Dr Vishal C Patel
Consultant Hepatologist and ACLD Clinical Lead
- Year Qualified
- 2003
- Qualifications
- BSc(Hons) MBBS PhD FRCP(UK)
- Specialty
- Hepatology
Special Interests
- Acute alcohol-related hepatitis
- Acute-on-chronic liver failure
- Advanced chronic liver disease
- Alcohol-related liver disease
- Ascites
- Basic science
- Cell-free DNA (liquid biopsy)
- Coagulation dysfunction
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Infections in cirrhosis
- Interventional clinical trials
- Liver cirrhosis
- Liver fibrosis
- Microbiome mechanisms and therapeutics
- Observational studies
- Oral – gut – liver axis
- Portal hypertension
- Rapid infection diagnostics
- Translational research
- Variceal bleeding
- Vascular liver diseases
Biography
Dr Vishal Patel is a Consultant Hepatologist and Endoscopist with a focus on Advanced Chronic Liver Disease (ACLD) and treating related complications caused by portal hypertension. He is a Principal Investigator and leads the ACLD Experimental & Therapeutics research group at the Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies (RW-ILS) and was promoted to Adjunct Reader in Hepatology at King’s College London. His research group focuses on microbiome profiling with primary interests based around understanding the pathophysiological role of the microbiome in driving ACLD, and developing non-antimicrobial-based therapeutic interventions. Closely linked are rapid infection diagnostic approaches using molecular techniques to combat antimicrobial resistance. His group also investigate in the role of circulating cell-free DNA and coagulation dysfunction in ACLD.
He is Chief Investigator of the NIHR HTA-funded £2.5 million BOPPP trial evaluating the effectiveness of non-selective beta-blockers to prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with small oesophageal varices and cirrhosis. BOPPP is currently the largest portal hypertension trial globally, and successfully surpassed the recruitment target of 740 patients across 55 UK sites in July 2024, working with Dr Mark McPhail as Chief Scientific Investigator.
He is involved in several observational and interventional studies in chronic liver failure syndromes, including acute alcohol-related hepatitis, hepatic encephalopathy, and faecal microbial transplantation in cirrhosis. He has extensive research and trial delivery experience and expertise, and is the Liver Research Delivery Unit Clinical Lead at King’s College Hospital, overseeing one of the largest trial portfolios of non-commercial and commercial studies in Europe. He is the national Clinical Research Lead & Sub-Committee Chair at the British Association for Study of the Liver (BASL).
He says: “Chronic liver disease is a condition which I am dedicated to treating clinically and still represents so much unmet need. Translational research in this area is pivotal to improving patient outcomes and quality of life in those that are afflicted. My group in collaboration with others are determined to make real progress in this area.”
Find out more about Dr Patel’s research: