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What the immune system leaves behind

Researchers identify an immune defect that may help explain how Crohn’s disease gets started.

Researchers study the immune pathways involved in Crohn’s disease.
ResearchResearchers study the immune pathways involved in Crohn’s disease.Photo: University of Toronto / official source image

A U of T-led team identified a defect in an immune pathway that may set Crohn’s disease in motion. The finding points to a biological sequence that begins before symptoms become visible.

It is an early research story, not a treatment announcement. Its value is diagnostic: better understanding of the mechanism can shape the next question about prevention and care.

Sources 1
  1. Original reporting · utoronto.ca
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This story is from the August 2026 issue of Alumni Digest · U of T. It's free, monthly and independent.

Alumni Digest is independent and is not an official University of Toronto publication. Stories summarize the public reporting linked under each piece; photographs belong to the credited sources and remain under rights review.