Garth R. Swanson, M.D.

Professor
Department: Medicine
Programs: Inflammation, End Organ Disease

 

 

Research Interests:

Dr. Swanson is an active physician-scientist engaged not only in the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but also with an active research program that includes basic, translational, and clinical components. The focus of his research is on the mechanisms that drive IBD, particularly committed to translating these findings from the bench to bedside. The primary focus of my basic research laboratory effort is in (1) understanding the mechanisms of intestinal barrier homeostasis that drive IBD and (2) how environmental factors like circadian misalignment and alcohol impact intestinal barrier permeability. His group has made a number of key discoveries in the area of intestinal barrier function and circadian biology. First, they found that disruption of the circadian clock either environmental or genetic models decreases resiliency of the intestine to injurious agents like alcohol. In addition, night shift workers with circadian misalignment have increased alcohol-induced intestinal permeability with moderate alcohol consumption, and this is driven in part by decreased serum melatonin. His research had been previously funded by the NIAAA, where he completed a K23 award, and is currently funded by the NIDDK, where he currently holds two R01s.

The next major focus of Dr. Swanson’s basic research work is in the field of chronobiology. His laboratory has shown that IBD subjects with circadian misalignment have increased circadian misalignment compared to healthy controls when examined by chronotype (questionnaire), rest-wake cycles (actigraphy), or in lab phase assessment (dim light melatonin onset). In addition, they have shown that IBD patients with circadian misalignment have worse disease-related outcomes, increased intestinal permeability, and a pro-inflammatory microbiota. The study of the chronobiology in IBD opens novel treatment pathways, including chronotherapy (timing of medication) or bright light therapy (Retimer), to improve intestinal barrier function in IBD. This work also has a distinct mechanistic focus, specifically in the area of tight junction proteins, metabolomics like short-chain fatty acids, and critical inflammatory pathways like STAT3.

Dr. Swanson has also been highly active in building clinical programs within IBD. He has established the first-ever multidisciplinary conference and then a clinic in IBD at Rush University. He was the Director of the Crohn’s and Colitis Center and collaborated with other research in the Rush Center for Integrated Microbiota and Chronobiology (CIMCR), which was funded in part through an R24, of which he was co-I. Dr. Swanson’s lab also established a robust biorepository in Digestive Diseases that housed over 38,000 samples. He was the Co-Director of the Rush University Digestive Disease biorepository since 2010 and helped upgrade their inventory and management system.

Publications:

PubMed Collection