Hornsey Lodge

In late October, the Brethren of the newly formed 185 Club gathered for their first formal meeting – a night that celebrated both fellowship and purpose, as members heard from pioneering medical researchers whose work could transform the treatment of Crohn’s disease.

The 185 Club is a fellowship of Lodges united by a common lineage and, of course, an enduring spirit of brotherhood. The Club proudly takes its name from the Lodge of Tranquillity No 185, a distinguished Lodge founded in 1787; and whose Masonic legacy has given rise to an extended family of Lodges across the English Constitution.

The evening began with a warm welcome from the Club’s Secretary, W Bro Shahab Mossavat, who reminded attendees that while the 185 Club is new, it stands proudly on centuries of Masonic tradition. “Our purpose,” he said, “is what Freemasonry has always aspired to do: to combine friendship with service, and to make the world a little better by being serviceable to humankind.”

That spirit of service was given clear direction as two guests of honour, Dr Mohammad Eddama and Dr Imogen Greensmith from University College London (UCL), presented their research into the causes and treatment of Crohn’s disease. Their project seeks to understand and ultimately prevent the scarring of the bowel; a major and currently untreatable complication of this painful and often lifelong condition.

Dr Greensmith, a gastroenterology registrar undertaking her PhD at UCL’s Royal Free Hospital, began by explaining why this work is so urgent. “Crohn’s disease affects almost one percent of the population,” she said. “It typically strikes people in their teens and twenties – just as they are starting their adult lives. We can usually manage the inflammation, but when scarring occurs, there are no medical options. The only treatment is major surgery to remove sections of the bowel.”

Such operations can be life-changing, often requiring a stoma and carrying the risk of recurrence. “There is an urgent need for a non-surgical treatment,” she said, “and that’s what our research aims to deliver.”

Her study, titled “Epigenetic Regulation of Fibroblasts in Crohn’s Disease”, focuses on the cellular “switches” that control how scar-forming cells behave. “We’ve discovered that in Crohn’s disease, the “off switch” for inflammation doesn’t work properly. The signal stays stuck in the ‘on’ position, and that constant activity leads to scarring. If we can understand and reset that process, we could prevent or even reverse fibrosis.”

The research is supported by a distinguished team of scientists including Professor David Abraham, a global authority on fibrosis, and Professor James Lee of the Francis Crick Institute, renowned for his work in inflammatory bowel disease.

Dr Eddama, a colorectal surgeon and clinician-scientist at UCLH, described how the team’s discoveries could lead to a new class of treatment. “We are exploring a molecule originally developed at Oxford University that can restore those faulty genetic switches,” he explained. “Rather than suppressing symptoms, this could correct the underlying behaviour of the cells. It is early-stage work, but potentially curative.”

He spoke movingly about a former patient, Michael Suss[NS1] , who lived with severe Crohn’s from childhood. After repeated surgeries, he became one of the first people in the UK to receive a bowel transplant. “Michael’s courage and intellect inspired this line of research,” said Dr Eddama. “He helped show us where the science needed to go. Our mission is to continue what he started – to find a way to stop fibrosis before it starts.”

Following the presentation, the Brethren engaged in an animated discussion that ranged from genetics and gene expression to the ethics of drug development. Several noted the striking parallels between medical research and Freemasonry itself – both grounded in curiosity, learning and a commitment to the betterment of humankind.

The team estimates that bringing this work to the point where it can attract large-scale medical research funding will require around £300,000 over the next few years – funding that would support a dedicated research fellow, laboratory resources and the analysis of thousands of cellular data samples.

This is beyond the reach of individual Lodges, despite the generosity of the Craft. But it is possible that the collective strength of the 27 Lodges that trace their heritage to Tranquillity No 185 could quickly generate meaningful sums. This can be augmented by match-funding schemes through Metropolitan Grand Lodge’s charitable operations. Medical contributions, of course, have a long history within Masonry: “Freemasons are the second-largest charitable donors in the UK after the National Lottery,” one Brother explained. “From funding air ambulances to providing the CyberKnife cancer treatment at Barts, London Masonry has shown what is possible when we act together.”

The 185 Club resolved to make the Crohn’s research its first major charitable endeavour. This can only begin in earnest when the Club is formally established as a registered charity. But plans already include forming a network of Lodge Secretaries and holding a charity gala in June 2026 to bring together all 27 lodges. In the chair’s closing words: “We have found our cause. The 185 Club now has purpose as well as fellowship; to help advance a piece of science that could change lives. None of us could achieve this alone, but together, as one Masonic family, we surely can.”

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 59 – Christmas 2025.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 59 here.

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