Congratulations to our 2024 NZSG Janssen Research Fellow Recipient Dr Simone Bayer

Posted Sunday December 15, 2024

Simone Bayer is a Mid-Career Research Fellow specializing in gastrointestinal health. Her research journey began with a Master's degree in Nutrition Science from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, followed by a PhD (Pathology) at the University of Otago, Christchurch, focusing on antioxidant peroxiredoxin-2 in inflammation and ageing.

Simone has extensive expertise in both basic and clinical research, demonstrated through her Co-leadership of multiple randomized controlled trials exploring dietary interventions for digestive health. She lead the formation of the Gastrointestinal Unit for Translational Studies (GUTS) group in 2021, managing laboratory spaces, training staff, and coordinating clinical trials. She just stepped down as the treasurer for the NZSG, a position she held since 2019.

Her research aims to uncover root causes and diagnostic tools for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and develop accessible treatments addressing underlying issues. Simone's collaborative efforts include partnerships with Māori and Pacific leaders, fostering diversity in research and supporting initiatives like the Pūhoro STEMM Academy, which mentors rangatahi from school to University.

Summary of the project 'Bile acid sequestrant tolerability and symptom improvement in adults with chronic diarrhoea'

Up to 65% of New Zealanders experience chronic gastrointestinal symptoms in absence of a clear organic cause, for example chronic diarrhoea in presence of abdominal pain, also called diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Idiopathic bile acid malabsorption (BAM) mimics IBS-D closely but testing for BAM is not readily available in Aotearoa NZ. Instead, diagnosis of BAM follows successful treatment with bile-acid sequestrants, which is not commonly undertaken. BAM is estimated to affect 1-5% of the population, but NZ specific data is lacking, and data on IBS-D prevalence in Māori is non-existent.

We will conduct a prospective study with the aim to gather data on the tolerability of bile acid sequestrants in IBS-D and the prevalence of BAM in Christchurch, with the secondary aim to validate a novel clinical tool for accessible and culturally safe diagnosis of BAM.

The study will recruit participants with chronic diarrhoea symptoms in Christchurch to undergo a 10-day treatment with bile acid sequestrants as prescribed by the gastroenterologist on the team. They will be educated on possible side effects and the impact of dietary fats, collect bowel habit data, diet data, and symptom data in form of the gastrointestinal rating scale. Blood samples before and after treatment will support the validation of a blood test for BAM. Benefits of the trial will include bile acid sequestrant tolerability data in IBS-D, the prevalence of BAM in Christchurch, and on the long term, a validated diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of BAM along with a reduction of IBS-D misdiagnoses.

Congratulations Dr Simone Bayer

Recipient of the 2024 NZSG Janssen Research Fellowship

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