This transformative gift will enable researchers to offer more treatments for young patients suffering from inflammatory bowel and celiac diseases

Michael J. Rosen, MD, pediatric gastroenterologist at Stanford Children’s Health, and director of the new Center for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Celiac Disease at Stanford Children’s Health

STANFORD, Calif., March 28, 2022  — Stanford Children’s Health has launched its new Center for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Celiac Disease to increase access to care and advance research to improve outcomes for children, thanks to a $70 million gift by an anonymous donor. Children with IBD and celiac disease require comprehensive and dedicated care to achieve the best outcome and control of their disease. The new center will bring together expert clinicians, researchers, IBD and celiac disease nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and social workers to build a world-class program for state-of-the-art clinical care.

“We aim to build the nation’s destination center for innovation in pediatric IBD and celiac disease care, as well as a major research hub for these conditions,” said Michael J. Rosen, MD, director of the new center. Rosen, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Stanford Children’s Health, is also the Stanford University Endowed Professor for Pediatric IBD & Celiac Disease.

The gastrointestinal disorders addressed by the center will include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, indeterminate colitis, and very-early-onset IBD. “The joint services we offer will give children from birth to age 22 the best chance to live full and productive lives,” Rosen said.

“We extend our deepest appreciation to the donor for this transformative gift,” said Mary Leonard, MD, Adalyn Jay Physician in Chief at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and Arline and Pete Harman professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. “Thanks to their commitment, we can bring together the best minds across Stanford Medicine to change the trajectory for children with IBD and celiac disease.”

World-class collaboration

The Center for Pediatric IBD and Celiac Disease will work closely with top pediatric subspecialists in fields such as advanced endoscopy, surgery, pain management, mental health, nutrition, and integrative medicine at Stanford to address the comprehensive care needs of children with IBD and celiac disease across the spectrum of severity.

“Our close collaboration with expert clinical immunologists and geneticists enables us to provide advanced diagnostic and treatment options to children with IBD and celiac disease disorders that do not respond to standard treatment,” said Rosen. “This collaborative work can make a real difference in the coming years by improving our ability to personalize treatment, curate biospecimens and patient-reported outcomes data for the world’s investigators and develop clear guidance on which drugs are safest and most effective for each child.”

For more information on the Center for Pediatric IBD and Celiac Disease, go to: ibdceliac.stanfordchildrens.org.

About Stanford Children’s Health

Stanford Children’s Health, with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford at its center, is the Bay Area’s largest health care system exclusively dedicated to children and expectant mothers. Our network of care includes more than 65 locations across Northern California and more than 85 locations in the U.S. Western region. As part of Stanford Medicine, a leading academic health system that also includes Stanford Health Care and the Stanford University School of Medicine, we are cultivating the next generation of medical professionals and are at the forefront of scientific research to improve children’s health outcomes around the world. We are a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the community through meaningful outreach programs and services and providing necessary medical care to families, regardless of their ability to pay. Discover more at stanfordchildrens.org.