Hepatology Research Group
Dedicated to improving the understanding and treatment of liver disease
The Hepatology Research Group is an integral part of the Institute of Health and Care Research: infection, immunity and inflammation.
We utilise state of the art laboratory facilities based in the Derriford Research Facility, and the world class clinical research strengths of the Faculty of Health and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.
We work in unison with the South West Liver Unit, at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, providing a full range and secondary, tertiary and community Hepatology services to the South West region, including assessment for liver transplantation, TIPS and liver cancer therapy.
The research team run several commercially sponsored clinical trials in hepatitis C therapy, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), primary biliary cholangiopathy (PBC), alcoholic liver disease and liver failure amongst others, through the clinical research facilities of The Lind Research Centre at Derriford Hospital.
Apply for a postgraduate research studentship
We are currently hiring a PhD student to support our environmental hepatology research. This is a very exciting project unravelling biofilm-coated plastics as drivers of liver inflammation and damage.
The studentship will start on: 1 October 2025
The deadline for applications is: 19 May 2025, 12 midnight (UK time)
The deadline for applications is: 19 May 2025, 12 midnight (UK time)
Hepatology Research Group team
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![Professor Matthew Cramp Chair in Hepatology]( "Professor Matthew Cramp")
Professor Matthew Cramp
Chair in Hepatology
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![Professor Shilpa Chokshi Professor of Experimental Hepatology]( "Professor Shilpa Chokshi")
Professor Shilpa Chokshi
Professor of Experimental Hepatology
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![Dr Ashwin Dhanda Associate Professor in Hepatology]( "Dr Ashwin Dhanda")
Dr Ashwin Dhanda
Associate Professor in Hepatology
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![Dr Daniel Felmlee Lecturer in Hepatology]( "Dr Daniel Felmlee")
Dr Daniel Felmlee
Lecturer in Hepatology
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![Dr Paula Boeira Post Doctoral Research Fellow]( "Dr Paula Boeira")
Dr Paula Boeira
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
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![Ms Namrata Pandey]( "Ms Namrata Pandey")
Ms Namrata Pandey
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![Mr Somaiah Aroori Honorary Professor]( "Mr Somaiah Aroori")
Mr Somaiah Aroori
Honorary Professor
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![Dr Kristopher Bennett]( "Dr Kristopher Bennett")
Dr Kristopher Bennett
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![Ms Eleanor Walker]( "Ms Eleanor Walker")
Ms Eleanor Walker
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![Dr Tamar Avades]( "Dr Tamar Avades")
Dr Tamar Avades
Hepatology Research Group annual reports
Recent publications (2023–2024)
Top ten research priorities for alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related liver disease: results of a multistakeholder research priority setting partnership. Subhani, M., Dhanda, A., Olaru, A., Dunford, L., Ahmad, N., Wragg, A., Frost, K., Greenwood, J., King, M., Jones, K. A., Rosenberg, W., Sinclair, J., Rennick-Egglestone, S., Morling, J. R., Patel, K. & Ryder, S. D. The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2024 May 9;5:400-402
Proactive case finding of alcohol-related liver disease in high-risk populations: A systematic review. Archer, A. J., Phillips, J., Subhani, M., Ward, Z., Gordon, F. H., Hickman, M., Dhanda, A.D. & Abeysekera, K. W. M., Liver International 8 Mar 2024;44(6):1298-1308
Mental Imagery to Reduce Alcohol-related harm in patients with alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related liver damaGE: the MIRAGE randomised pilot trial results. Dhanda, A., Andrade, J., Allende, H., Allgar, V., Bailey, M., Callaghan, L., Cocking, L., Goodwin, E., Hawton, A., Hayward, C., Hudson, B., Ingram, W., Jeffery, A., King, A., Lavers, V., Lomax, J., McCune, C. A., Musicha, C., Parker, R. & Rollinson, C. & 2 others, , BMJ Open Gastroenterology. 29 Jan 2024;11(1): e001267.
National study of NAFLD management identifies variation in delivery of care in the UK between 2019 to 2022. Li, W., Sheridan, D., McPherson, S., Alazawi, W., Abeysekera, K., Marjot, T., Brennan, P., Mahgoub, S., Cacciottolo, T., Hydes, T., Hardy, T., McGinty, G., Tavabie, O., Cathcart, J., Premathilaka, C., Mukhopadhya, A., Bhat, A., Begum, S., Abushaban, B. & Bhuva, M. et al. JHEP Reports. Dec 2023;5:12
Open‐label, clinical trial extension: Two‐year safety and efficacy results of seladelpar in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. Mayo, M. J., Vierling, J. M., Bowlus, C. L., Levy, C., Hirschfield, G. M., Neff, G. W., Galambos, M. R., Gordon, S. C., Borg, B. B., Harrison, S. A., Thuluvath, P. J., Goel, A., Shiffman, M. L., Swain, M. G., Jones, D. E. J., Trivedi, P., Kremer, A. E., Aspinall, R. J., Sheridan, D. A. & Dörffel, Y. & 3 others, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 30 Oct 2023: 0, 0
Global prevalence, cascade of care, and prophylaxis coverage of hepatitis B in 2022: a modelling study. Razavi-Shearer, D., Gamkrelidze, I., Pan, C., Jia, J., Berg, T., Gray, R., Lim, Y. S., Chen, C. J., Ocama, P., Desalegn, H., Abbas, Z., Abdallah, A., Aghemo, A., Ahmadbekova, S., Ahn, S. H., Aho, I., Akarca, U., Al, M. N., Alalwan, A. & Alavian, S.. Cramp ME et al., Lancet Gastro & Hep. Oct 2023:8(10):879-907
Health promotion and public health. Avades T, Dhanda A. Evidence-Based Nursing Published Online First: 27 July 2023. doi: 10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103751
Satellite liver transplant centres significantly improve transplant assessment outcomes for patients with chronic liver disease but not hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study. Tavabie OD, Kronsten VT, Przemioslo R, Ramos K, Joshi D, Prachalias A, Menon K, Agarwal K, Heneghan MA, Valliani T, Cash J, Cramp ME, Aluvihare V. Frontline Gastroenterology 2023 July;14(4):334-342.
Diagnostic accuracy of serological and imaging tests used in surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma in adults with cirrhosis: a systematic review protocol. Sadler L, Jones H, Whiting P, Rogers M, Watt K, Cramp M, Ryder S, Stein K, Welton N, Oppe F, Bell J, Rogers G. NIHR Open Res 2023, 3:23 (https://doi.org/10.3310/nihropenres.13409.1)
