
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
-
Asthma
Understanding mechanisms that underlie risks for developing asthma in susceptible children
-
Cystic Fibrosis
Understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of lung disease early in life and why and how this progresses
-
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.
Works
Search Professor Peter Sly’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Journal Article
Green space in health research: an overview of common indicators of greenness
Vilcins, Dwan, Sly, Peter D., Scarth, Peter and Mavoa, Suzanne (2022). Green space in health research: an overview of common indicators of greenness. Reviews on Environmental Health, 39 (2), 1-11. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2022-0083
2022
Journal Article
Lead in traditional and complementary medicine: a systematic review
McRae, Angus, Vilcins, Dwan, Le, Hong Huynh Thi Cam, Gorman, Julia, Brune Drisse, Marie Noel, Onyon, Lesley, Sly, Peter D. and Islam, Mohammad Zahirul (2022). Lead in traditional and complementary medicine: a systematic review. Reviews on Environmental Health, 39 (1), 111-120. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2022-0079
2022
Journal Article
Factors in childhood associated with lung function decline to adolescence in cystic fibrosis
Begum, Nelufa, Byrnes, Catherine A., Cheney, Joyce, Cooper, Peter J., Fantino, Emmanuelle, Gailer, Nicholas, Grimwood, Keith, GutierrezCardenas, Diana, Massie, John, Robertson, Colin F., Sly, Peter D., Tiddens, Harm A.W.M., Wainwright, Claire E. and Ware, Robert S. (2022). Factors in childhood associated with lung function decline to adolescence in cystic fibrosis. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 21 (6), 977-983. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2022.03.008
2022
Journal Article
Environmental impacts on infectious disease: a literature view of epidemiological evidence
Sly, Peter D., Trottier, Brittany, Ikeda-Araki, Atsuko and Vilcins, Dwan (2022). Environmental impacts on infectious disease: a literature view of epidemiological evidence. Annals of Global Health, 88 (1) 91, 1-9. doi: 10.5334/aogh.3670
2022
Journal Article
Interference between rhinovirus and other RNA respiratory viruses in the first 2-years of life: a longitudinal community-based birth cohort study
Takashima, Mari D., Grimwood, Keith, Sly, Peter D., Lambert, Stephen B. and Ware, Robert S. (2022). Interference between rhinovirus and other RNA respiratory viruses in the first 2-years of life: a longitudinal community-based birth cohort study. Journal of Clinical Virology, 155 105249, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2022.105249
2022
Journal Article
Comparison of two devices for assessment of the interrupter resistance in preschool children
Calogero, C., Fenu, G., Luzzi, V., Papale, M., Sly, P. D. and Lombardi, E. (2022). Comparison of two devices for assessment of the interrupter resistance in preschool children. Pediatric Respiratory Journal, 1, 38-42. doi: 10.56164/pediatrrespirj.2022.06
2022
Journal Article
Trajectories of neighborhood environmental factors and their associations with asthma symptom trajectories among children in Australia: evidence from a national birth cohort study
Shahunja, K. M., Sly, Peter D., Huda, M. Mamun and Mamun, Abdullah (2022). Trajectories of neighborhood environmental factors and their associations with asthma symptom trajectories among children in Australia: evidence from a national birth cohort study. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 20 (2), 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s40201-022-00824-z
2022
Conference Publication
Longitudinal effects of prenatal exposure to plastic-derived chemicals and their metabolites on asthma and lung function
Foong, R., Sanna, F., Franklin, P., Hall, G., Sly, P., Thorstensen, E., Doherty, D., Keelan, J. and Hart, R. (2022). Longitudinal effects of prenatal exposure to plastic-derived chemicals and their metabolites on asthma and lung function. ERS International Congress 2022, Barcelona, Spain, 4-6 September 2022. Sheffield, United Kingdom: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2022.2672
2022
Conference Publication
Oscillometry in preterm-associated obstructive and non-obstructive lung disease
Cousins, M., Hart, K., Course, C., Radics, B., Hantos, Z., Sly, P. and Kotecha, S. (2022). Oscillometry in preterm-associated obstructive and non-obstructive lung disease. ERS International Congress 2022, Barcelona, Spain, 4-6 September 2022. Sheffield, United Kingdom: European Respiratory Society. doi: 10.1183/13993003.congress-2022.1702
2022
Journal Article
Lipopolysaccharide-induced interferon response networks at birth are predictive of severe viral lower respiratory infections in the first year of life
Read, James F., Serralha, Michael, Mok, Danny, Holt, Barbara J., Cruickshank, Mark, Karpievitch, Yuliya V., Broadhurst, David I., Sly, Peter D., Strickland, Deborah H., Reinke, Stacey N., Holt, Patrick G. and Bosco, Anthony (2022). Lipopolysaccharide-induced interferon response networks at birth are predictive of severe viral lower respiratory infections in the first year of life. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 876654, 1-18. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.876654
2022
Journal Article
Infant inflammation predicts childhood emotional and behavioral problems and partially mediates socioeconomic disadvantage
Pham, Cindy, Bekkering, Siroon, O'Hely, Martin, Burgner, David, Thomson, Sarah, Vuillermin, Peter, Collier, Fiona, Marx, Wolfgang, Mansell, Toby, Symeonides, Christos, Sly, Peter D., Tang, Mimi L.K., Saffery, Richard and Ponsonby, Anne-Louise (2022). Infant inflammation predicts childhood emotional and behavioral problems and partially mediates socioeconomic disadvantage. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 104, 83-94. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.05.011
2022
Journal Article
Ancestral SARS-CoV-2, but not Omicron, replicates less efficiently in primary pediatric nasal epithelial cells
Zhu, Yanshan, Chew, Keng Yih, Wu, Melanie, Karawita, Anjana C., McCallum, Georgina, Steele, Lauren E., Yamamoto, Ayaho, Labzin, Larisa I., Yarlagadda, Tejasri, Khromykh, Alexander A., Wang, Xiaohui, Sng, Julian D. J., Stocks, Claudia J., Xia, Yao, Kollmann, Tobias R., Martino, David, Joensuu, Merja, Meunier, Frédéric A., Balistreri, Giuseppe, Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle, Bowen, Asha C., Kicic, Anthony, Sly, Peter D., Spann, Kirsten M. and Short, Kirsty R. (2022). Ancestral SARS-CoV-2, but not Omicron, replicates less efficiently in primary pediatric nasal epithelial cells. PLoS Biology, 20 (8) e3001728, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001728
2022
Journal Article
Household size, T regulatory cell development, and early allergic disease: a birth cohort study
Ponsonby, Anne‐Louise, Collier, Fiona, O’Hely, Martin, Tang, Mimi L. K., Ranganathan, Sarath, Gray, Lawrence, Morwitch, Ellen, Saffery, Richard, Burgner, David, Dwyer, Terence, Sly, Peter D., Harrison, Leonard C., Vuillermin, Peter and BIS Investigator Group (2022). Household size, T regulatory cell development, and early allergic disease: a birth cohort study. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 33 (6) e13810, 1-16. doi: 10.1111/pai.13810
2022
Journal Article
Ecological burden of e-waste in Bangladesh-an assessment to measure the exposure to e-waste and associated health outcomes: a cross-sectional study protocol (Preprint)
Parvez, Sarker Masud, Hasan, Shaikh Sharif, Knibbs, Luke D, Jahan, Farjana, Rahman, Mahbubur, Raqib, Rubhana, Islam, Nafisa, Aich, Nirupam, Moniruzzaman, Mohammad, Islam, Zahir, Fujimura, Masatake and Sly, Peter D (2022). Ecological burden of e-waste in Bangladesh-an assessment to measure the exposure to e-waste and associated health outcomes: a cross-sectional study protocol (Preprint). JMIR Research Protocols, 11 (8) e38201, e38201. doi: 10.2196/38201
2022
Journal Article
Trajectories of asthma symptom presenting as wheezing and their associations with family environmental factors among children in Australia: evidence from a national birth cohort study
Shahunja, K. M., Sly, Peter D., Chisti, Md Jobayer and Mamun, Abdullah (2022). Trajectories of asthma symptom presenting as wheezing and their associations with family environmental factors among children in Australia: evidence from a national birth cohort study. BMJ Open, 12 (6) e059830, e059830. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059830
2022
Journal Article
The newborn metabolome: associations with gestational diabetes, sex, gestation, birth mode, and birth weight
Mansell, Toby, Vlahos, Amanda, Collier, Fiona, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Vuillermin, Peter, Ellul, Susan, Tang, Mimi L. K., Burgner, David, Saffery, Richard, Vuillermin, Peter, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Carlin, John, Allen, Katie, Tang, Mimi L. K., on behalf of the Barwon Infant Study Investigator team, Saffery, Richard, Sly, Peter, Ranganathan, Sarath, Burgner, David and Dwyer, Terry (2022). The newborn metabolome: associations with gestational diabetes, sex, gestation, birth mode, and birth weight. Pediatric Research, 91 (7), 1864-1873. doi: 10.1038/s41390-021-01672-7
2022
Journal Article
The effect of azithromycin on structural lung disease in infants with cystic fibrosis (COMBAT CF): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Stick, Stephen M, Foti, Alexia, Ware, Robert S, Tiddens, Harm A W M, Clements, Barry S, Armstrong, David S, Selvadurai, Hiran, Tai, Andrew, Cooper, Peter J, Byrnes, Catherine A, Belessis, Yvonne, Wainwright, Claire, Jaffe, Adam, Robinson, Philip, Saiman, Lisa and Sly, Peter D (2022). The effect of azithromycin on structural lung disease in infants with cystic fibrosis (COMBAT CF): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 10 (8), 776-784. doi: 10.1016/s2213-2600(22)00165-5
2022
Journal Article
Early life infection and proinflammatory, atherogenic metabolomic and lipidomic profiles in infancy: a population-based cohort study
Mansell, Toby, Saffery, Richard, Burugupalli, Satvika, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Tang, Mimi L. K., O'Hely, Martin, Bekkering, Siroon, Smith, Adam Alexander T., Rowland, Rebecca, Ranganathan, Sarath, Sly, Peter D., Vuillermin, Peter, Collier, Fiona, Meikle, Peter and Burgner, David (2022). Early life infection and proinflammatory, atherogenic metabolomic and lipidomic profiles in infancy: a population-based cohort study. eLife, 11 e75170, 1-25. doi: 10.7554/eLife.75170
2022
Journal Article
Determinants of rapid infant weight gain: A pooled analysis of seven cohorts
Zheng, Miaobing, Hesketh, Kylie D., Vuillermin, Peter, Dodd, Jodie, Wen, Li Ming, Baur, Louise A., Taylor, Rachael, Byrne, Rebecca, Mihrshahi, Seema, Sly, Peter D., Tang, Mimi L. K. and Campbell, Karen J. (2022). Determinants of rapid infant weight gain: A pooled analysis of seven cohorts. Pediatric Obesity, 17 (10) e12928, e12928. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12928
2022
Journal Article
Burden of asthma-like symptoms and a lack of recognition of asthma in Vietnamese children
Le, Hong H.T.C, Le An, Pham, Vinh, Nguyen Nhu, Ware, Robert S, Phung, Dung, Thai, Phong K., Ranganathan, Sarath, Dang, Tran Ngoc, Dung, Phan Hoang Thuy, Thuong, Do Thi Hoai, Phung, Hai, Hien, To Thi and Sly, Peter D. (2022). Burden of asthma-like symptoms and a lack of recognition of asthma in Vietnamese children. The Journal of Asthma, 60 (3), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/02770903.2022.2066002
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Peter Sly is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the Environmental Burden of E-waste and its Impacts on Children¿s and Women's Health
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Role of airway obstruction in the development of asthma
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tamara Blake
-
Doctor Philosophy
Maternal exposure to phthalates and allergic disease in children
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwan Vilcins
-
Doctor Philosophy
Respiratory Guidelines for the Management of Paediatric Neuromuscular Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Zephanie Tyack
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterizing the Environmental Burden and Health Impact of Electronic Waste (e-waste) in Bangladesh
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Air pollution, oxidative stress and dietary antioxidants
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwan Vilcins
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Providing evidence to guide public health messages during bushfire smoke events
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dwan Vilcins
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in South and South East Asian Countries
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Deirdre Mikkelsen, Dr Nicholas Clark, Professor Ricardo Soares Magalhaes
-
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
-
Doctor Philosophy
Improving detection of pulmonary graft-vs-host disease (pGVHD) post haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tamara Blake
-
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
Completed supervision
-
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
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Novel green space measures and birthweight in Queensland, Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Jagals, Dr Peter Baker
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Enteropathogen infection and Household Factors Associated with Linear Child Growth in Bangladesh
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Incorporating Epidemiological Studies into Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Coal Mining
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Jagals
-
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
-
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
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Improving the clinical utility of the Forced Oscillation Technique in preschool-aged children
Principal Advisor
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
2022
Master Philosophy
Investigating the molecular mechanisms of macrophage polarisation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Abdullah Tarique
-
-
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
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Establishing a wound healing model in well differentiated cultures of primary human nasal epithelial cells
Associate Advisor
-
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
-
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
-
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
The antiviral defects of the airway epithelium associated with wheeze and atopy in children and asthma in adults
Associate Advisor
-
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
-
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
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: