Overview
Background
Professor Peter Sly is the Director, Children's Health and Environment Program. Professor Sly is a NHMRC Leadership Fellow (L3) and an emeritus paediatric respiratory physician with extensive research experience in respiratory physiology, developmental immunology and children's environmental health. Professor Sly’s research aims to understand the mechanisms underlying chronic childhood lung diseases in order to improve clinical management and to delay or prevent their onset, with consequent reductions in adult lung diseases. A combination of basic science, longitudinal cohort studies and translation of research findings into clinical practice, including clinical trials, are included in three main areas: asthma, cystic fibrosis and children’s environmental health
Professor Sly is an advisor to the World Health Organisation Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Disease and currently serves on International Advisory Boards and committees, including: WHO network of Collaborating Centres in Children’s Environmental Health; Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Study, Canada; the Infant Lung Health Study, Paarl, South Africa; and A SHARED Future: Achieving Strength, Health, and Autonomy, through Renewable Energy Development for the Future.
Availability
- Professor Peter Sly is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, University of Melbourne
- Doctoral Diploma of Medicine, University of Melbourne
- Doctoral Diploma of Science (Advanced), University of Western Australia
Research interests
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Asthma
Understanding mechanisms that underlie risks for developing asthma in susceptible children
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Cystic Fibrosis
Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of lung disease early in life and why and how this progresses
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Impact of environmental exposures in early life
Improving methods of assessing environmental exposures during fetal development and in early postnatal life. Improving methods for assessing the effects of early life environmental exposures and understanding how these increase long-tern risk of chronic disease.
Research impacts
CI Sly’s research program changed thinking on how chronic respiratory disease develops; highlighting the impact of early life exposures increasing disease risk and showing early detection is the key to its reduction, developing tools for assessing early respiratory disease, revealing mechanisms underpinning disease onset and progression, and outlined intervention pathways to improve health outcomes. The paradigm-shifting Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis CF (AREST CF), demonstrated infants can have significant lung disease with no clinical symptoms; defined risk factors for persistent bronchiectasis at 3 months of age; developing tools to assess early lung disease on chest CT scans showing early bronchiectasis was persistent and progressive; and resulted in the 1st clinical trial of primary prevention of bronchiectasis in infants with CF. Research and advocacy with the WHO led to the WHO program on e-Waste and contributions to WHO policy and Lancet commissions on Pollution and Health and Child Wellbeing. CI Sly has an established track record investigating infection and inflammation, and the underlying mechanisms of airway disease. He was one of the key persons in establishing and managing longitudinal birth cohorts to identify risk factors underlying the development of asthma. He also has a long track record in respiratory physiology and in developing and implementing new measurements of lung function. He has contributed to consensus statements in the area of standardization of lung function testing for infants and young children and has had substantial involvement in clinical trials, both investigator-initiated and pharma trials.
Works
Search Professor Peter Sly’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Differential respiratory function response in paediatric spinal muscular atrophy types 2 and 3 treated with nusinersen over 3 years
Chacko, Archana, Sly, Peter D., Ware, Robert S., Dyer, Brett, Deegan, Sean, Thomas, Nicole and Gauld, Leanne M. (2025). Differential respiratory function response in paediatric spinal muscular atrophy types 2 and 3 treated with nusinersen over 3 years. Sleep Medicine, 129, 354-362. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2025.02.034
2025
Conference Publication
A Novel Methodology to Enable Cost-effective, Multi-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials
Costa-Pinto, J., Grant, C.C., Lee, K.J., Gold, L., Sly, P.D., Schembri, R., McNab, S. and Vuillermin, P. (2025). A Novel Methodology to Enable Cost-effective, Multi-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials. ATS International Conference, San Francisco, CA United States, 16-21 May 2025. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a2231
2025
Conference Publication
Increasing Maternal Polyphenol Intake Is Associated With Decreased Risk of Early Persistent and Transient Preschool Wheeze
Morgan, R., O'Hely, M., Sly, P.D., Ranganathan, S.C., Saffery, R., Ponsonby, A.-L., Gray, L., Vuillermin, P.J. and Barwon Infant Study Investigator Group (2025). Increasing Maternal Polyphenol Intake Is Associated With Decreased Risk of Early Persistent and Transient Preschool Wheeze. ATS International Conference, San Francisco, CA United States, 16-21 May 2025. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a3156
2025
Journal Article
Mental health, behaviour and sleep quality in children 6–11 years before and after elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor initiation
Douglas, Tonia, Deery, Maddison, Kimball, Hayley, Cobham, Vanessa E., Panochini, Sophia, Robinson, Paul D., Wainwright, Claire E., Sly, Peter D. and Blake, Tamara (2025). Mental health, behaviour and sleep quality in children 6–11 years before and after elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor initiation. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 24 (3), 571-573. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2024.10.002
2025
Conference Publication
Bronchodilator Response Measured by Intrabreath Oscillometry Differentiates Wheezers From Healthy Preschoolers
Wong, M.D., Condon, K., Zahir, S.F., Sly, P.D., Blake, T.L., Suresh, S., Robinson, P.D. and Hantos, Z. (2025). Bronchodilator Response Measured by Intrabreath Oscillometry Differentiates Wheezers From Healthy Preschoolers. ATS International Conference, San Francisco, CA United States, 16-21 May 2025. New York, NY United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.abstracts.a7093
2025
Journal Article
Household dust as a reservoir for environmentally persistent free radicals: a longitudinal study
Vilcins, Dwan, Dangal, Prakash, Lomnicki, Slawomir, Cormier, Stephania A., Lee, Wen Ray and Sly, Peter D. (2025). Household dust as a reservoir for environmentally persistent free radicals: a longitudinal study. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print), 1-12. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2025.2495202
2025
Journal Article
Astaxanthin protects against environmentally persistent free radical-induced oxidative stress in well-differentiated respiratory epithelium
Yamamoto, Ayaho, Sly, Peter D., Khachatryan, Lavrent, Begum, Nelufa, Yeo, Abrey J., Robinson, Paul D., Cormier, Stephania A. and Fantino, Emmanuelle (2025). Astaxanthin protects against environmentally persistent free radical-induced oxidative stress in well-differentiated respiratory epithelium. Redox Biology, 81 103542, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2025.103542
2025
Journal Article
Polyphenol Intake During Pregnancy and Childhood Asthma and Atopic Disorders: A Systematic Review
Morgan, Rachel J., Du Berry, Cassidy, O'Hely, Martin, Gray, Lawrence, Ranganathan, Sarath, Vuillermin, Peter and Sly, Peter D. (2025). Polyphenol Intake During Pregnancy and Childhood Asthma and Atopic Disorders: A Systematic Review. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 55 (7), 567-570. doi: 10.1111/cea.70031
2025
Conference Publication
Neuropsychiatric symptoms 6-months post elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor initiation in children
Deery, M., Blake, T., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Panochini, S., Sly, P., Robinson, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2025). Neuropsychiatric symptoms 6-months post elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor initiation in children. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 21-25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1111/imj.70003
2025
Conference Publication
Cure asthma: who gets asthma and why?
Donovan, C., Flynn, A., Anderson, G., Sly, P., Foster, P. and Evans, D. (2025). Cure asthma: who gets asthma and why?. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 21 - 25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2025
Conference Publication
Viral: bacterial interactions in childhood asthma
Sly, Peter D. (2025). Viral: bacterial interactions in childhood asthma. International Society of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases (INSPiRED) meeting, Porto, Portugal, 4 - 7 July 2024. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/ppul.27280
2025
Conference Publication
Risk factors for preschool wheeze profiles in a longitudinal birth cohort study
Morgan, R., Dai, X., Lodge, C., Ranganathan, S., O'Hely, M., Sly, P., Gray, L., Ponsonby, A. and Vuillermin, P. (2025). Risk factors for preschool wheeze profiles in a longitudinal birth cohort study. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 21 - 25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2025
Journal Article
Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
Shifti, Desalegn Markos, Al Imam, Mahmudul Hassan, Maresco-Pennisi, Diane, Whitcombe, Renarta, Sly, Peter D., Munns, Craig F., Peters, Rachel L., Khandaker, Gulam and Koplin, Jennifer J. (2025). Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents. BMJ Open, 15 (3) e091482, e091482. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091482
2025
Conference Publication
Indoor air pollution and its impact on the lungs
Sly, Peter D. (2025). Indoor air pollution and its impact on the lungs. International Society of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases (INSPiRED) meeting, Porto, Portugal, 4 - 7 July 2024. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/ppul.27281
2025
Conference Publication
Evaluating the impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor on anxiety in school-aged children
Deery, M., Blake, T., Cobham, V., Kimball, H., Panochini, S., Sly, P., Robinson, P., Wainwright, C. and Douglas, T. (2025). Evaluating the impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor on anxiety in school-aged children. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 21-25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1111/imj.70003
2025
Conference Publication
CURE asthma: Australia's unique discovery to translation opportunity
Flynn, A., McDonald,, Blakey, J., Jenkins, C., Dharmage, S., Gibson, P., Marks, G., Foster, P., Sly, P., James, A., Wettenhall, J., Sivamalai, S., Jaffe, A. and Anderson, G. (2025). CURE asthma: Australia's unique discovery to translation opportunity. TSANZSRS Annual Scientific meeting 2025, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 21 - 25 March 2025. Richmond, VIC, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.
2025
Journal Article
A pathway-based genetic score for inflammation: an indicator of vulnerability to phthalate-induced adverse neurodevelopment outcomes
Elagali, Ahmed, Eisner, Alex, Tanner, Samuel, Drummond, Katherine, Symeonides, Christos, Love, Chloe, Tang, Mimi LK., Mansell, Toby, Burgner, David, Collier, Fiona, Sly, Peter D., O'Hely, Martin, Dunlop, Sarah, Vuillermin, Peter and Ponsonby, Anne-Louise (2025). A pathway-based genetic score for inflammation: an indicator of vulnerability to phthalate-induced adverse neurodevelopment outcomes. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 264 114514, 114514-264. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114514
2025
Journal Article
1Infant respiratory outcomes following asthma management and exacerbations in pregnancy
Brew, Bronwyn K., Gibson, Peter G., Collison, Adam M., Mattes, Joerg, Martins, Gabriela, Gomes, Costa, Robijn, Annelies, Jensen, Megan E., Karmaus, Wilfried, Robinson, Paul, Peek, Michael J., Seeho, Sean, Sly, Peter D. and Murphy, Vanessa E. (2025). 1Infant respiratory outcomes following asthma management and exacerbations in pregnancy. ERJ Open Research, 11 (4) 01139-2024, 1-11. doi: 10.1183/23120541.01139-2024
2025
Journal Article
Assessing the impact of individual exposure to air pollution via biomarkers in sputum of children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Le Tran, Linh, Le Pham, An, Duc Do, Minh, Nguyen, Quynh Nhat, Ngo, Hieu K. T., Le, Hong H.T.C., Nguyen, Vinh Nhu, Phung, Dung, Sly, Peter D. and Thai, Phong K. (2025). Assessing the impact of individual exposure to air pollution via biomarkers in sputum of children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Environmental Pollution, 367 125544, 125544. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125544
2025
Conference Publication
Association of Host CDHR3 rs6967330 Genotype with Rhinovirus Infections in Children from 1997-2018
Gao, Yingyu, Choi, Timothy, Devries, Mark, Tetreault, Kaitlin, Gangnon, Ronald, Bacharier, Leonard, Busse, Wil-liam, Camargo, Carlos, Cohen, Robyn, Demuri, Gregory, Fitzpatrick, Anne, Gergen, Peter, Grindle, Kristine, Gruchalla, Rebecca, Hartert, Tina, Hasegawa, Kohei, Hershey, Gurjit Khurana, Holt, Patrick, Homil, Kiara, Jartti, Tuomas, Kattan, Meyer, Kercsmar, Carolyn, Kim, Haejin, Laing, Ingrid, Le Souef, Peter, Liu, Andrew, Mauger, David, Pappas, Tressa, Lee, Kristine ... Wilson, Jo (2025). Association of Host CDHR3 rs6967330 Genotype with Rhinovirus Infections in Children from 1997-2018. American-Academy-of-Allergy-Asthma-and-Immunology/World Allergy Organization Joint Congress (AAAAI/WAO), San Diego Ca, Feb 28-Mar 03, 2025. NEW YORK: MOSBY-ELSEVIER.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Peter Sly is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Role of airway obstruction in the development of asthma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Zoltan Hantos, Dr Tamara Blake
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Doctor Philosophy
Respiratory Guidelines for the Management of Paediatric Neuromuscular Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Zephanie Tyack
-
Doctor Philosophy
Maternal exposure to phthalates and allergic disease in children
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwan Vilcins
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Doctor Philosophy
Providing evidence to guide public health messages during bushfire smoke events
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwan Vilcins
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigations into the importance of antimicrobial residues in the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in peri-urban dairy farms of Nepal
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen, Dr Nicholas Clark, Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes
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Doctor Philosophy
Improving detection of pulmonary graft-vs-host disease (pGVHD) post haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tamara Blake, Professor Paul Robinson
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Characterizing the Environmental Burden and Health Impact of Electronic Waste (e-waste) in Bangladesh
Principal Advisor
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Traffic-related air pollution: impact on respiratory health and attitudes to self-protective behaviours amongst urban Vietnamese children
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Phong Thai, Associate Professor Dung Phung
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Enteropathogen infection and Household Factors Associated with Linear Child Growth in Bangladesh
Principal Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Novel green space measures and birthweight in Queensland, Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Jagals, Dr Peter Baker
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Incorporating Epidemiological Studies into Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Coal Mining
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Jagals
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating the Effects of Atmospheric Environment on Children's Health in Hanoi, Vietnam
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller, Associate Professor Phong Thai, Associate Professor Dung Phung
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing Exposure of Young Australian Children to Toxicants in the Home Environment using a Web-Based Questionnaire
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Jagals
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Improving the clinical utility of the Forced Oscillation Technique in preschool-aged children
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Zoltan Hantos
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Mitigating the health impacts of air pollution in Australia: From research to policy.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Brian Head, Associate Professor Nina Lansbury
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Epidemiological investigations into avian influenza virus environmental contamination in live bird markets of Dhaka's metropolitan area, Bangladesh
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicholas Clark, Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Children's Environmental Health in Least Developed Countries: a modelling approach to support policy decisions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Jagals
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Trajectories of asthma symptom and their associations with family, neighbourhood, and psychosocial environmental factors among children in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Abdullah Mamun
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2022
Master Philosophy
Investigating the molecular mechanisms of macrophage polarisation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Abdullah Tarique
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-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing Early-life Human Exposure to Selected Pesticides Using Urinary Biomarkers
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Statistical methods for analysing the health effects of prenatal exposure to mixtures of correlated endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Associate Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Early Life Predictors of Peak Lung function at 21 years Findings from a Longitudinal Cohort Study
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Abdullah Mamun
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Establishing a wound healing model in well differentiated cultures of primary human nasal epithelial cells
Associate Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing body burden of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in infants/toddlers through analysis of faeces
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller
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-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
The antiviral defects of the airway epithelium associated with wheeze and atopy in children and asthma in adults
Associate Advisor
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the cellular and molecular processes that link RAGE gene-deletion with the development of pneumovirus-induced bronchiolitis and paucigranulocytic asthma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor John Upham
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Immunomodulation of allergic airway inflammation by mesenchymal stem cells
Associate Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Acute lower respiratory infections in infants in the tropics: Environmental drivers of seasonal epidemics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Gail Williams
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Assessing environmental exposures in Australian children. A case study of bisphenol A
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jochen Mueller
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Peter Sly directly for media enquiries about:
- Child health
- Children and environment
- Cystic fibrosis
- Paediatric asthma
- Respiratory physiology
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