King’s clinician named new Prof of Paediatric Critical Care

27 October 2021 - Dr Akash Deep appointed Professor of Paediatric Critical Care at King's College London

A world-renowned King’s clinician whose achievements include leading the UK’s contribution to the first-ever study to understand how acute kidney injuries arise in children, has recently been promoted to Professor of Paediatric Critical Care at King’s College London.

Professor Akash Deep is the Director of Paediatric Intensive Care at King’s College Hospital, alongside his role as Staff Governor. He initially trained at the prestigious Mumbai and Chandigarh Institutes in India, before moving to the UK in 2004, where he specialised in Paediatric Intensive Care at Great Ormond Street Hospital, St Mary’s Hospital and Royal Brompton Hospital, in London.

In 2008, Prof Deep joined King’s College Hospital as a Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care, where he developed an interest in paediatric critical care nephrology, acute liver failure and sepsis. It was this interest that motivated Prof Deep to organise the First National Conference of Critical Care Nephrology in 2011.

In 2014, he founded the Critical Care Nephrology section of the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care. As Chair of the section, Prof Deep organised several international conferences and edited a textbook for healthcare professionals on ‘Critical Care Nephrology and Renal Replacement Therapy in Children.’

In 2017, he led the UK’s contribution to the first-ever study to understand how acute kidney injuries arise in children, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Prof Deep’s research has garnered world-wide recognition and he is often invited to speak at international conferences about the technological advances in renal care and dialysis in children. He also trains doctors and nurses around the world in providing safe dialysis to children.

Prof Deep has a special interest in sepsis and is the main author for the National Paediatric Sepsis Toolkits for Paediatrics which was launched at the House of Commons event in 2015. He continues to be actively involved in raising awareness of paediatric sepsis for parents, GPs and in schools. Last year, he co-authored the world acclaimed Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines.

During the pandemic, Prof Deep led the development of multiple studies which aimed to investigate the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak on the provision of kidney replacement therapy in children. His work in this area led to the development of European guidelines which outlined how to manage acute kidney injury during the pandemic.

Of his new appointment as Professor of Paediatric Critical Care at King’s College London, Prof Deep said: “It’s an honour and privilege to be appointed to this prestigious position at King’s College London. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, my mentors, and family and friends who have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and work in a field which is close to my heart.

“I plan to continue to working closely with my colleagues from King’s College London and King’s College Hospital to improve the care of critically ill children.”