2026-27 Visiting Research Professor
LAURA SLY, M.SC., PH.D.
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
PROFESSOR, DIVISION OF GASTROENTEROLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS
Dr. Laura Sly is a leading Canadian scientist whose work has significantly advanced the fields of immunology, gastroenterology, and translational research. She is a Professor at the University of British Columbia and leads the Immunology in Health and Disease Research Group at BC Children's Hospital.
Dr. Sly earned a BSc (Honours) in Biochemistry and an MSc in Microbiology from the University of Manitoba, followed by a PhD in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Alberta. She then completed postdoctoral fellowships in Infectious Diseases at the University of British Columbia and Cancer Research at the BC Cancer Agency, where she developed expertise in immune regulation and inflammation.
The overarching goal of Dr. Sly's research program is to identify and validate novel therapeutic strategies to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its complications. Her research lab explores macrophage activation, regulatory T cells, microbiome-driven therapies, and innovative targeted drug delivery systems, including approaches that harness the unique activity of the gut microbiome to deliver treatments directly to the lower gastrointestinal tract. Through translational and collaborative research, she aims to advance more effective and personalized therapies for people living with IBD.
An internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Sly has published more than 75 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has an h-index of 43. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Award, the G. Jeanette Thorbecke New Investigator Award from the Society for Leukocyte Biology the CAG/CIHR-INMD Early Career Researcher Award, the Crohn's and Colitis Canada Research Leadership Award, the Crohn's and Colitis Canada Women in IBD Research Award, and the Research Excellence Award from GlycoNet.
As a CAG Fellow, Dr. Sly remains actively engaged in leadership, advocacy, and mentorship. Following her term on the CAG Board of Directors, she continues to contribute through CAG's Advocacy Committee. She also co-chairs the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of Crohn's and Colitis Canada and serves as Vice-Chair of the CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes Institute Advisory Board.
Dr. Sly’s career reflects a deep commitment to excellence in education, research, and service, making her a respected leader in biomedical science. Through her research and leadership, Dr. Sly continues to advance innovation in IBD treatment and improve digestive health outcomes across Canada.
Potential Topics of Presentation:
- Bespoke Plant Glycoconjugates for Targeted Drug Delivery to the Lower GI Tract in IBD
- Revisiting Macrophage “Polarization”: Persistent IL-1β Production in Anti-Inflammatory Phenotypes
- Mast Cell-Derived IL-13 as a Central Driver of Intestinal Fibrosis in Crohn’s Disease
Selected Publications (Trainees Underlined):
Bespoke plant glycoconjugates for gut microbiota-mediated drug targeting
Ma WJ, Wang C, Kothandapani J, Luzentales-Simpson M, Menzies SC, Bescucci DM, Lange ME, Fraser ASC, Gusse JF, House KE, Moote PE, Xing X, Grondin JM, Hui BW, Clarke ST, Shelton TG, Haskey N, Gibson DL, Martens EC, Abbott DW, Inglis GD, Sly LM, Brumer H.
Science. 2025 Jun 26;388(6754):1410-1416. doi: 10.1126/science.adk7633. Epub 2025 May 1.
PMID: 40310938
SHIP Blocks (MDP+LPS)-Induced Synergy in Macrophages Independent of Catalytic Activity
Yvonne Pang, Susan C. Menzies, Laura M Sly
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Just accepted to Journal of Leukocyte Biology
Mast cell-derived IL-13 drives Crohn’s disease-associated intestinal fibrosis
Kwestan Safari, Wei Jen Ma, Prabhreet Sekhon, Priya Rai, Susan C. Menzies, Tomoaki Hoshino, Anne-Sophie Fratzscher, Andrew Roth, Karen Madsen, Laura M. Sly
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Just accepted to Inflammatory Bowel Diseases