Dina Kao

Area of Study / Keywords

fecal microbiota transplantation gut microbiome recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection inflammatory bowel disease

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About

The success of our research team in establishing a successful therapy for an extremely debilitating condition is one of the most gratifying aspects of my career. Diseases of the gut are prevalent, with the incidence of some conditions especially high in Alberta. Research is the best tool we have to identify potential new treatments to alleviate gastroenterological disease, such as recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). 

After receiving my medical degree from the University of Alberta, I completed residencies in internal medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Ottawa before returning to Edmonton. My interest in using data to improve clinical care led her to pursue a Master’s in Epidemiology from the University of Alberta. The challenges of treating patients suffering from severe gastrointestinal infections caused by rCDI inspired me to research the effectiveness of fecal transplantation as a therapy. I established the Edmonton Fecal Microbiota Program in 2013. The resounding success of this program has led to successful treatment—and recovery of health and well-being—in over 600 patients, and garnered national and international recognition for our team.

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Research

Our research program is exploring the therapeutic manipulation of gut microbiome through fecal transplant in rCDI and inflammatory bowel disease. We have several clinical trials actively recruiting patients to examine the clinical efficacy in these conditions. With international collaborators, we are investigating the mechanisms of action of FMT.

Digestive Disease Week Conferene. 2022 May;

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Digestive Disease Week Conference. 2022 May;

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Monaghan T.M., Kao D., Lauc G.

Mucosal Immunology. 2022 April; 15 (3):525 10.1038/s41385-022-00512-z

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Monaghan TM, Polytarchou C, Kao D, Alexander C, Gurnani P.

Future Microbiology. 2022 March; 17 10.2217/fmb-2021-0311

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Tanya Monaghan , Niharika A. Duggal, Elisa Rosati, Ruth Griffin, Jamie Hughes, Brandi Roach, David Yang, Christopher Wang, Karen Wong, Lynora Saxinger, Maja Pucic-Bakovic, Frano Vuckovic, Filip Klicek, Gordan Lauc, Paddy Tighe, Benjamin H Mullish, Jesus Miguens Blanco, Julie A.K. McDonald, Julian R. Marchesi, Ning Xue, Tania Dottorini, Animesh Acharjee, Andre Franke, Yingrui Li, Gane Ka-Shu Wong, Christos Polytarchou, Tung on Yau, Niki Christodoulou, Maria Hatziapostolou, Minkun Wang , Lindsey Russell , Dina H. Kao

Cells. 2021 November; 10 (11) 10.3390/cells10113234

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Monaghan TM, Seekatz A., Mullish BH, Moore-Gillon C.C.E.R., Dawson LF, Ahmed A, Kao D, Chan WC

EXPERT OPINION ON THERAPEUTIC TARGETS. 2021 November; 25 (11):949-963 10.1080/14728222.2021.2008907

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Mocanu V., Zhang Z., Deehan E.C., Kao D.H., Hotte N., Karmali S., Birch D.W., Samarasinghe K.K., Walter J., Madsen K.L.

Nature Medicine. 2021 July; 27 (7):1272-1279 10.1038/s41591-021-01399-2

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Song YN, Yang DY, Wong K, van Zanten SV, Wong K, McArthur E, Song CZ, Ianiro G, Cammarota G, Kelly C, Fischer M, Russell L, Kao D

Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2021 July; 5 (1):e1-e11 10.1093/jcag/gwab023

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Gastroenterology. 2021 May; 10.1016/S0016-5085(21)01040-4

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Monaghan T, Pomenya O, Yau T, Christodoulous N, Hatziapostolou M, Hilani T, Kao D, Polyarchou C. Co-senior author

GASTROENTEROLOGY. 2021 April; 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.03.050

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Gastroenterology. 2021 April; 10.1016/S0016-5085(21)01151-3

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Gastroenterology. 2021 April; 10.1016/S0016-5085(21)01152-5

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Negin Kazemian, Dina Kao, Sepideh Pakpour

International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS). 2021 March; 22 (6):1-14 10.3390/ijms22063004

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Canadian Digestive Disease Week. 2021 March; 10.1093/jcag/gwab002.089

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Canadian Digestive Disease Week. 2021 March; 10.1093/jcag/gwab002.015

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Canadian Digestive Disease Week. 2021 March; 10.1093/jcag/gwab002.161

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Kao D, Wong K, Franz R, Carlucci C, Cochrane K, Sheriff K, Chui L, Bai A, Roach B, Petrof EO, Allen-Vercoe E

Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2021 February; 6 (4):282-291 10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00007-8

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Ianiro G, Mullish BH, Hvas CL, Segal JP, Kuijper EJ, Costello SP, Kelly CR, Allegretti JR, Fischer M, Iqbal TH, Satokari R, Kao D, van Prehn J, Ng SC, Bibbo S, Baunwall SMD, Quraishi M, Sokol H, Zhang F, Keller J, Masucci L, Quaranta G, Kassam Z, Sanguinetti M, Tilg H, Gasbarrini A, Cammarota G.

Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2021 February; 10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00032-7

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Allegretti J.R., Mehta S.R., Kassam Z., Kelly C.R., Kao D., Xu H., Fischer M.

DIGESTIVE DISEASES AND SCIENCES. 2021 January; 66 (1):213-217 10.1007/s10620-020-06198-2

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Huus K.E., Frankowski M., Pucic-Bakovic M., Vuckovic F., Lauc G., Mullish B.H., Marchesi J.R., Monaghan T.M., Kao D., Finlay B.B. Co-senior author

Gut Microbes. 2020 December; 13 (1):1-12 10.1080/19490976.2020.1862027

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Singh A, Mahajan R, Kao D, Midha V, Sood A

Medicine in Microecology. 2020 December; 6 10.1016/j.medmic.2020.100026

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Martinez-Gili L., McDonald J.A.K., Liu Z., Kao D., Allegretti J.R., Monaghan T.M., Barker G.F., Miguéns Blanco J., Williams H.R.T., Holmes E., Thursz M.R., Marchesi J.R., Mullish B.H.

Gut Microbes. 2020 November; 12 (1):1810531 10.1080/19490976.2020.1810531

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Shaffer SR, Witt J, Targownik LE, Kao D, Lee C, Smieliauskas F, Rubin DT, Singh H, Bernstein CN

JOURNAL OF INFECTION. 2020 November; 81 (5):758-765 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.09.025

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Kazemian N, Ramezankhani M, Sehgal A, Khalid FM, Kalkhoran AHZ, Narayan A, Wong GKS, Kao D, Pakpour S

Scientific Reports. 2020 October; 10 10.1038/s41598-020-75162-x

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