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UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders

Opportunities for Corporate Sponsorship

The mission of the UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders is to advance the biopsychosocial understanding and treatment of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders through an integrated approach to patient care, research, training and education. The Center is focused on:

  1. Research – Conducting studies on the physiological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying functional GI and motility disorders, their impact on quality of life and health outcomes, and their treatment.
  2. Professional Training and Education – Providing multidisciplinary training and education in clinical and research skills, with an emphasis on patient-centered care and advanced research methods.
  3. Evaluation and Treatment – Offering state-of-the-art evaluation and treatment for a full range of functional GI and motility disorders.

In all of these endeavors, the Center values working with outside sponsors in mutually beneficial relationships on a wide range of research contracts. The Center also greatly appreciates and values the grants provided by outside sponsors that are essential to supporting a variety of education and outreach activities.

Consultation on Drug Development

One of the major services provided to pharmaceutical sponsors is preferential access to Drs. Drossman and Whitehead's consultation skills (on a fee-for-service basis) with regard to Phase II, III, IIIb and IV clinical trials. Both investigators have consulted with numerous pharmaceutical sponsors, the FDA and other regulatory agencies. Dr. Drossman is currently the President of the Rome Foundation and Dr. Whitehead, a member of the Board, also chairs the Industry Resource Council for sponsors of Rome Foundation activities.

Internet – www.med.unc.edu/ibs

The Center's website is a significant online resource for information on IBS and other functional GI and motility disorders for patients, health care providers and scientists, and the public at large. Our website averages 20,000 to 40,000 visitors per month, ranging from the general public to health care professionals. Current offerings include:

  • Chat with the Experts – Two-hour chat room offered quarterly on the second Tuesday of the month at 8:00pm, open to the public. Each session is on a specific functional GI disorder topic and presented by Center investigators and clinicians.
  • Research Studies – Overviews and contact information regarding clinical trials and other studies underway at the Center; access to Digestive Diseases Week abstracts; article on “Understanding Research Studies.”
  • Visiting Scientist – information on the program and application
  • Publications – archived articles
  • Links – to other IBS resources
  • Educational Materials – information on Center brochures and videos
  • DIGEST Newsletter – on-line version
  • Annual Report – on-line version

The Center is seeking funding to support the continued evolution of www.med.unc.edu/ibs as a leading resource for on-line information, communication and research, through timely content up-dates and additions, links to other resources nationally and internationally, and the utilization of latest available website technology. We have a particular interest in expanding the website's utility as a vehicle to recruit subjects for research studies and the conduct of internet-based surveys and computerized questionnaires.

Patient Education

In addition to the website www.med.unc.edu/ibs, patients and the larger public have access to helpful information through the Center's patient education initiatives. All of these activities require funding support through unrestricted grants.

  • Patient Education Symposia – The symposium on June 15, 2006 will be held at the Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill , NC . Additional information will be posted November 2005
  • Brochures – Center brochures are available on topics such as --
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
    • Fecal Incontinence
    • How to Talk with Your Physician
    • Constipation
    • Psychological Services
    • The Center is seeking funding to develop additional brochures on topics such as --
      • Chronic Functional Abdominal Pain
      • Biofeedback for Anorectal Disorders
      • Relaxation Techniques
      • Hypnosis
      • Anorectal Pain
      • New Pharmacological Treatments for IBS
  • Videos – Award winning Center videos are available on topics such as --
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Transforming Your Life Through IBS Management
      (Winner of Communicator Award)
    • Biopsychosocial Approach to Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Improving the Physician-Patient Relationship
      (Winner of 1997 AMA International Film Festival)
    • Third Annual Symposium on Functional GI & Motility Disorders
    • Psychosocial Sound Bites
    • Maximizing the Interview
    • The Center is seeking funding to develop additional videos on topics such as --
      • Functional GI Disorders and IBS
      • Functional Bloating, Diarrhea and Pain
      • Constipation, Rectal Pain and Incontinence
      • Biofeedback
      • Psychological Treatment
      • Relaxation Techniques

Education of Health Care Providers and Scientists

  • CME Symposia and Training Courses – In 2004, the Center offered a CME course on Hypnosis Treatment for Functional GI Disorders , November 11-14, 2004, at the Charles Hamner Conference Center , Research Triangle Park , NC . This CME offering begins with a two-day “Basic Hypnosis Training Course,” followed by a 12-hour course on hypnosis for GI disorders.
  • Research Day - The Center sponsors an annual review of the state-of-the-art in gastrointestinal biopsychosocial research. The conference proceedings for Research Day 2005 are available here. Research Day 2006 has been scheduled for June 17, 2006.
  • Visiting Scientist Program – The Center is committed to providing multidisciplinary professional training in clinical and research skills. The Center accepts visiting scholars each year at all levels of their career and gives them the flexibility to tailor their visit to their own needs. Visitors generally stay one to two weeks; however, we recently had a visiting scientist from Japan who will stay with us for two years. Other recent visiting scientists have come from:
    • University Hospitals Tubingen , Germany
    • Vanderbilt University , Nashville
    • St. Joseph 's Healthcare , Canada
    • Trinity College , Dublin , Ireland
    • UCLA/CURE Nueroenteric Disease Program, Los Angeles

  • Preceptorships – Intensive multi-day workshops are offered for training medical liaisons for pharmaceutical companies. The goal of these preceptorships is to provide a 1½ -day comprehensive program that encompasses the clinical, physiological, psychological, and interpersonal aspects of functional GI and motility disorders to facilitate communications with physicians and medical researchers.
  • Postdoctoral Fellows – The Center recruits 1-2 fellows per year with an interest in functional GI disorders. Physicians who complete their research training may be offered enrollment in our highly competitive GI fellowship program for clinical training and certification.

DIGEST Newsletter – This quarterly newsletter contains articles and news items on new treatments, research findings, updates on GI conferences, announcements of events and Center activities, and recognition for Center supporters and sponsors. It is distributed through the Center's extensive mailing list, at various events, and upon request.

Annual Report 2004 – The annual report provides an opportunity to reflect on the activities and accomplishments of the Center, and to provide special recognition for supporters and sponsors.

Contact : For further information on corporate sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kirsten Nyrop, Center Coordinator, UNC Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders at (919) 966-0289 or knyrop@med.unc.edu .


UNC School of Medicine