Our Team

I have extensive experience in interacting with the pharmaceutical industry having been integrally involved in the design and implementation of randomized controlled trials with Fujisawa (Astellas) in the field of transplant-related immunosuppression. Furthermore, I am currently completing study designs for clinical trials with both AbbVie and Alcresta and am a clinical expert advisor for both companies. I also currently have roles on the Scientific Advisory Boards of Caligenix and EDP Biotech and am a clinical advisor for both Freedom Health and Woodland Pharma. I have more recently expanded into drug development and am a founding member of Sefacor Inc, a biopharmaceutical company developing a novel anti-cancer medication targeting high grade glioma and pancreatic cancer. I am the lead for both translational and clinical research for the pancreatic cancer section. I am also a founding partner of Wildlife Biopharma for whom I am acting Chief Medical Officer. The company is developing 2 novel pathway inhibitors which will act synergistically and be applicable to a wide range of tumor histopathologies. I have also commenced working with TaxolCur assisting with the development of nanoformualtions of existing oncological agents that will have increased efficacy and reduced toxicity for use in the pancreatic cancer patient population.

I have 27 years of postgraduate experience as a surgeon-scientist and expertise in the caring for patients with diseases of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, and now primarily focus on the management of patients with pancreatic cancer. After emigrating to Cleveland 5 years ago, and having established both my clinical practice and an active clinical research program, I established a Pancreatic Translational Research Group (PTRG) within the Lerner Research Institute that crossed all disciplines of basic science research within the institution and linked the scientists with clinicians at the Cleveland Clinic. More recently I expanded the group to cover all hospital systems and research institutions in Cleveland renaming the collaboration the Cleveland Pancreatic Translational Research Group (CPTRG). The CPTRG is integrally linked with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCCC) and the NCI-supported Gastroenterology Spore, one of only 2 in the US. With this innovation the group collaborates drawing expertise from R-01 holders in all scientific disciplines and applies in combination for available grants. This approach therefore minimizes expense and maximizes output.

I have an extensive research background with more than 220 peer-reviewed articles and published 4 books as well as numerous book chapters. In addition to my primary medical degree (MBBCh) that I received in 1992, I have 3 research degrees: MD (2003) and MCh (2005) from my alma mater and Cardiff University respectively; and a PhD (2009) from the University of South Wales. I was also awarded a diploma in ‘Hepatic Pancreatic and Biliary cancers: OncoSurgical strategies’ from the European University, Paris.

My primary training was in the United Kingdom and I also travelled extensively undertaking clinical attachments at numerous centers in the USA including: MD Anderson; Memorial Sloan Kettering; John Hopkins; Mayo Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital, and worldwide at major HPB units in Paris, Tokyo and Nagoya. Since completing my training, I have undertaken sabbaticals in Japan, India, and will be visiting South Africa this summer.