In spite of leading a busy clinical job, I have always maintained an active interest in clinical research, as demonstarted by the list of presentations and publications relating to the field of surgery for severe and complex obesity, laparoscopic surgery and treatment of upper GI cancers.  Close working practices exist with departments of gastroenterology and medical weight management leading to joint publications. 

Principal Investigator (PI) at UHCW for the recently launced £3.3 million NIHR SARONG Trial (Surveillance After Resection for Oesophageal & Gastric Cancer)

I am one of the Co- investigators in the recently concluded £630,000 Bambini Trial (funded by John Moulton Foundation) looking at surgicaI versus best medical management for Polycystic ovarian syndrome.

I am one of the co-investigators for ABC (Arthoplasty bariatric comparision) Trial conceived by University of Warwick comparison bariatric surgery before and after joint replacement in obese patients with BMI greater than 40

I co-supervised a PhD student at University of Warwick pursuing post graduate research degree through published work exploring the different surgical approaches in managing gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (awarded December 2016)

I am also co-supervising another PhD student at University of Warwick looking at biochemical and metabolic changes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery (protocol being finalised)

I have also been actively involved as either the principal or co-investigator at UHCW NHS Trust in national trials (NEOSCOPE – first patient nationally was recruited from UHCW & Vindaloo-2).  In addition I support other ongoing national trials currently open at UHCW including CUP ONE, Neo- AEGIS, OCCAMS, STO3, STO3 MRI Sub-study

Other studies planned for this year include utilising the Human metabolic Research Unit (HMRU in association with Dr T Barber) to assess the effects of bariatric surgery on appetite and post prandial metabolism. We are proposing to look at serum Ghrelin levels pre and post sleeve gastrectomy in addition to glucose level post bariatric surgery and how surgery affects the various incretin agents. A study focussing on brown fat changes with bariatric surgery is also in the planning phase utilising the vast tissue bank facilities at UHCW & University of Warwick.

I contribute to and support collection and collation of data comparing surgeon & unit activity with Hospital Episode statistics (HES) data, providing valuable information on activity, outcomes etc in addition to actively contributing to National Bariatric Surgery Registry (NBSR) and National Oeosphago-Gastric cancer audit (NOGCA)