Charlie Lees

Professor Charlie Lees leads the Translational Epidemiology research group at the Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh. His work focuses on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, exploring the interplay of genetics, environment, diet, and gut microbiota in disease pathogenesis.

• Principal investigator for the GEM (Genetics, Environment, Microbiome) study, tracking 5,000 healthy first-degree relatives of Crohn’s patients to identify early predictors of disease onset.
• Head of the PREdiCCt (Predicting Crohn’s Disease Course) study, analyzing dietary, environmental, and microbiota factors in 1,500 IBD patients to forecast disease flares.

Collaborations include institutions in Cambridge, Oxford, Aberdeen, and Highlands, with funding from Wellcome Trust, Chief Scientists Office, and CORE.