Advancing Crohn’s Disease Research: $3.2 Million Grant Supports AI Integration
MIR's David Ballard, MD (right), is a co-principal investigator for the project.
Many patients with Crohn’s disease develop perianal fistulas, abnormal tunnels that form between the anal canal and the surrounding skin. The condition is difficult to treat, even with advanced imaging tools; however, a team of researchers from WashU Medicine and partner institutions was awarded a $3.2 million grant to advance the diagnosis and treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease with artificial intelligence (AI).
Funded by the Leona M. & Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the project will use advanced computational and deep learning methods to develop software tools to analyze MRI scans, detect subtle changes in fistulas and predict their response to treatments. The research team includes David H. Ballard, MD, assistant professor of radiology for Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR), Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, and Satish Viswanath, PhD, associate professor in pediatrics and in biomedical engineering at Emory University.
These innovations aim to improve both clinical care for and research on perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease, ultimately leading to better care outcomes and quality of life for patients.
Read more from WashU Medicine.
