Dr. Laura Sly is a distinguished Canadian scientist and professor at the University of British Columbia, widely recognized for her leadership in immunology, gastroenterology, and translational research. She earned her Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Master of Science degrees from the University of Manitoba, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. She then completed postdoctoral fellowships at Vancouver General Hospital and the BC Cancer Research Centre, which shaped her expertise in immune regulation and inflammation. Professionally, she has advanced through academic ranks at UBC, serving as Assistant, Associate, and now full Professor in Pediatrics and Medicine, while also leading the Immunology in Health and Disease Research Group at BC Children’s Hospital. Her research focuses on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), regulatory T cells, microbiome-driven therapies, and innovative drug delivery systems such as glycoconjugates for targeted treatment. She is highly skilled in immunological assays, translational models, molecular biology, and collaborative clinical research. Her outstanding contributions have earned numerous awards, including the Women in IBD Research Award, Research Excellence Award from GlycoNet, and UBC’s Distinguished Achievement Award. A fellow of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, Dr. Sly continues to influence policy, mentorship, and advocacy while advancing groundbreaking solutions in IBD therapy. Her career reflects excellence in research, education, and service, making her an exceptional leader in biomedical science.
Sly, L. M., Rauh, M. J., Kalesnikoff, J., Song, C. H., & Krystal, G. (2004). LPS-induced upregulation of SHIP is essential for endotoxin tolerance. Immunity, 21(2), 227–239. Citations: 395
Sly, L. M., Hingley-Wilson, S. M., Reiner, N. E., & McMaster, W. R. (2003). Survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in host macrophages involves resistance to apoptosis dependent upon induction of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family member Mcl-1. The Journal of Immunology, 170(1), 430–437. Citations: 367
López, M., Sly, L. M., Luu, Y., Young, D., Cooper, H., & Reiner, N. E. (2003). The 19-kDa Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein induces macrophage apoptosis through Toll-like receptor-2. The Journal of Immunology, 170(5), 2409–2416. Citations: 359
Rauh, M. J., Ho, V., Pereira, C., Sham, A., Sly, L. M., Lam, V., Huxham, L., … Krystal, G. (2005). SHIP represses the generation of alternatively activated macrophages. Immunity, 23(4), 361–374. h Citations: 350
Sly, L. M., López, M., Nauseef, W. M., & Reiner, N. E. (2001). 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced monocyte antimycobacterial activity is regulated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mediated by the NADPH-dependent phagocyte oxidase. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(38), 35482–35493. Citations: 308
Chaturvedi, A., Araujo Cruz, M. M., Jyotsana, N., Sharma, A., Yun, H., Görlich, K., … Sly, L. M. (2013). Mutant IDH1 promotes leukemogenesis in vivo and can be specifically targeted in human AML. Blood, 122(16), 2877–2887. Citations: 264
Hmama, Z., Nandan, D., Sly, L., Knutson, K. L., Herrera-Velit, P., & Reiner, N. E. (1999). 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3–induced myeloid cell differentiation is regulated by a vitamin D receptor–phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling complex. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 190(11), 1583–1594. Citations: 216