Brief Biography

Simon Ling graduated in medicine from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and trained in paediatrics in the UK. His training in paediatric gastroenterology in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, included a British Digestive Foundation Research Training Fellowship in 1997-1998.
Following two years as Consultant in Paediatric Gastroenterology at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, Dr Ling was appointed as Assistant Professor of Paediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto in 2003, and gained promotion to Associate Professor in 2010.  

Dr. Ling became Director of the Paediatric Gastroenterology Training Program in 2009.

Areas of Specialty:

Dr. Ling's subspecialty interests include paediatric liver disease and paediatric endoscopy.

Research Interests

Dr. Ling’s clinical research interests include:

• Portal hypertension in children
• Cystic fibrosis liver disease
• Hepatitis B infection

Publications

Selected Recent Publications

Gana JC, Turner D, Roberts EA, Ling SC:  Derivation of a clinical prediction rule for the non-invasive diagnosis of varices in children.  Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition  2010: 50: pp 188-193.

Benchimol EI, Walsh CM, Ling SC: Test at 2 weeks: early diagnosis of neonatal cholestatic jaundice. Canadian Family Physician 2009: 55: pp 1184-1192.

Turner D, Benchimol EI, Dunn H, Griffiths AM, Frost K, Scaini V, Avolio J, Ling SC: Pico-Salax versus poly-ethylene glycol for bowel cleanout before colonoscopy in children – a randomized controlled trial. Endoscopy 2009: 41: pp 1038-1045.  

Bartlett JR, Friedman KJ, Ling SC, Pace RG, Bell SC, Bourke B, Castaldo G, Castellani C, Cipolli M, Colombo C, Colombo JL, Debray D, Fernandez A, Lacaille F, Macek Jr. M, Rowland M, Salvatore F, Taylor CJ, Wainwright C, Wilschanski M, Zemková D, Hannah WB, Phillips MJ, Corey M, Zielenski J, Dorfman R, Wang Y, Zou F, Silverman LM, Drumm ML, Wright FA, Lange EM, Durie PR, Knowles MR:  Genetic modifiers of liver disease in cystic fibrosis.  Journal of the American Medical Association 2009: 302: pp 1076-1083.

Hussey S, Kelleher KT, Ling SC: Emergency management of major gastrointestinal hemorrhage in children. Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine.  2010: 11: pp 207-216.  

Ling SC, Walters T, McKiernan P, Schwarz K, Garcia-Tsao G, Shneider B:  Primary prophylaxis of variceal hemorrhage in children with portal hypertension: a framework for future research. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2010: 52: pp 254-261.

Revel-Vilk S, Komvilaisak P, Blanchette V, Stain AM, Floros G, Cochrane A, Blanchette C, Hang M, Roberts E, Ling SC:  The changing face of hepatitis in boys with haemophilia associated with increased prevalence of obesity.  Haemophilia 2011: 17: pp 689-694.  

Diamond I, de Silva N, Tomlinson G, Pencharz P, Feldman B, Moore A, Ling SC, Wales P:  The role of parenteral lipid in the development of advanced intestinal failure associated liver disease in neonates – a multiple variable analysis.  Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2011:35: pp 596-602.  

Walsh C, Rose D, Dubrowski A, Ling SC, Grierson L, Backstein D, Carnahan H: Learning in the simulated setting: a comparison of expert-, peer-, and computer-assisted learning. Academic Medicine 2011:86: pp S12-S16.
 
Carter-Kent C, Brunt EM, Yerian LM, Alkhouri N, Angulo P, Kohli R, Ling SC, Xanthakos SA, Whitington PF, Charatcharoenwitthaya P, Yap J, Lopez R, McCullough AJ, Feldstein AE:  Relations of steatosis type, grade, and zonality to histological features in pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.  Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.  2011: 52: pp 190-197.  

Gana JC, Valentino P, Morinville V, O’Connor C, Ling SC:  Variation in care for children with esophageal varices: a study of physicians, patients and families approaches and attitudes.  Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology Nutrition 2011: 52: pp 751-755.  

Gana JC, Turner D, Mieli-Vergani G, Davenport M, Miloh T, Avitzur Y, Yap J, Morinville V, Brill H, Ling SC.  A Clinical Prediction Rule and Platelet Count Predict Esophageal Varices in Children.  Gastroenterology 2011 Sep 14 [Epub ahead of print].