Groundbreaking $100K Grant Fuels Crohn's Disease Imaging Research at WashU

Dr. David H. Ballard, an assistant professor of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine, has received a $100,000 research grant. The funding comes from the 2026 Mars Shot Fund and will support his work on improving diagnostics for Crohn's disease. His project focuses on developing advanced imaging techniques to detect inflammation in patients with this chronic bowel condition.

Crohn's disease affects more than 750,000 people in the US, causing long-term inflammation and ulceration in the digestive tract. One major complication is the development of strictures—narrowed bowel sections caused by inflammation or scarring. Current methods struggle to distinguish between inflammatory and fibrotic strictures, which require different treatments.

Dr. Ballard's research aims to solve this problem using a dual-tracer PET/MR imaging approach. The technique combines two tracers: 18F-FDG and 68Ga-DOTA-ECL1i. The first targets general inflammation, while the second identifies proinflammatory macrophages, a key marker of active disease. By comparing imaging results with tissue samples, the study will test how accurately these tracers detect inflammation.

The goal is to create a detailed classification system for bowel strictures. This would help doctors determine whether a stricture is mainly inflammatory, fibrotic, or a mix of both. If successful, the method could guide more precise treatment decisions without invasive procedures.

Dr. Ballard is a recognised expert in translational imaging, particularly in Crohn's disease. His previous work has focused on noninvasive ways to assess inflammation and predict therapy responses. The Mars Shot Research Award, named after Drs. Jane and Abass Alavi, supports innovative projects in molecular imaging for infection and inflammation.

The $100,000 grant will fund the development of a new PET/MR imaging system tailored for Crohn's disease. If validated, this approach could improve how doctors diagnose and manage bowel strictures. The research may also reduce the need for invasive tests by providing clearer, earlier insights into inflammation levels.