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
2020
Journal Article
Methylation of the LEP gene promoter in blood at 12 months and BMI at 4 years of age—a population-based cohort study
Mansell, Toby, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Collier, Fiona, Burgner, David, Pezic, Angela, Vuillermin, Peter, Ryan, Joanne, Saffery, Richard, Vuillermin, Peter, Collier, Fiona, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Carlin, John, Allen, Katie, Tang, Mimi, Saffery, Richard, Ranganathan, Sarath, Burgner, David, Dwyer, Terry and Sly, Peter (2020). Methylation of the LEP gene promoter in blood at 12 months and BMI at 4 years of age—a population-based cohort study. International Journal of Obesity, 44 (4), 842-847. doi: 10.1038/s41366-020-0553-3
2020
Journal Article
Early markers of cystic fibrosis structural lung disease: follow-up of the ACFBAL cohort
Wijker, Naomi E., Vidmar, Suzanna, Grimwood, Keith, Sly, Peter D., Byrnes, Catherine A., Carlin, John B., Cooper, Peter J., Robertson, Colin F., Massie, R. John, Kemner van de Corput, Mariette P. C., Cheney, Joyce, Tiddens, Harm A.W.M., Wainwright, Claire E. and for the Australasian Cystic Fibrosis Bronchoalveolar Lavage (ACFBAL) and Follow-up of the ACFBAL (CF-FAB) study groups (2020). Early markers of cystic fibrosis structural lung disease: follow-up of the ACFBAL cohort. European Respiratory Journal, 55 (4) 1901694, 1-12. doi: 10.1183/13993003.01694-2019
2020
Journal Article
Polysomnography findings in pediatric spinal muscular atrophy types 1–3
Chacko, Archana, Sly, Peter D. and Gauld, Leanne (2020). Polysomnography findings in pediatric spinal muscular atrophy types 1–3. Sleep Medicine, 68, 124-130. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.12.004
2020
Journal Article
Early life microbial exposure, child neurocognition and behaviour at 2 years of age: a birth cohort study
Senn, Elizabeth, Symeonides, Christos, Vuillermin, Peter, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Carlin, John, Tang, Mimi, Collier, Fiona, Dwyer, Terry, Ranganathan, Sarath, Sly, Peter, Harrison, Len and Burgner, David (2020). Early life microbial exposure, child neurocognition and behaviour at 2 years of age: a birth cohort study. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 56 (4), 590-599. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14695
2020
Journal Article
Genetic susceptibility to asthma increases the vulnerability to indoor air pollution
Hüls, Anke, Vanker, Aneesa, Gray, Diane, Koen, Nastassja, MacIsaac, Julia L., Lin, David T S, Ramadori, Katia E., Sly, Peter D., Stein, Dan J., Kobor, Michael S. and Zar, Heather J. (2020). Genetic susceptibility to asthma increases the vulnerability to indoor air pollution. The European Respiratory Journal, 55 (3) 1901831, 1901831. doi: 10.1183/13993003.01831-2019
2020
Journal Article
Maternal carriage of Prevotella during pregnancy associates with protection against food allergy in the offspring
Vuillermin, Peter J., O’Hely, Martin, Collier, Fiona, Allen, Katrina J., Tang, Mimi L. K., Harrison, Leonard C., Carlin, John B., Saffery, Richard, Ranganathan, Sarath, Sly, Peter D., Gray, Lawrence, Molloy, John, Pezic, Angela, Conlon, Michael, Topping, David, Nelson, Karen, Mackay, Charles R., Macia, Laurence, Koplin, Jennifer, Dawson, Samantha L., Moreno-Betancur, Margarita and Ponsonby, Anne-Louise (2020). Maternal carriage of Prevotella during pregnancy associates with protection against food allergy in the offspring. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 1452, 1452. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14552-1
2020
Journal Article
Bacterial colonization dynamics associated with respiratory syncytial virus during early childhood
Brealey, Jaelle C., Young, Paul R., Sloots, Theo P., Ware, Robert S., Lambert, Stephen B., Sly, Peter D., Grimwood, Keith and Chappell, Keith J. (2020). Bacterial colonization dynamics associated with respiratory syncytial virus during early childhood. Pediatric Pulmonology, 55 (5) ppul.24715, 1237-1245. doi: 10.1002/ppul.24715
2020
Journal Article
Aspergillus infections and progression of structural lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis
Breuer, Oded, Schultz, Andre, Garratt, Luke W., Turkovic, Lidija, Rosenow, Tim, Murray, Conor P., Karpievitch, Yuliya V., Akesson, Lauren, Dalton, Samuel, Sly, Peter D., Ranganathan, Sarath, Stick, Stephen M. and Caudri, Daan (2020). Aspergillus infections and progression of structural lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 201 (6), 688-696. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201908-1585OC
2020
Journal Article
Reply to Turnbull et al. And to Hulme et al.
Breuer, Oded, Schultz, Andre, Turkovic, Lidija, De Klerk, Nicholas, Keil, Anthony D., Brennan, Siobhain, Harrison, Joanne, Robertson, Colin, Robinson, Philip J., Sly, Peter D., Ranganathan, Sarath, Stick, Stephen M. and Caudri, Daan (2020). Reply to Turnbull et al. And to Hulme et al.. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 201 (6), 750-752. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201911-2213LE
2020
Journal Article
A worldwide charter for all children with asthma
Szefler, Stanley J., Fitzgerald, Dominic A., Adachi, Yuichi, Doull, Iolo J., Fischer, Gilberto B., Fletcher, Monica, Hong, Jianguo, García‐Marcos, Luis, Pedersen, Søren, Østrem, Anders, Sly, Peter D., Williams, Siân, Winders, Tonya, Zar, Heather J., Bush, Andy and Lenney, Warren (2020). A worldwide charter for all children with asthma. Pediatric Pulmonology, 55 (5) ppul.24713, 1282-1292. doi: 10.1002/ppul.24713
2020
Journal Article
Limited assessment of respiratory muscle response to nusinersen treatment in infants with spinal muscular atrophy
Chacko, Archana, Sly, Peter D. and Gauld, Leanne (2020). Limited assessment of respiratory muscle response to nusinersen treatment in infants with spinal muscular atrophy. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 201 (5), 624-624. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201909-1854LE
2020
Journal Article
Environmental chronic exposure to metals and effects on attention and executive function in the general population
Rafiee, Ata, Delgado-Saborit, Juana Maria, Sly, Peter D., Quémerais, Bernadette, Hashemi, Fallah, Akbari, Sadaf and Hoseini, Mohammad (2020). Environmental chronic exposure to metals and effects on attention and executive function in the general population. Science of the Total Environment, 705 135911, 135911. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135911
2020
Journal Article
A future for the world's children? A WHO–UNICEF–Lancet Commission
Clark, Helen, Coll-Seck, Awa Marie, Banerjee, Anshu, Peterson, Stefan, Dalglish, Sarah L., Ameratunga, Shanthi, Balabanova, Dina, Bhan, Maharaj Kishan, Bhutta, Zulfiqar A., Borrazzo, John, Claeson, Mariam, Doherty, Tanya, El-Jardali, Fadi, George, Asha S., Gichaga, Angela, Gram, Lu, Hipgrave, David B., Kwamie, Aku, Meng, Qingyue, Mercer, Raúl, Narain, Sunita, Nsungwa-Sabiiti, Jesca, Olumide, Adesola O., Osrin, David, Powell-Jackson, Timothy, Rasanathan, Kumanan, Rasul, Imran, Reid, Papaarangi, Requejo, Jennifer ... Costello, Anthony (2020). A future for the world's children? A WHO–UNICEF–Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 395 (10224), 605-658. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32540-1
2020
Journal Article
Gut microbiota composition during infancy and subsequent behavioural outcomes
Loughman, Amy, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, O'Hely, Martin, Symeonides, Christos, Collier, Fiona, Tang, Mimi L.K., Carlin, John, Ranganathan, Sarath, Allen, Katrina, Pezic, Angela, Saffery, Richard, Jacka, Felice, Harrison, Leonard C., Sly, Peter D., Vuillermin, Peter and BIS Investigator Group (2020). Gut microbiota composition during infancy and subsequent behavioural outcomes. EBioMedicine, 52 102640, 102640. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102640
2020
Journal Article
Sex differences in infant blood metabolite profile in association with weight and adiposity measures
Ellul, Susan, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Carlin, John B., Collier, Fiona, Mansell, Toby, Vuillermin, Peter, Burgner, David, Saffery, Richard, Barwon Infant Study Investigator Team, Carlin, John, Allen, Katie, Tang, Mimi, Ranganathan, Sarath, Dwyer, Terry and Sly, Peter (2020). Sex differences in infant blood metabolite profile in association with weight and adiposity measures. Pediatric Research, 88 (3), 473-483. doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-0762-4
2020
Journal Article
After COVID-19, a future for the world's children?
Clark, Helen, Coll-Seck, Awa Marie, Banerjee, Anshu, Peterson, Stefan, Dalglish, Sarah L., Ameratunga, Shanthi, Balabanova, Dina, Bhutta, Zulfiqar A., Borrazzo, John, Claeson, Mariam, Doherty, Tanya, El-Jardali, Fadi, George, Asha S., Gichaga, Angela, Gram, Lu, Hipgrave, David B., Kwamie, Aku, Meng, Qingyue, Mercer, Raúl, Narain, Sunita, Nsungwa-Sabiiti, Jesca, Olumide, Adesola O., Osrin, David, Powell-Jackson, Timothy, Rasanathan, Kumanan, Rasul, Imran, Reid, Papaarangi, Requejo, Jennifer, Rohde, Sarah S. ... Costello, Anthony (2020). After COVID-19, a future for the world's children?. The Lancet, 396 (10247), 298-300. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31481-1
2020
Journal Article
Variants associated withHHIP expression have sex-differential effects on lung function
Fawcett, Katherine A., Wain, Louise V., Obeidat, Ma'en, Melbourne, Carl, Shrine, Nick, Guyatt, Anna L., John, Catherine, Luan, Jian'an, Richmond, Anne, Moksnes, Marta R., Granell, Raquel, Weiss, Stefan, Imboden, Medea, May-Wilson, Sebastian, Hysi, Pirro, Boutin, Thibaud S., Portas, Laura, Flexeder, Claudia, Harris, Sarah E., Wang, Carol A., Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka, Palviainen, Teemu, Foong, Rachel E., Keidel, Dirk, Minelli, Cosetta, Langenberg, Claudia, Bossé, Yohan, Van den Berge, Maarten, Sin, Don D. ... Tobin, Martin D. (2020). Variants associated withHHIP expression have sex-differential effects on lung function. Wellcome Open Research, 5 111, 1-19. doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15846.1
2020
Journal Article
Systems biology and big data in asthma and allergy: recent discoveries and emerging challenges
Tang, Howard H. F., Sly, Peter D., Holt, Patrick G., Holt, Kathryn E. and Inouye, Michael (2020). Systems biology and big data in asthma and allergy: recent discoveries and emerging challenges. The European Respiratory Journal, 55 (1) 1900844, 1900844. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00844-2019
2020
Journal Article
The association of early life viral respiratory illness and atopy on asthma in children: systematic review and meta-analysis
Wadhwa, Vikas, Lodge, Caroline J., Dharmage, Shyamali C., Cassim, Raisa, Sly, Peter D. and Russell, Melissa Anne (2020). The association of early life viral respiratory illness and atopy on asthma in children: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 8 (8), 2663-2672.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.03.032
2020
Conference Publication
The effect of oxidative stress on human airway epithelial cells
Yamamoto, A., Yeo, A. J., Deane, A., Sly, P. D. and Fantino, E. (2020). The effect of oxidative stress on human airway epithelial cells. International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society, Electr Network, 2020. New York, NY, United States: American Thoracic Society. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2020.201.1_meetingabstracts.a2304
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
The Respiratory effects of Paediatric Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Zephanie Tyack
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Doctor Philosophy
Impacts of early-life phthalate and bisphenol exposure on childhood asthma, allergy, and lung function
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
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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
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Characterizing the Environmental Burden and Health Impact of Electronic Waste (e-waste) in Bangladesh
Principal Advisor
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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
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Novel green space measures and birthweight in Queensland, Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Baker
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Incorporating Epidemiological Studies into Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Coal Mining
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluating the Effects of Atmospheric Environment on Children's Health in Hanoi, Vietnam
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Phong Thai, Associate Professor Dung Phung
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Children's Environmental Health in Least Developed Countries: a modelling approach to support policy decisions
Associate Advisor
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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
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Statistical methods for analysing the health effects of prenatal exposure to mixtures of correlated endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Associate Advisor
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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