Nicola Jones

Senior Scientist, Cell Biology Program

Founding member and Principal Investigator, Training a new generation of researchers in gastrointestinal and liver disease (TRIANGLE)

Dr. Jones is a Senior Scientist in the Cell & Systems Biology Program, staff physician in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at SickKids and a Professor of Paediatrics and Physiology at the University of Toronto. She currently serves as the Director of the Integrated Physician Scientist Training Program at the University of Toronto. Dr. Jones completed her medical degree at the University of Toronto, paediatric residency and GI fellowship at SickKids, and a PhD in Molecular Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto. She is also a founding member and principal investigator for the Canadian Institute of Health Research funded research training program Training a new generation of researchers in gastrointestinal and liver disease TRIANGLE.

As a clinician scientist and paediatric gastroenterologist, her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms responsible for gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases including Helicobacter pylori and inflammatory bowel disease. She is passionate about supporting and developing the careers of clinician scientists and researchers through various roles including her role as Director of the Integrated Physician Scientist Training Program at the University of Toronto and as the principal investigator for TRIANGLE. 

Education and experience

• July 2018–Present: Director, Integrated Physician Scientist Training Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
• Feb. 2018–Feb. 2020: President, Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
• 2010–Present: Senior Scientist, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010–Present: Professor of Paediatrics. Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010–Present: Professor of Physiology. Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1999–Present: Staff Gastroenterologist, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010–2014: Chair, Scholarly Oversight Committee, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
• 2009–2014: Research Training Program Director, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
• 2004–2009: Training Program Director, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
• 2004–2010: Associate Professor of Paediatrics. Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2004–2010: Associate Professor of Physiology. Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2003–2009: Scientist, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• 1999–2003: Clinician Scientist Track, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• 2002–2004: Research Training Program Director, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
• 1999–2004: Assistant Professor of Paediatrics. Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1999–2004: Assistant Professor of Physiology. Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1995–1999: PhD, Department of Molecular and Medical GeneticsUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  Supervisor(s): Sherman PM
  Subject: Thesis: Microbial Induction of Programmed Cell Death in the Gastrointestinal Tract
• 1994–1999: Research Fellow, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
  Supervisor: Sherman PM
  Subject: Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
• 1993–1994: Clinical Fellow, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario
  Supervisor: Sherman PM
  Subject: Paediatric Gastroenterology
• 1990–1993: Resident, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  Subject: Paediatrics
• 1989–1990: Rotating Internship, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 1989–1994: FRCP(C), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
  Subject: Paediatrics
• 1985–1989: MD, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 1983–1985: Undergraduate Training, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Achievements

• 2025: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Education Excellence Award 
• 2025: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Dr. Ivan Beck Memorial Lecturer Award
• 2024: Canada Research Chair Tier 1 in Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease
• 2023: Shwachman Award, North American Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (given by NASPGHAN to a person who has made major, lifelong scientific or educational contributions to the field of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology or nutrition in North America)
• 2023: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Distinguished Service Award 
• 2020: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Fellow Designation
• 2019: President-elect, Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation
• 2018: President of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
• 2018: Inaugural MD Program Teaching Award of Excellence, MD Program, University of Toronto
• 2014: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Education Excellence Award
• 2012: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Visiting Research Professorship Award
• 2009: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Young Educator Award
• 2005: Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Young Investigator Award
• 2004: University of Toronto Department of Paediatrics Junior Faculty Research Award
• 2003: University of Toronto Department of Physiology Excellence in Teaching Award

See a full list of Dr. Nicola Jones' publications on PubMed.