Consortium Members

The TOpClass consortium is an international collaboration that brings together world-class experts to advance understanding and management of perianal Crohn’s disease. Our research explores disease pathogenesis, classification of phenotypes, and how healing and outcomes can be measured more reliably across centres.

Bridging surgery, gastroenterology, radiology and translational science, we have developed practical, evidence-based tools that enhance patient care and bring greater consistency to research worldwide.

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The Fistula Research Unit at St. Mark’s Hospital

City: London | Country: United Kingdom
The Fistula Research Unit at St. Mark’s Hospital is headed by Professor Ailsa Hart and Mr Phil Tozer. The centre has a strong history of championing research in the field of perianal Crohn’s Disease and progressing the medical and surgical management of perianal fistula. 

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The IBD Research Group at IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic Barcelona

City: Barcelona | Country: Spain
The IBD Research Group at IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, is a multidisciplinary unit involving translational and clinical researchers investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the development of IBDs, particularly difficult-to-treat complications, including fibrosis and perianal fistulizing disease. 

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Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid

City: Madrid | Country: Spain
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, located in Madrid, is one of the largest and most prestigious tertiary care hospitals in Spain. As a major academic centre affiliated with Universidad Complutense de Madrid, it provides highly specialised care and serves a large population from …

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Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi

City: Abu Dhabi | Country: United Arab Emirates

Dr. Sara El Ouali is a consultant gastroenterologist at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) and is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio …

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Nottingham Fistula Research Group

City: London | Country: United Kingdom

The Fistula Research Group at the University of Nottingham and Motilent is at the forefront of research in perianal Crohn’s disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

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Icahn School University Hospital of Ghent

City: Ghent | Country: Belgium

The IBD unit at the University Hospital of Ghent is headed by prof. dr. Triana Lobaton together with dr. Jeroen Geldof. Multidisciplinary, patient-focussed treatment of IBD with attention for extraintestinal manifestations and holistic management has been the motto of the team for over several decades.

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Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

City: New York | Country: U.S.A

The perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease clinical and research program at The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Center at Mount Sinai is co-led by gastroenterologist Dr. Serre-Yu Wong and colorectal surgeon Dr Sergey Khaitov.  

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Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

City: Washington I Country: U.S.A

The IBD-Radiology Collaborative group at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is headed by (left to right) Siyan ‘Stewart’ Cao MD, PhD, Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS and David H. Ballard, MD. The group is conducting basic, translational and clinical research in the field of perianal Crohn’s Disease from bedside to scanner and bench and back to bedside.

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St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Fistula Research Group

City: Melbourne | Country: Australia

The St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Fistula Research Group is a passionate team of Australian researchers based in Melbourne, focused on expanding current and future research in the area of perianal fistulising Crohn’s disease. Our expert research team includes colorectal surgeon Dr. Cori Behrenbruch and Mr Michael Johnston, radiologist Dr. Leon Winata, gastroenterologists A/Prof John Ding and Dr. Michael De Gregorio, and research fellow Dr. Imogen Hartley and Dr Nicholas Clark.

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Lightner Lab at Calibr Skaggs in San Diego, US

City: San Diego | Country: U.S.A

Led by Dr. Amy Lightner, a colorectal surgeon and Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Professor of Immunology, the Lightner Lab at Scripps Research is dedicated to pioneering research in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and advancing novel treatment strategies for both complex luminal disease and perianal fistulizing disease…

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The IBD Unit at Santa Cruz Hospital

City: Sāo Paulo | Country: Brazil

The IBD unit at the Santa Cruz Hospital, led by Prof. Dr. Natália Queiroz, is a recently established team, just three years old. Despite being a young unit, we are committed to providing multidisciplinary care with a patient-centered approach to treating IBD

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