THE pIBD DIGEST

In Part 2 of our conversation with Prof Amit Assa, we continue our exploration of advanced therapies in paediatric IBD, delving deeper into the evidence, practical challenges, and emerging treatment strategies that are shaping modern clinical care.

From treatment selection and sequencing to therapeutic drug monitoring, combination approaches, and future therapeutic directions, Prof Assa shares his insights on navigating an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving treatment landscape.

Join us as we continue to explore the horizons of advanced therapy in paediatric IBD and consider how today's innovations may influence tomorrow's practice.

In this episode of THE pIBD DIGEST, we venture into the ever-expanding world of advanced therapies in paediatric IBD with the brilliant Prof Amit Assa. From biologics to small molecules, we explore how the pIBD therapeutic toolbox is evolving, alongside newer concepts and treatment strategies that are reshaping clinical practice.

Join us as we look beyond the familiar and explore the horizons of advanced therapy in paediatric IBD.

We hope our discussion of advanced therapies leads to advanced wisdom rather than advanced confusion. If not, don't worry, Part 2 is already in induction and well on its way!

In this episode of PIBD DIGEST, we sit down with Dr Jorge Amil Dias, one of the key architects behind the ESPGHAN PORTO IBD Group, to reflect on a legacy that has helped shape paediatric IBD care across Europe. Like a fine glass of Porto's famous Port wine, the story of the PORTO Group has matured over decades, bringing together clinicians, researchers and patients in a shared vision to improve outcomes for children and young people living with IBD. In the second half, we turn our attention to one of the most important journeys in paediatric IBD: the transition from paediatric to adult care. Drawing on a lifetime of experience, Dr Amil Dias offers practical insights, wisdom and perspectives on how we can better support young people through this pivotal stage.

So, pour yourself a coffee, or perhaps something inspired by Porto, and join us à conversa with one of the founding figures behind the PORTO IBD Group.

In this episode of THE pIBD DIGEST, we embark on an eosinophilic odyssey with Dr Marcus Auth, Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, as we celebrate his many contributions to paediatric gastroenterology, particularly in the field of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs). Marcus explores the diagnostic challenges of EGIDs and their uncanny ability to mimic inflammatory bowel disease. While retiring from his NHS role, Marcus continues his clinical and academic work, ensuring that the bright orange-coloured impostors, eosinophils, remain firmly under scrutiny.

Expect plenty of eosinophil-inspired knowledge degranulation and a light-hearted finale with Dr Coelho's satirical tribute, The Eosinophilic Jibes.

In this episode of the PIBD Digest, we step outside our paediatric comfort zone to explore pregnancy in IBD.

Adult gastroenterologist Dr Christian Selinger (Leeds) joins us to debunk common myths around fertility, conception, and pregnancy in people with IBD. We discuss pre-conception counselling, treatment strategies during pregnancy, and the importance of maintaining disease control, while sharing practical advice to empower clinicians—including paediatricians who may unexpectedly find themselves caring for a pregnant patient with IBD.

Join us for an evidence-based discussion packed with practical tips, myth-busting, and reassurance.

In this episode of The PIBD Digest, we sit down for an exclusive enteral chat with Dr Konstantinos (Kostas) Gkikas, Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences at King's College London. Together, we separate dietary facts from dietary fiction, untangling the evidence—and the social media hype—behind the many diets that promise to tame IBD. From fibre to FODMAPs, IBS to IBD, and everything in between, we chew over the science so you don't have to. Grab a snack (IBD-friendly, of course) and join us for a digestible dose of nutritional wisdom.

This special episode of THE PIBD DIGEST honours Dr Sandhia Naik, the much loved paediatric gastroenterologist who retires from the Royal London Hospital after an extraordinary career. Known affectionately as “Didi”—an endearing Hindi term for an elder sister—she has been a guiding presence within the paediatric GI community for decades.

In our conversation, Didi reflects on IBD and ethnicity, drawing on her deep experience working with the richly diverse population served by the Royal London. Her insights reveal how patterns of inflammatory bowel disease evolve across generations of families who have made the UK their home, and what clinicians must understand to care for these communities effectively.

Didi also spills the beans on her retirement plans, including her charity adventures in Africa with the Nana Foundation. Spoiler: she’s not slowing down!

Learn more about her work at the foundation: https://www.nanafoundation.co.uk/

In this episode of THE pIBD DIGEST, we’re joined by Prof Emeritus Ian Sanderson — a true legend in paediatric gastroenterology. His pioneering work has shaped how we treat paediatric IBD today, including the widespread use of exclusive enteral nutrition. Through his work with BSPGHAN, he also helped bring structure to specialist GRID training in the UK—so many of us quite literally have him to thank for how we learned the ropes.

Beyond the CV, Ian is known across paediatric GI circles as one of the kindest people you’ll meet. And, much to the envy of us mere mortals, he also speaks six languages and writes poetry—clearly some people were given more than their fair share of talents.

We take a nostalgic dive into how things used to be—training, treatments, and the “good old days”—before finishing on a high note with Ian reciting his own poetry in Italian.

Education, nostalgia, and unexpected poetry? Bellissimo.

This week, THE pIBD DIGEST hits a true bottom-line milestone — surgeons join the podcast for the very first time to tackle one of the most sensitive (and least sat-on) topics in paediatric IBD.

Kicking things off, Mr Hemanshoo Thakkar, paediatric surgeon at Evelina London, takes on the challenge — feared by abscesses, outsmarting fistulae, and always determined to get to the bottom of the problem… surgically, of course.

Next up, Southampton Children’s Hospital’s own Miss Francesca Stedman expertly unthreads the nuances of setons in peri-anal Crohn’s disease.

And at the bottom end of the episode, don’t miss our “Surgical Gut-fire Round” with Miss Stedman — quick questions, sharp answers, and just the right dose of surgical wit.

Practical pearls and a touch of cheek — stay curious… but never abscessed.

In this episode of THE pIBD DIGEST, we mark World IBD Day with a global mentor and leading PIBD expert, Prof Anne Griffiths (SickKids, Toronto).

No talk of purple—just a masterclass in navigating the grey zones of advanced therapy positioning in IBD. Complex questions? Handled with ease. Nuances? Dissected flawlessly with the calm authority of someone who has truly seen it all.

We wrap things up on a lighter note, with Dr Coelho reimagining Mambo No. 5 into a biologics-inspired poem: “The Mumbo-Jumbo of Advanced Therapies.”