Paul Pavli trained in Gastroenterology at Concord and Royal North Shore Hospitals in Sydney and has had an ongoing interest in the basic science and clinical aspects of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) since he finished his specialist training. He completed a PhD in gastrointestinal immunology at the Australian National University (ANU) and has pursued an active research program studying the causes of IBD. Working with researchers from the ANU, he helped establish the Australian Familial IBD Register in the early 1990s, and more recently, has been studying the role of bacteria in triggering IBD.
In parallel he has helped develop a clinical service in IBD at Canberra Hospital where patients have access to all facets of treatment including clinical trials of novel therapies and nursing, surgical, nutritional and psychological support for patients and their families