Professor David Wilson
Professor Wilson's work focuses on clinical, epidemiological and translational research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Professor David Wilson
Personal Chair of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Biographical Profile
David qualified from Queen’s University of Belfast Medical School in 1984. Following paediatric training in Northern Ireland, including a doctoral thesis in neonatal nutrition, David moved to the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, in July 1994 to complete his paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition (PGHAN) training. He returned to the UK with his appointment as a clinical academic to the University of Edinburgh in August 1997, and set up the PGHAN service as a sole practitioner, including inpatient and outpatient services, GI endoscopy and procedural service, and the regional paediatric nutritional support team for SE Scotland - nutritional assessment, and hospital and home parenteral and enteral feeding. His main clinical interest is in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and he was clinical lead (head of department) of our PGHAN service in Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh and of our regional PGHAN network for over 20 years between 08.1997 and 09.2020. Within the PGHAN workload, he co-leads clinical services for paediatric IBD (PIBD) in the SE Scottish region with Prof Richard Russell.
Group Members
- Dr. Joseph Meredith - Clinical Research Fellow
- Michelle Wilson - Research Associate
- Dr Chris Burgess - ex-Clinical Research Fellow, completing doctorate, now in Brisbane
- Dr Victoria Merrick - ex-Clinical Research Fellow, completing doctorate, now in Edinburgh
Research Overview
David’s programme of academic activities includes clinical, epidemiological and translational research, mainly in IBD, and to a lesser extent in complex clinical nutrition. He was PI of the MRC-funded PICTS cohort, a Scottish paediatric IBD cohort, leads on Scottish nationwide PIBD epidemiological studies, and founded the PIES programme (Paediatric IBD Epidemiology in Scotland) and PISA (Paediatric IBD Scottish Audits) including the Scottish PIBD biologicals registry. David is a UK IBD Genetics Consortium and International IBD Genetics Consortium member, founded the UK paediatric IBD genetics group (later incorporated into the COLORS in IBD collaboration), is a steering committee member of the UK PIBD Bioresource (led by Prof Uhlig in Oxford) with other active international paediatric IBD collaborations. He is a member of the IBD Science Group in the Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, led by Dr Gwo-tzer Ho. With Dr Ho, David promotes all-ages IBD research, including the paired RCTs of mitochondrial antioxidant as a placebo-controlled add-on intervention to standard treatment escalation in adult UC (MARVEL study) and paediatric UC (Mini-MARVEL), plus the MUSIC translational programme in IBD. He previously chaired the British Society of PGHAN IBD Working Group, and internationally is an active member of the European Society of PGHAN (ESPGHAN) Paediatric IBD Porto Working Group. David is currently chair of the paediatric IBD steering group within the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (P-ECCO) from 03.2019-02.2022. David will host the 6th International PIBD Symposium (PIBD 2022) in 09.2022 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, with up to 650 delegates present for 4 days. He mentors research-active paediatricians in Scotland, and is or has supervised 6 paediatric gastroenterology trainees for doctorates (3 PhD, 3 MD) in PIBD, plus 4 PhDs for Associated Health Professionals (Dietitians and Nurses) – 2 in clinical nutrition and 2 in gastroenterology. His paediatric IBD career grant support totals over £2.25 million as PI, with current/recent funding as PI from MRC, JP Moulton Foundation, Crohn’s and Colitis UK and the Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association. IBD career grant support is £16.9 million in total when including those as co-I, including grants from Wellcome Trust, EC and Helmsley Foundation. He has published >185 papers in peer-reviewed journals, over 65% on IBD and 25% in clinical nutrition. These include co-author on the ECCO-ESPGHAN guidelines on the management of paediatric ulcerative colitis (2011, 2018) and Crohn’s disease (2014 and 2020), and senior author on the ESPGHAN guidelines on diagnosis of paediatric IBD: The revised Porto criteria (2014). He has led on data-linkage of the PIBD population in Scotland, looking at perinatal risk factors to develop IBD plus adverse sequalae of PIBD in adult life. Within Scotland and the UK, he has been involved in quality improvement projects which directly impact patient care. He serves on the Scientific Committee of the Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association and is a medical advisor to the Crohn’s and Colitis UK Family Network.
Other Responsibilities
- Honorary Consultant in Peadiatric Gastroenterology.
Sources of Funding
IBD BIOM (EC FP7 305479) Co-Investigator. Discovery of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for IBD. Duration: 2012-2016 Total award: € 6 Million
IBD Character (EC FP7 305676) Co-Investigator. Discovery of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in early IBD. Duration: 2012-2016 Total funding award: € 6 Million
Medical Research Foundation. Principal Investigator. “PICTS-IC (Paediatric-onset IBD Cohort and Treatment study – Inception Cohort)” Duration 09.2014 – 11.2017 Funding: £100,000
Medical Research Council - MRC strategic grant, patient research cohorts initiative (grant number G0800675) - “The Paediatric-Onset IBD Cohort and Treatment Study (PICTS)”, for period of 01/01/09 to 31/03/14. Principal Investigator. Funding: £1,040,574
Joint CORE and British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BSPGHAN) Development Grant “Health informatics research in paediatric gastroenterology: nationwide data-linkage exploration of perinatal risk factors for and consequences of paediatric-onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease”. Duration 01.09.15 – 31.11.19. Principal Investigator. Funding: £26,858
Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity Research Fellowship for Dr Chris Burgess “Scottish nationwide data-linkage exploration of perinatal risk factors for and consequences of paediatric-onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease”. Duration 01.11.17 – 31.06.20. Principal Investigator. Funding £54,000
Guts UK - Development Grant “Resolving Inflammation in IBD: Developing a new therapeutic approach by targeting pro-inflammatory mitochondrial formylated peptides on neutrophil FPR1-pathway”. Duration 01.11.18 – 31.01.20. Co-investigator (PI – Dr Gwo-tzer Ho, University of Edinburgh). Funding: £25,100
Helmsley Trust Program Grant - “The clinical effectiveness of CD-TREAT and its microbial mechanism of action in patients with active Crohn’s disease”. Duration 01.03.20 – 31.05.21. Co-investigator (PI – Dr Gerasimidis, University of Glasgow). Funding: US$ 1,130,000
Helmsley Trust Program Grant - “Mitochondrial DAMPs as mechanistic biomarkers of mucosal inflammation in Crohn’s disease (MUSIC)”. Duration 01.08.19 – 31.07.22.Co-investigator (PI – Dr Gwo-tzer Ho, University of Edinburgh). Funding: £1,140,289
Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity-Catherine McEwan Foundation - Research Fellowship for Dr Joseph Meredith. “Development and validation of novel algorithms to identify true paediatric-onset IBD patients in Scotland”. Duration 13.02.20 – 12.04.21. Principal Investigator. Funding £54,806
Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association (CICRA) Project Grant - “Translational science for Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease – The UK IBD Bioresource”. Duration 01.09.20 – 31.08.22. Co-investigator (PI – Prof Uhlig, University of Oxford). Funding: £99,967
JP Moulton Foundation. “Unravelling the dietary triggers of Crohn’s disease and their interplay with the microbiome and host.” Duration 01.08.20 – 31.07.23.Co-investigator (PI – Dr Gerasimidis, University of Glasgow). Funding: £520,527
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). “Unravelling the dietary triggers of Crohn’s disease and their interplay with the microbiome and host.” Duration 01.08.20 - 31.07.23.Co-investigator (PI – Dr Gerasimidis, University of Glasgow). Funding: £541,603
JP Moulton Foundation. “Mini-MARVEL (Mitochondrial Antioxidant therapy to Resolve Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis): A phase 2b randomised placebo-controlled trial of oral MitoQ in mild-to-moderately active paediatric UC.” Duration 01.10.20-30.09.22. Principal Investigator. Funding £391,034
Joint Guts UK/BSPGHAN Development Grant “Prospective Incidence of Paediatric-Onset Inflammatory bowel disease (PINPOINT) study”. Duration 01.10.20 – 30.09.21. Co-investigator (PI – Dr Henderson, NHS Lothian). Funding: £39,936
Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity - Research Fellowship for Dr Joseph Meredith. “Development and validation of novel algorithms to identify true paediatric-onset IBD patients in Scotland”. Duration 13.04.21 – 31.12.21. Principal Investigator. Funding £38,388
Action Medical Research Project Grant 2021. “A platform for combined genetic and epigenetic biomarkers for personalised medicine in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)” 01.03.21-31.08.22. Co-investigator (PI – Prof Satsangi, University of Oxford). Funding £200,000
Recent Publications
I Cleynen, G Boucher, …., DC Wilson, ….. CW Lees. Inherited determinants of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis phenotypes: a genetic association study. Lancet 2016; 10014: 156-67.
Ventham NT, Kennedy NA, Adams AT, Kalla R, Heath S, O’Leary KR, Drummond H, IBD BIOM consortium, IBD CHARACTER consortium, Wilson DC, Gut IG, Nimmo ER, Satsangi J. Integrative epigenome-wide analysis demonstrate DNA methylation may mediate genetic risk in IBD. Nature Communications 2016; 7, Article number: 13507 (doi:10.1038/ncomms13507).
Lee JC, …., Satsangi J, Wilson DC, Jostins L, Anderson CA, the UK IBD Genetics Consortium, …, Parkes M, Smith KJG. Genome-wide association study reveals distinct genetic contributions to prognosis and susceptibility in Crohn's disease. Nature Genetics 2017; 49: 262-8.
Turner D, ….., Navas-López V, Wilson DC, Lawrence S, Russell RK. Management of paediatric ulcerative colitis, Part 1: ambulatory care- an evidence-based guideline from ECCO and ESPGHAN. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2018; 67: 257-91.
Turner D, …, Wilson DC, Lawrence S, Russell RK. Management of paediatric ulcerative colitis, Part 2: acute severe colitis; an evidence-based consensus guideline from ECCO and ESPGHAN. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2018; 67: 292-31.
Gervais L, McLean LL, Wilson ML, …., Chalmers I, Wilson DC, Russell RK. Switching from originator to biosimilar infliximab paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease is feasible and uneventful. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2018; 67(6): 745-8.
Jones G-R, Lyons M, Plevris N, Jenkinson P, Bissett C, Burgess C, Din S, Fulforth J, Henderson P, Ho GT, Kirkwood K, Noble CL, Shand AG, Wilson DC, Arnott IDR, Lees CW. IBD prevalence in Lothian, Scotland, derived by capture-recapture methodology. Gut 2019; 68: 1953–1960.
Burgess CJ, …, Henderson P, Wilson DC. Incidence of paediatric stricturing duodenal Crohn’s Disease: a 19-year population-based cohort study. JPGN 2019; 67(6): 745-8.
Turner D, Griffiths A, Wilson DC, ….., Bousvaros A, Ruemmele FM. Designing clinical trials in pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases: a PIBDnet commentary. Gut 2020; 69: 32-41.
Burgess CJ, Henderson P, …, Lees CW, Wilson DC. Paediatric patients account for less than 1.5% of all prevalent IBD cases. JPGN 2020; 71(4): 521-3.
Serra EC, Schwerd C, Moutsianis L, …., Griffiths AM, COLORS in IBD group investigators, Oxford IBD cohort study investigators, INTERVAL Study, Swiss IBD cohort investigators, UK IBD Genetics Consortium, NIDDK IBD Genetics Consortium, …, Wilson DC, Uhlig HH, Anderson CA. Somatic mosaicism and common genetic variation contribute to the risk of very-early-onset IBD. Nature Communications 2020; 11 (1): 995. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-14275-y.
Ricciuto A, .. Wilson DC, Kaiser K, de Ridder L, Turner D, Griffiths AM; on behalf of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PIBD) Ahead Steering Committee. Predicting Outcomes in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease for Management Optimization: Systematic Review and Consensus Statements from PIBD-Ahead Program. Gastroenterology 2021; 160: 403-36.
Hansen R, …, Russell RK, Wilson DC. A double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I trial to assess the safety and tolerability of (Thetanix®) Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in adolescents with stable Crohn’s disease. Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 2021; 12(1): e00287.
van Rheenen PF, …., Turner D, Wilson D, Wine E, Ruemmele FM. The Medical Management of Paediatric Crohn's Disease: an ECCO-ESPGHAN Guideline Update. Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis 2021;15 (2): 171-194.
Meredith J, Khedim C-A, Henderson P, Wilson D, Russell R. Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in a patient receiving Infliximab therapy for IBD. Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis 2021:15: 687-91.
Meredith J, Henderson P, Wilson DC, .., Russell RK. Withdrawal of combination immunotherapy in paediatric IBD – an international survey of practice. JPGN 2021:15: 687-91.
Burgess CJ, Clark C, Khedim C-A, Armstrong K, Henderson P, Wilson DC. Recognising and treating complicated fissuring perianal Crohn’s disease phenotype: a South-East Scotland cohort study. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (accepted 07.2021)