College of Science, University of Karbala discussed a Ph.D. thesis on the role of colibectin production in the development of intestinal inflammatory diseases by the postgraduate student, Mrs. Hoda Najeh Hassan.

The thesis aimed at studying the role of toxins from E. coli bacteria isolated from patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in the development of intestinal diseases in laboratory rats.

The thesis reviewed a study of intestinal inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and the causes of their occurrence, as well as the role of intestinal E. coli bacteria and the toxins they produce in the development of these diseases.

The thesis confirmed that Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis affect women more than men, and that E. coli bacteria isolated from patients possess genes to produce toxins after being administered to laboratory rats, which caused clear immunological and physiological changes in their large intestine and the small intestine was not affected.

The thesis recommended conducting further study on the E. coli bacteria and the other virulence factors it possesses and their role in the development of intestinal diseases, as well as extracting colibectin and microcin toxins from the E. coli bacteria and conducting biological experiments on them.