Mutations in a gene associated with Crohn's disease have been found to rob critical immune cells of their ability to switch modes, causing them to overreact and trigger inflammation. Variations in the NOD2 gene have been linked to Crohn's in previous studies , yet their exact role in the disease's pathology has long been a mystery. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego used machine learning techniques to identify patterns in gene activity of immune cells in the gut.