Associate Professor Jakob Begun

ATH - Associate Professor

Mater Research Institute-UQ
Faculty of Medicine

Overview

Associate Professor Jakob Begun is the IBD Group leader in the Immunity, Infection, and Inflammation Program at Mater Research University of Queensalnd, and has a basic and translational laboratory at the Translational Research Institute in Brisbane. He is an Associate Professor in the University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine. After completing his Bachelor of Science at Cornell University Jakob attended Cambridge University where he completed an MPhil in Biochemistry. He then moved on to Harvard Medical School where he completed his MD and PhD in genetics studying the host pathogen interaction using C. elegans as a model system. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s hospital and went on to complete general gastroenterology training at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) as well as advanced training in the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Dr Begun first joined Mater Research - University of Queensland in 2014, and at the same time received a clinical staff appointment in Gastroenterology at the Mater Hospital Brisbane. His clinical activities are focussed on the treatment and mangement of patients with IBD. He is the director of the IBD unit at the Mater Hospital Brisbane and at the Mater Young Adult Health Centre Brisbane .In January 2015 he was awarded the University of Queensland Reginald Ferguson Fellowship in Gastroenterology to support his research activity. He leads a basic and translational laboratory at the Translational Research Institute investigating the interaction between the innate immune system and the gut microbiome, as well as genetic contributions to disease. He also performs clinical research examining predictors of response to therapy, minimising barriers of care for adolescents and young adults with IBD, improving outcomes in pregnancy and IBD, and the use of intestinal ultrasound in IBD. He is the chair of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia-IBD Faculty and of the president of the Gastroenterology Network of Intestinal Ultrasound (GENIUS).

Research Impacts

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) is a complex disease with genetic and environmental triggers. The microbiota is one of the biggest environmental contributors and interest in its impact on human health and disease is a growing. Studies in IBD have led the way in identifying disease associated microbial signals, but has not yet led to any new therapies.

As a clinician-scientist I am driven by my patients’ needs to address all aspects of their disease: including genetic and environmental risk factors, disease monitoring, and developing novel therapeutics. My tranlsational research program contributes to KNOWLEDGE IMPACT by discovering the function of IBD-susceptibility genes and anti-inflammatory bio-actives produced by the gut microbiota. My clinical research program advances HEALTH IMPACT by optimizing patient monitoring through evidence-based use of biochemical tests and imaging technology.

-Knowledge Impact. My research into the interaction between IBD susceptibility genes and bacterial handling has been highly cited, and led to an NHMRC collaborative project grant.

-Health Impact. My research program into advances in patient monitoring has led to the application for faecal calprotectin testing to be covered by the Medicare Benefit Scheme – which will have a direct impact on patient monitoring in the clinic. Additionally my monitoring research into the use of intestinal ultrasound has led to the formation of the Gastroenterology Network of Intestinal Ultrasound and the increase in ultrasound use in IBD patients in Australia.

Publications

  • Lu, Cathy, Rosentreter, Ryan, Delisle, Maxime, White, Mattie, Parker, Claire E., Premji, Zahra, Wilson, Stephanie R., Baker, Mark E., Bhatnagar, Gauraang, Begun, Jakob, Bruining, David H., Bryant, Robert, Christensen, Britt, Feagan, Brian G., Fletcher, Joel G., Jairath, Vipul, Knudsen, John, Kucharzik, Torsten, Maaser, Christian, Maconi, Giovanni, Novak, Kerri, Rimola, Jordi, Taylor, Stuart A., Wilkens, Rune, Rieder, Florian and The Stenosis Therapy and Anti‐Fibrotic Research (STAR) consortium (2024). Systematic review: Defining, diagnosing and monitoring small bowel strictures in Crohn's disease on intestinal ultrasound. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 59 (8), 928-940. doi: 10.1111/apt.17918

  • Prentice, Ralley, Flanagan, Emma, Wright, Emily K., Gibson, Peter R., Rosella, Sam, Rosella, Ourania, Begun, Jakob, An, Yoon-Kyo, Lawrance, Ian C., Kamm, Michael A., Sparrow, Miles, Goldberg, Rimma, Prideaux, Lani, Vogrin, Sara, Kiburg, Katerina V., Ross, Alyson L., Burns, Megan and Bell, Sally J. (2024). Vedolizumab and ustekinumab levels in pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease and infants exposed in-utero. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2024.02.025

  • Moniruzzaman, Md, Janjua, Taskeen Iqbal, Martin, Jennifer H., Begun, Jakob and Popat, Amirali (2024). Cannabidiol - help and hype in targeting mucosal diseases. Journal of Controlled Release, 365, 530-543. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.11.010

View all Publications

Grants

View all Grants

Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Publications

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision