Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis – is rising at an alarming rate. A global study published in Nature in 2025 predicts a worldwide rise in IBD, including a sharp increase in Canadian cases with nearly 470,000 Canadians expected to be living with the disease by 2035. Meeting this growing need will require not only new discoveries, but also highly trained specialists equipped to deliver increasingly complex care.
At Sinai Health, philanthropy is helping train the leaders who will meet this moment.
Based at the Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Mount Sinai Hospital, the Advanced IBD Fellowship program—sustained through donor support—is the largest and one of the most sought-after programs of its kind in the world. Drawing talented trainees from across Canada and internationally, the program is training the next generation of leaders in IBD care and research, offering fellows exceptional experience in both areas.
“Our fellows go on to lead IBD programs across Canada and internationally.”
For Dr. Cathy McShane, a second-year fellow trained in Ireland, Sinai Health represented a unique opportunity. With nearly 10,000 patients with IBD treated annually, Mount Sinai offers unparalleled exposure to this complex disease—an experience few centres can match anywhere in the world. Dr. McShane saw the program as a chance to gain hands-on experience managing challenging cases while contributing to cutting-edge research. Her work explores how diet may influence Crohn’s disease and evaluates the real-world effectiveness of emerging therapies.
Training the next generation of IBD leaders
Under the leadership of Dr. Zane Gallinger, a gastroenterologist and Director of the Advanced IBD Fellowship, the program is launching the next generation of IBD leaders onto the global stage. “Through shared research projects and ongoing trainee networks, the program is setting the global standard for IBD care anchored in evidence-based medicine, multidisciplinary teamwork and academic leadership.”
Former fellow Dr. Sun-Ho Lee is one such example. Now a Clinician-Scientist at Sinai Health, he recently helped demonstrate that a blood test may predict Crohn’s disease years before symptoms appear – opening the door to earlier diagnosis and potential prevention.
Other alumni are bringing their expertise home, strengthening IBD care in their own countries and building global networks rooted in Sinai Health’s evidence-based, team-oriented approach. Dr. Cristian Hernandez-Rocha, who returned to Chile, recently contributed to a 2026 study in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology that brought international experts together to establish clearer definitions and guidance for diagnosing and managing upper gastrointestinal Crohn’s disease – an often overlooked and complex form of the condition. He also co-authored a 2025 Scientific Reports study linking Amerindian ancestry to differences in IBD outcomes in South American populations, helping to advance understanding of the disease in under-represented populations.
These advances are possible thanks to community support. For Stacey Gitlin, who has lived with Crohn’s disease for most of her life, investing in IBD research and care is deeply personal. Together with her husband Jonathan, they founded Spin for Sinai, an event that has grown into a powerful community movement. Since 2019, it has raised more than $2.8 million and now serves as the primary source of philanthropic support for the Advanced IBD Fellowship.
At a time when traditional industry funding is becoming increasingly limited, this kind of community support is not just meaningful, it’s what makes programs like this possible. Every fellow at Sinai Health multiplies impact globally, carrying knowledge into new clinics, research programs and health systems around the world and improving care for patients living with IBD, wherever they are.
Take a look at the full scope and impact of Sinai Health’s Fellowship programs.
Reference:
Hracs, L., Windsor, J.W., Gorospe, J. et al. (2025). Global evolution of inflammatory bowel disease across epidemiologic stages. Nature 642, 458–466. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08940-0
