NICRN GI Team in Belfast successfully hit MAPS study target

December 12, 2025

Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network (NICRN) has successfully delivered the MAPS study recruiting over 200 participants to demonstrate the feasibility of using the new RAPIDvMAP assay to detect Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections in Northern Ireland Crohn’s disease patients.

NICRN are delighted to have successfully delivered the MAP’s study, the ‘Identification of Crohn’s disease cases with systemic Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections using the novel RAPIDvMAP assay’.  We have exceeded the recruitment target of > 200 participants within a short timeline of 6 months.
This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using the new RAPIDvMAP assay to detect systemic MAP infections in Northern Ireland Crohn’s disease patients (established cases and newly diagnosed cases) by testing buffy coat samples.

The trial’s Principal Investigator was Dr Graham Morrison, Consultant Gastroenterologist within the BHSCT, and Prof. Irene R. Grant (Co-Investigator).

Photographed are the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network’s Gastroenterology (GI) Research Team members, along with one of our inspirational study participants.

We are delighted to report the final participant number of 206, which was achieved by the immense efforts of Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network, whom we wish to thank:

• Our inspirational and dedicated study participants
• The Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network GI Research nurses Fiona Gregg and Brenda Carville whose work was paramount to the trial’s success, and NICRN Clinical trial assistants Jackalene Robinson and Anam Javed who diligently assisted in the clinical duties.
• NICRN Admin team Michelle Growcott, Dermott Ryder and Andrew Sloane for communicating with participants, scheduling appointments, and helping meet weekly outcomes
• The NICRN Staff Management team for granting access to network colleagues in assisting with participant recruitment
• NICRN Research nurses who helped in latter stages of participant recruitment, Anie Philip (Trauma & Orthopaedics team) and Trudy Brown (Dementia team)
• Researcher Minu Thomas, who assisted in the processing of samples