Vikas Sud

My research focuses on how our immune system can be reawakened to fight colorectal cancer that spreads to the liver. This form of cancer remains one of the leading causes of death, and many patients still face recurrence even after surgery. My research focuses on understanding why immune cells, particularly T cells, lose their ability to attack these tumours and how a process involving immune cells called Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) may be to blame.

Using a novel ex-situ normothermic hemi-liver perfusion model, I will explore how removing these NETs could restore immune activity and make resistant cancers responsive to immunotherapy. By studying this directly in human tissue, my work bridges the gap between the lab and the clinic, helping us move promising ideas faster and more safely toward patient trials.

Ultimately, my goal is to turn these insights into new treatments that not only improve survival but also change how we design cancer therapies for patients who have limited options today. I hope this work will inspire new approaches to combining surgery and immunotherapy, shaping future clinical practice and paving the way for immune-based treatments that can save lives.

I completed my medical degree in India before gaining clinical experience across several centres in the United States. I then spent two years at the University of Pittsburgh, working in a hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) research laboratory investigating the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in liver ischaemia–reperfusion injury and fatty liver disease. This work, primarily using experimental models, allowed me to develop extensive laboratory expertise and a strong foundation in translational research. I subsequently moved to the United Kingdom, where I was appointed to both core and higher surgical training within the Oxford Deanery. I am now a specialist registrar in general surgery, pursuing academic training alongside my clinical work.