The 16th Annual Sheffield Gastroenterology Symposium

Sister Kerry Robinson IBD clinical nurse specialist: Kerry developed an IBD interest whilst initially working as a nurse specialist in stoma care. She has been an IBD nurse since 2003. Kerry has chaired the Yorkshire and Humber IBD nurse forum and represented the group at the RCN Central Committee. She was the nurse representative for the NICE UC guidelines. Kerry is currently undertaking an advancing professional practice MSc as part of a CCUK Nurse Development Programme.

Dr Gloria Tun: Dr Gloria Tun was appointed as a consultant gastroenterologist within the IBD team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2023. She qualified from the University of Hull & York in 2010. Her subspeciality interest in IBD led to a clinical research fellowship with Professor Lobo. The research focused on the clinical associations of antibodies to infliximab and a collaborative work with the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control to determine epitopes on the infliximab molecule. She has received a PhD from the University of Sheffield for her research. Her continued interests are improving IBD training for registrars, immunogenicity to biologics and she has been involved in the development of the BSG IBD 2024 guidelines.

Dr Josh Chew: Dr Joshua Chew has been a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2017. He graduated with honours from the University of Sheffield in 2003 and trained in Sheffield, Manchester, London and Newcastle before returning to Sheffield. He was appointed as an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Gastroenterology at the University of Manchester before receiving a Wellcome Trust funded PhD studentship and then an MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship at the Centre for Molecular Medicine, University College London. His research interests lie in studying the dysfunctional molecular mechanisms in macrophages of the innate immune system and its role in IBD.

Dr Melissa Hale: was appointed as a consultant gastroenterologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in 2016. Qualifying from the University of Sheffield in 2006, she was subsequently appointed as a clinical research fellow under the supervision of Professor Mark McAlindon in 2013. This culminated in an MD from the University of Sheffield in 2016 for her work on upper gastrointestinal capsule endoscopy, for which she won a British Society of Gastroenterology Endoscopy research award.

She currently provides capsule endoscopy services for the award winning regional centre at STH together with a tertiary IBD service. She has been an invited speaker at national meetings and also teaches on a number of training courses, including the European Capsule Endoscopy Course and the Lumley Capsule Endoscopy Course. Her current research interests centre around her work within the IBD service, including medication sequencing and non-invasive means of monitoring IBD activity.

Dr Ben Rea: is a Consultant Radiologist and Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology. Ben’s main clinical interest is in Hepatobiliary imaging and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  At a regional level he is involved in the development of Hepatobiliary Services, and nationally and internationally he is an active member of both the British and European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (BSGAR and ESGAR respectively).  He was recently elected as an officer to the BSGAR executive committee and continues to work with the School of ESGAR, and Young ESGAR Groups to help produce and deliver GI based radiological education.  His interest in medical education has also led him to obtain a MSt (Dist) in Medical Education from the University of Cambridge where he now teaches on their postgraduate course. Currently, Dr Rea is involved in research related Crohn’s disease and Liver MRI, and is an active reviewer for both Radiology and Gastroenterology based journals.

Miss Adele Sayers: is a consultant colorectal surgeon who specialises in complex IBD surgery (including minimally invasive/laparoscopic surgery and ileoanal pouches) and abdominal wall reconstruction. Adele trained locally and completed the ‘Royal College of Surgeons and Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland’s Advanced IBD Fellowship’, here in Sheffield with Professor Steve Brown. Following this fellowship, she spent a year working as a Consultant in Exeter with Professor Neil Smart, to build on her expertise in complex abdominal wall reconstruction, before returning back home to Sheffield. Additionally, Adele has a number of academic interests, specifically in guideline production, and currently sits on the European Society of Colorectal Surgery’s Guideline Committee, as well the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Irelands abdominal wall reconstruction subcommittee.

Dr Adam Humphries: is a luminal gastroenterologist and specialist endoscopist at St Mark’s Hospital, London, where he was appointed as a consultant in 2014 following an advanced endoscopy fellowship. He is the clinical lead for endoscopy and bowel cancer screening, and his specialist interests include complex therapeutic endoscopy, double-balloon enteroscopy and video capsule endoscopy. In 2007 Dr Humphries was awarded a Cancer Research UK Clinical Research Fellowship, and gained a PhD in 2012 from University College, London for his research into the biology of gastrointestinal tumours. His current academic interests include the evolution of pre-cancerous growths within the gut, diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and bowel cancer prevention.

Professor Reena Sidhu: I am an Honorary Professor of Gastroenterology with the University of Sheffield since 2018 and a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. My primary interest is the small bowel and undertook my research on modern modalities to investigate the small bowel. I lead our quaternary device assisted enteroscopy service , one of the largest in the UK and co-lead our capsule endoscopy service , one of the largest in Europe. In 2012, I was awarded the prestigious British Society of Gastroenterology Hopkins Prize, the first female ever to have won this. Our Small bowel team and unit has won several national awards; British Society of Gastroenterology National GI Care awards (2011) & the Medipex award (2013). Our endoscopy unit has also been recognised as a World Endoscopy Organisation (WEO) accredited unit. I have been leading the new BSG Sedation Guidelines.

Dr Ruchit Sood is a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds. He has an interest in all aspects of diagnostic and interventional luminal endoscopy, but particularly in the endoscopic management of Barrett’s oesophagus and early gastric cancer, colorectal endoscopic resection, and upper GI endoscopic ultrasound. After completing his medical degree from the University of Sheffield, Dr Sood undertook the major part of his gastroenterology training in Leeds, which included an advanced endoscopy fellowship, and the award of a Doctorate in Medicine research degree from the University of Leeds. He has a wide range of research interests, resulting in more than 50 peer-reviewed publications. He is currently the clinical lead for the regional Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, as well as for endoscopy governance and the gastrointestinal bleeding service at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

Dr Arash Assadsangabi: is a Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Hope Hospital in Salford. He graduated from Shiraz University in 2001 and undertook his MD at the University of Sheffield awarded in 2020 for his work in the proteomics of ulcerative colitis. His clinical work also involves pioneering novel therapeutic techniques in upper GI endoscopy.

Mr Iain Cameron: is a Consultant Hepatobiliary Surgeon at Nottingham University Hospitals. After an initial introduction to liver surgery in Sheffield, Mr Cameron spent two years doing fellowships in liver surgical techniques at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong and St James’ University Hospital in Leeds. He has been a consultant surgeon for the past 21 years specialising in liver surgery, performing more than 900 resections in this time. He has been a council member for the Great Britain and Ireland HPB association and is currently the President of the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery (AUGIS). He remains active in research with 74 peer reviewed publications and has recently taken on leading roles for the UK bile duct injury registry and in the newly established “Safe Cholecystectomy Group” promoting patient safety in biliary surgery.

Dr Srisha Hebbar: is a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Royal Stoke University Hospital, UK. He is the clinical lead for endoscopy and is also the Clinical Director for Medicine.  His main interests include colonic and hepatobiliary therapeutic endoscopy, training and education. He provides advanced therapeutic colonoscopy service. He also provide tertiary hepatobiliary (ERCP/EUS) endoscopy service . He is the Director of the Stoke hands-on endoscopy course centre. He has facilitated new developments in the hand-on ERCP courses nationally and Internationally. He is also the course director of the International Stoke live ERCP symposium. He has served as the secretary of the British society of Gastroenterology (BSG) endoscopy committee, and is now serving as a member in the World Gastro organisation (WGO) endoscopy committee.

Dr. Ching Lam is a highly accomplished consultant gastroenterologist who has been serving at the prestigious Sheffield Teaching Hospitals since 2017. With a keen focus on nutrition and functional gut disorders, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role.  Dr. Lam’s academic journey began at the University of Belfast, where she earned her medical degree. Driven by a passion for gastroenterology research, she pursued her postgraduate studies at the University of Nottingham, obtaining a PhD in 2014 with a focus on Functional GI Disorders. Following her academic achievements, Dr. Lam completed her specialty training in general medicine and gastroenterology in the East Midlands region, further honing her skills and knowledge in the field.

Since joining the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr. Lam has played a pivotal role in enhancing the nutrition service, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive care and support. Her expertise extends beyond patient care, as she also serves as an endoscopy trainer for JAG (Joint Advisory Group) approved training courses in Sheffield. Nationally, Dr. Lam’s contributions to the field of gastroenterology are widely recognized. She is an active member of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) Neurogastroenterology and Motility Section committee, sharing her insights and contributing to the advancement of the field. Additionally, she participates in the BSG mentoring scheme, nurturing and guiding the next generation of gastroenterologists. Dr. Lam’s commitment to research is evident through her numerous peer-reviewed publications related to functional GI disorders and nutrition, further solidifying her position as a thought leader in these areas.

Dr Dina Mansour: is a consultant in gastroenterology and hepatology in the gastroenterology department at the QE Gateshead (2017). She qualified from Cambridge and University College London and completed core medical training in London and the South East, before returning to her native North East for speciality training. Her main interest is liver disease, particularly non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and clinical research.

Dr Sunny Raju is a Clinical Fellow at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals with an extensive publication track record and former BSG Trainees President. He is the 2023 recipient of the BSG National Leadership and Management Award.

Dr Prarthana Thiagarajan graduated from Guys, Kings and St Thomas’ school of medicine in 2010. After this, she undertook postgraduate training in general internal medicine, gastroenterology and hepatology in the East Midlands.Dr Thiagarajan received a PhD from the University of Nottingham in 2021, with a research focus on precision imaging and dietary intervention in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).She spent the final year of her training at the Birmingham Liver Unit, completing an advanced fellowship in transplant hepatology in August 2022. Her specialist interests include metabolic liver disease, portal hypertension and endohepatology.

Dr Ajay Verma (@UKGastroDr Twitter): is a Consultant Gastroenterologist working in Kettering, Northamptonshire, appointed in 2015. He has specialist interests in IBD, early colorectal cancer, endoscopy (including ERCP), and clinical research. Ajay is one of the hospital’s Chief Clinical Information Officers (CCIO), and the endoscopy training lead.

In 2019, Ajay was appointed Gastroenterology specialty lead for NIHR CRN East Midlands and in 2020 was appointed as the research Director at Kettering General Hospital. He is the chief investigator for the CRUK funded COLO-PREVENT study, and the BRACE-1 study.

Ajay is chair of the British Society of Gastroenterology’s colorectal section and member of the endoscopy clinical research group. He is an elected councillor at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), having previously served as chair of the New Consultants Committee. He is also a member of the Midlands Gastroenterological Society and MidOx IBD committee.

Away from work Ajay enjoys spending time with family, his wife Vini is an Interventional GI Radiologist, his son Luca is 9, his daughter Bella is 7. He is a sports fanatic – Football, Cricket, Tennis, American Football. He plays badminton to a reasonable standard (his assessment!).

Professor Guruprasad P. Aithal graduated with MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, MD (Internal Medicine) from Bangalore Medical College, Bengaluru, India and completed his specialist training in Gastroenterology in the Northern Deanery, UK. He received PhD from the University of Newcastle and was an International Fellow at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.

Professor Guru Aithal: is Professor of Hepatology and the Head of the Division for the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine. He is also the Gastrointestinal & Liver Disorder Theme Lead for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham. He is the Deputy Project Co-ordinator and work package lead of the ‘Translational Safety Biomarker Pipeline (TransBioLine)‘ programme of the Innovation Medicines Initiative (IMI) of the European Union and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries & Associations (EFPIA) (2019-24). He is also the Hepatology lead for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme: ‘Anti-TB drug hepatotoxicity and treatment reintroduction‘ (2020-26).

Dr Anupam Rej is a is a Sheffield Teaching Hospitals GI Consultant (2022) with an interest in luminal gastroenterology (IBD) and endoscopy. He graduated from Sheffield Medical School in 2010. Dr Rej published extensively during his time in research including a landmark dietary therapy study in IBS. He was awarded his MD in 2021.

Professor Gordan Moran is an experienced Consultant Gastroenterologist specialising in the clinical management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). He completed his medical degree at the University of Malta in 1999, followed by his gastroenterology training in Birmingham, UK. He later obtained his PhD under the mentorship of Professor John McLaughlin at the University of Manchester in 2011. Dr Moran furthered his clinical expertise in IBD through an advanced clinical fellowship at the University of Calgary, Canada, under the guidance of Professor Remo Panaccione. Since 2013, Professor Moran has worked at the University of Nottingham. His primary research focus is on optimising advanced imaging techniques for measuring inflammation and fibrosis in IBD. He leads the Simple Trials in Applied Research team within Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, specialising in conducting large pragmatic trials in primary care using routinely collected coded datasets. With a strong commitment to education and mentorship, Dr Moran supervises several PhD students, postdoctoral scientists, and IBD fellows. He serves as the academic and clinical IBD theme lead within the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre and is a committee member of the IBD Section for the British Society of Gastroenterology. Dr Moran also contributes his expertise as an IBD expert member for the National Institute of Health Research Trent Clinical Research Network. Moreover, Dr Moran chairs the British Society of Gastroenterology Inflammatory Bowel Disease Guideline group, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping clinical practice and advancing research in the field of IBD.

Professor Jeanin Elise van Hooft: MD, PhD, MBA, is a consultant gastroenterologist and Chair of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands and fellow of the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (EBGH), the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (FASGE).

Dr. Van Hooft is specialist in interventions endoscopy, in particular hepato-pancreatico-biliary interventions.

Since 2009 she has been leading a research group with a strong focus on pancreatic diseases and in part on endoscopic treatment of gastrointestinal strictures.

Dr. Van Hooft has authored and co-authored over 300 peer reviewed publications and textbook chapters and has lectured at more than 200 national and international meetings. In 2016 she obtained her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at the Amsterdam Business School, University of Amsterdam (Triple Crown accredited).

In respect of continuing education, she completed a traineeship for Professional Governance (Duisenberg school of Finance) in 2017 and the Leadership program of the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam in 2018.

She has been the chair of the ESGE guideline committee from 2016-2021 and is currently the secretary general of the UEG. Furthermore, she is a member of the board of Women in Endoscopy (WIE) and on National level she is active as member (treasurer) of the Pancreatitis Working group of the Netherlands (PWN) and member of the research board of the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer group (DPCG).

Read more about Professor Bardhan, in whose name this lecture takes place each year.