Beyond occasional ulcerative colitis patients that can be managed with aminosalicylates, patients with moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require the use of systemic steroids or “steroid-sparing” regimens including tumor necrosis factor antagonists (anti-TNFs) or nonbiologic immunomodulators (nonbiologics [e.g. thiopurines, methotrexate]) to control their symptoms. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is inflammatory bowel disease.