Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory diseases of unknown origin. While genetics was shown to contribute to IBD risk, only a minority of people carrying genetic risk variants develop the disease. It suggests that other environmental factors play an important role in IBD. Researchers from the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) and the Medical Faculty of the TU Dresden have now identified a new pathway responsible for intestinal inflammation. They show how a human genetic defect promotes susceptibility to bacterial triggers of inflammation in the gut.