If I had the opportunity to fund a research project that relates to learning more about microbial influences on human health, I would be most excited to encourage more research on Crohn’s Disease. One of my very close friends has this disease and it has been a whirlwind of unknowns as he has sought treatment over the last two or so years. He has had skin and fecal samples taken, been hospitalized, attended support groups, tried numerous different kinds of medications, and so much more. He has stayed incredibly positive through it all, but it’s so hard to imagine the frustration that he goes through on a daily basis, not only because of the symptoms he suffers from, but also because of the lack of concrete knowledge that exists for this disease. There’s always the dreaded question of “what comes next?” when the previous treatment step failed. Funding a research project that could delve deeper into the unknowns of Crohn’s could provide further information regarding its cause, and eventually its treatment. It’s possible that more can be discovered about where exactly this disease stems from. If we know more about the root cause, we can investigate ways to prevent the disease from happening in the first place and even find a cure that can help the people who already suffer because of it. I hope that in the future more research is done, and that it provides some answers. Many of the articles and studies that we read in class proved to be inconclusive when it came to Crohn’s disease which shows just how essential finding answers should be. I look forward to the future of research in this area and hope that someday, my friend gets the answers he wants and needs.
