestyle and genes shape inflammatory bowel disease, so that future care can be tailored to our population.

Contact the IBD team Find out more

Taking part is voluntary and will not affect your care.

A study by the IBD Service at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, funded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health (Ma'an grant).

Why this study matters

IBD is rising in the UAE, and we need to understand why

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is becoming more common in the UAE. It is a lifelong condition that causes inflammation in the gut and can affect every part of daily life.

Almost everything we currently know about why IBD develops comes from studies in Western countries. Very little research has looked at what drives the disease in Emiratis specifically, even though our diet, environment, lifestyle and genetic background are different. This study aims to close that gap.

What is IBD?

IBD is a group of long-term conditions that cause inflammation in the gut. The two main types are:

Crohn's disease

Can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the bottom, and often the deeper layers of the bowel wall.

Ulcerative colitis

Affects the large bowel (the colon and rectum), causing inflammation and small ulcers in its inner lining.

A growing condition

IBD is increasing as the UAE becomes more urbanised.

A regional first

The first large study of its kind in the Middle East.

Built for our population

Findings made for the UAE, not borrowed from elsewhere.

About the study

About the UAE Epi-IBD Study

UAE Epi-IBD (UAE Epidemiology and Predictive Indicators in Inflammatory Bowel Disease) is a research study led by the IBD Service at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) in Abu Dhabi, working with leading universities and research centres in the UAE and around the world.

It is a nationally funded study, supported by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health through its Ma'an healthcare research and innovation grant. The study brings together specialists in gastroenterology, genetics and the gut microbiome to ask a simple but important question: what causes IBD in our population, and how can we use that knowledge to prevent it and treat it better?

At a glance

Led by: IBD Service, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi
Funded by: Abu Dhabi Department of Health (Ma'an grant)
Focus: Environment, lifestyle, the gut microbiome and genetics in Emiratis
Partners: Regional and international research collaborators
Your part: Voluntary, confidential, and it will not affect your care

What we study

What we are trying to find out

The study has several parts. This website focuses on the two that we are inviting you to help with.

Our environment and our gut

Things like diet, antibiotic use and modern city living are thought to play a major role in IBD. They can change the trillions of tiny bacteria that live in our gut (the “gut microbiome”), which in turn affect how the gut and immune system behave. We will look closely at the gut microbiome and other biological signals in people with IBD and compare them with people without IBD. The goal is to find out which environmental and lifestyle factors matter most for IBD in the UAE, and how they change the body, so we can work towards preventing the disease in the first place.

Our genes and our families

IBD often runs in families, which tells us that genes matter. Most of the genes linked to IBD so far were found in Western populations, and we do not yet know how well they apply to Emiratis. We will study the genetic make-up of Emiratis with IBD and compare it with global data. This will help us understand the genetic risk of IBD in our population and why some families are affected. It is also why we are inviting close family members to take part.

By bringing together our environment, our gut and our genes, this study aims to build a picture of IBD that is made for the UAE, opening the door to earlier diagnosis, personalised treatment and, one day, prevention.

For too long, what we know about IBD has come from other parts of the world. This study is our chance to understand the disease in our own community, and to build care that truly fits Emirati patients and their families.

Dr Mohammed Nabil Quraishi

Study Lead, IBD Service, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City

Who can take part

We are inviting two groups of people to join the study.

People living with IBD

Emirati adults diagnosed with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or IBD attending SSMC.

Close family members

First-degree relatives of someone with IBD (a parent, brother or sister, or child), who do not have IBD themselves. Because IBD can run in families, your participation helps us understand inherited risk.

Not sure if you are eligible? Contact the IBD team or speak to your care team at SSMC and we will help.

Taking part

What taking part involves

Taking part is designed to be simple and to fit around your life. If you join, it usually involves the following.

A short conversation and consent

A member of the research team explains the study and answers your questions. If you are happy to take part, you sign a consent form.

Two questionnaires

One about your lifestyle and environment (such as diet, early life and medication history), and one about the foods you usually eat.

Two simple samples at the clinic

A stool sample and a saliva sample, collected using easy-to-use kits during your clinic visit.

A blood sample

Taken at the clinic during a routine visit. For some participants, this can be used to look at your genes, linked with the Emirati Genome Programme.

Time and effort: Most of this can be done around your usual clinic appointments. The team will guide you through each step and is available throughout if you need help.

Taking part is completely voluntary. You can change your mind and withdraw at any time, without giving a reason, and it will never affect the care you receive at SSMC.

Your questions answered

Do I have to take part?

No. Taking part is entirely your choice. If you decide not to, or you join and later change your mind, your care at SSMC will not be affected in any way.

Will it affect my treatment or care?

No. The study runs alongside your normal care. Your clinical team will continue to look after you exactly as before.

Is my information kept private?

Yes. Your samples and data are coded so you cannot be identified, stored securely, and handled in line with UAE data protection law and strict research rules. Information is only ever shared with research partners in a coded, de-identified form.

Will I get my results?

This is a research study, so it is not designed to give individual results, and most findings will come from looking at the whole group. Your clinical team remains your point of contact for anything about your own health.

Does it cost anything?

No. There is no cost to you for taking part.

What happens to the findings?

The results will help doctors and health planners in the UAE understand IBD better, improve diagnosis and treatment, and work towards preventing the disease. Findings will be shared with the scientific community and the public.

Who is behind the study

The study is led by Dr Mohammed Nabil Quraishi, Director of the IBD Service at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, with co-investigators and a research team at SSMC.

Delivered in partnership with regional and international research collaborators.

This study is funded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health through the Ma'an grant for healthcare research and innovation.

Get in touch

Contact the IBD team at SSMC

If you would like to find out more or take part, please get in touch with the IBD team at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, or speak to your doctor or IBD nurse at your next SSMC appointment.

At your clinic visit

Ask your doctor or IBD nurse about the UAE Epi-IBD study at your next SSMC appointment.

Contact the IBD team

Get in touch with the IBD team at the IBD Service, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City.

To protect your privacy, this website does not collect or store any personal details.