Symriti Kaur-Paneser

Nurse Recognition Award for Improvement in Patient Care Winner 2025

Ms Kaur-Paneser explains:

“Faecal urgency affects up to 50% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), significantly impairing quality of life even in the absence of active inflammation. Further, functional bowel symptoms are often underappreciated by IBD clinicians, resulting in unnecessary escalation of advanced therapies, which offer limited symptomatic relief, whilst exposing patients to potential adverse effects. Despite its prevalence, effective treatment options for faecal urgency in UC, even when in remission, are limited and have substantial side effect profiles, for example, constipation. Treatments for faecal urgency have been identified as one of the Top 10 research priorities for IBD research by the James Lind Alliance, highlighting the urgent need for new therapeutic options.

Enterosorbents like Enterosgel offer a promising novel therapy. Enterosgel is believed to act by adsorbing small molecules in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, with minimal systemic absorption or metabolism. It has shown efficacy in reducing urgency in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). However, the precise mechanism of action in this population remains unclear.

We hypothesise that Enterosgel selectively adsorbs substantial cytokines and enzymes relevant to Ulcerative Colitis and that Enterosgel adsorbs a small proportion of drugs relevant to Ulcerative Colitis. Therefore the primary aim of the study is to probe the potential pharmacological utility of Enterosgel in adsorbing key pathogenic proteins and enzymes linked to UC, including Cytokines and Enzymes, with a secondary aim of exploring the adsorption kinetics of Enterosgel in relation to key oral pharmaceutical agents utilised in ulcerative colitis.

By demonstrating adsorption of these molecules, and therefore providing a mechanistic rationale for its use, we hope to lay the foundation for further studies to explore its clinical utility as a targeted, non-systemic addition to UC management.

Further, its potential to adsorb essential UC treatments, including biologics and JAK inhibitors, must also be carefully evaluated to ensure it does not interfere with their efficacy. Thus, understanding and evaluating the interactions between Enterosgel and essential UC treatments, will be crucial in determining the clinical utility of Enterosgel in UC management.”

What did it feel like to win this award?

Winning the Dr. Falk Guts award is an incredible honour and a powerful affirmation of my aspiration to pursue a career in academic medicine. The opportunity to explore the field of IBD and faecal urgency – building on research into disorders of gut-brain interaction and patient experiences within our group – has deepened my passion for translational gastroenterology. This recognition is not only a source of immense pride but also a strong motivation to continue contributing to research that directly improves patient care.

Read more about Ms Kaur-Paneser’s project, focused on the gut by downloading the PDF below.