Nikhil Pai

Dr. Nikhil Pai is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at McMaster University and a Staff Physician in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at McMaster Children’s Hospital. He serves as Medical Lead of the Complex Pediatric Nutrition Service and Pediatric Intestinal Failure program. From July 2024, he will join the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Staff Physician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia while maintaining a part-time Assistant Professor appointment at McMaster.

Education:

• B.Sc, University of Western Ontario (2001–2004)
• M.D, McMaster University (2004–2007)
• Pediatrics Residency, Hospital for Sick Children/University of Toronto (2007–2011)
• Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School (2011–2014)
• Postdoctoral Research: Intestinal Microbiome, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard University (2012–2014)

Research Focus: Dr. Pai specializes in pediatric gastroenterology with emphasis on nutritional science, microbial therapeutics, and host-microbiome interactions. His work includes pioneering clinical trials on fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and leadership of multicenter studies (PediFeTCh, PediCRaFT, FIND trials) examining microbial/nutritional interventions in ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and fatty liver disease. His research bridges basic science and clinical applications in gut microbiome modulation.

Publication Trends: His 15 most recent articles (2021–2025) focus on FMT clinical outcomes, urine metabolomics for IBD diagnosis, therapeutic nutrition, gut-brain axis disorders, and pediatric liver disease management, reflecting translational research bridging microbiome science and clinical gastroenterology.

Awards:

• 2023 ASPEN Stanley J. Dudrick Research Award
• 2024 Canadian Nutrition Society Young Investigator Award
• Ontario Innovation Award

Academic Activities: Dr. Pai mentors medical students, residents, and fellows, and has secured >$3.98M in research funding (CIHR/non-profit grants). He leads the Pai Lab and is Associate Member of McMaster's Farncombe Institute and MODR Centre. Administrative roles include co-chairing hospital nutrition committees and advising Health Canada on FMT therapeutics.