CMIT participates in Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation community-based fundraiser
The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics joined the New England Chapter of Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation for their annual spin4 crohn’s and colitis cures fundraiser on September 12th in Charlestown, MA.
The spin4 crohn’s & colitis cures event is an exciting and inspirational fundraiser that supports the mission of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, which is to cure Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. While many suffer in silence, spin4 crohn’s & colitis cures brings together the community together across the country in a fun, inspiring way.
This year, the annual spin (stationary bicycle) relay event was staged outdoors in partnership with Turnstyle Cycle & Bootcamp at their Charlestown location. Through the event, patients and family members shared their experience with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and their hope for a cure, including Honored Hero Rachel Leicher and her family.
CMIT spin relay roster included CMIT Co-Director Eric Alm, CMIT Program Manager Shelby Doyle, and MIT Microbiome Club Executive Board member Michaela Gold. Team CMIT was pleased to support the local IBD community through this event and honored to hear the stories of families affected by IBD.
“I wanted to participate in this event because I know many people affected by these diseases, which is one of the reasons I started studying gut microbes at MIT,” said Michaela Gold, a second-year Microbiology PhD Student working in the Ribbeck Lab at MIT where she studies how mucus regulates opportunistic pathogens.
“Participating in this event was a great reminder as to why I’m a researcher and studying the gut. Patients and their loved ones are looking to us to develop new treatments for Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, and it’s our job to help them,” Gold added. “I came away from this event with a renewed purpose for my research and my career post-MIT.”
The spin4 crohn’s & colitis cures campaign will conclude with a Virtual House Party on December 4.
About
The New England Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation serves Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont by funding research, raising awareness, and providing education and support to inflammatory bowel disease patients and caregivers.
The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics (CMIT) was established in 2014 with a vision for the impact the growing field of microbiome research could have on the experience of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. A regional center of excellence for microbiome research, CMIT sits at the intersection of basic research, clinical practice, and engineering. Engaging researchers across multiple disciplines and institutions, CMIT enlists the methods and expertise from each field to deliver microbiome-based precision medicines to patients, while fostering the next generation of microbiome innovators to sustain momentum in the field for years to come.