Derek M. McKay, PhD

Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology

Welcome to the McKay lab (University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada).

My laboratory in part of the Gastrointestinal Research Group and Inflammation Research Network within the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases.

The gut is a fascinating, dynamic organ. It is the major interface with the outside world, is the body’s biggest repository of immune cells and has a nervous systems as complex as the brain’s. It is also home to a vast microbiome and can be colonized by numerous protozoan and helminth parasites. We have much to learn of the integrated biology of the intestine and how this determines health and disease, not just digestive health but overall well-being.

The aspirations of my research program are to advance knowledge on the regulation of intestinal epithelial biology, mucosal immunology (particularly macrophages) and to assess host-parasite interactions as a way to unravel new approaches to inflammatory disease.

Please take a moment to browse. If you are an undergraduate seeking research experience, looking for graduate research opportunities, of a philanthropic nature, or simply curious about my research program, feel free to contact me, maybe even consider joining the team.