Overview

The main focus of our basic science and clinical research is in pediatric liver disease. Our basic laboratory has developed mouse models that allow us to study some of the mechanisms of injury in the bile duct (the tube that drains bile from the liver into the intestine) that result in liver diseases such as biliary atresia or primary sclerosing cholangitis.

We also use cell culture techniques to specifically examine how immune cells recognize and target the bile duct cell injury, with the hope of being able to develop new drug therapy to treat these diseases.

In our clinical research, we are the Canadian lead centre for studying all Canadian pediatric patients diagnosed with biliary atresia. Our aim is to understand the long-term outcome of this pediatric disease and to develop novel strategies to improve both the diagnosis and treatment.

Publications

Biliary Atresia in 2021: Epidemiology, Screening and Public Policy
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Richard A. Schreiber and Sanjiv Harpavat and Jan B. F. Hulscher and Barbara Wildhaber
DOI: 10.3390/jcm11040999
02/2022

Cholangitis Definition and Treatment after Kasai Hepatoportoenterostomy for Biliary Atresia: A Delphi Process and International Expert Panel
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Ana M Calinescu and Omid Madadi-Sanjani and Cara Mack and Richard A. Schreiber and Riccardo Superina and Deirdre Kelly and Claus Petersen and Barbara Wildhaber
DOI: 10.3390/jcm11030494
01/2022

Research

Development and Validation of a Disease-Specific Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children After Liver Transplantation
A CIHR-funded study of Canadian children post liver transplant.

Neonatal biliary atresia in Canada: Long term experience 1985-2002
Established a Canadian wide database of patients with biliary atresia.

Immune mediated bile duct epithelial injury
Using standard immune assays and murine derived in vivo systems and in vitro cell culture, our laboratory examines the mechanisms of immunocyte recognition of bile duct epithelial cells in healthy and disease states.

Grants

CIHR Planning Grant - Project

"Canadian Biliary Atresia Registry Planning Meeting."