Living legend in surgery: Professor Roger Williams
HepatoBiliary Surgery and Nutrition (HBSN) is honored to include Professor Roger Williams as a distinguished member of our editorial board. An accomplished pioneer in the field of hepatology, Professor Williams (Figure 1) [CBE, MD, FRCP, FRCS, FRCPE, FRACP, FMEDSCI, FRCPI (Hon), FACP (Hon)] has been at the forefront of the international research community for over fifty years. His unparalleled experience and continued leadership in clinical practice and research make him an invaluable resource as we work to further the journal’s mission.
From the time he finished at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in Great Britain in 1959, Professor Williams’ competitive spirit drove his determination to make impactful advances. Only a few short years later in 1966, he founded the Institute of Liver Studies at King’s College in London, where two years later he established the United Kingdom’s first liver transplant program with his colleague, Professor Roy Calne (later Sir Roy Calne). In 1973, recognizing the need for specialized care of patients with acute liver failure, Professor Williams conceived of and opened the first dedicated intensive care unit for these patients. Under his leadership, the Liver Unit at King’s College Hospital, which expanded in 1986, provided a rich collection of clinical and research observations, which ultimately led to significant improvements in overall survival rates.
Early-career accomplishments include contributions to studies at New York’s Columbia University on the quantitative assessment of liver function by calculating liver storage capacity and transport maximum for bromsulphthalein. In his thirty years at the Liver Unit, Professor Williams conducted a series of original investigations, including those into biliary tract complications, occurrence of bacterial sepsis, and in vitro measurement of immunosuppressive drug activity.
Currently the Director of the Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, and Professor of Hepatology at the University of London, Professor Williams continues to marry pioneering research with clinical care. In addition to overseeing research teams in the areas of viral hepatitis, liver failure and support devices, hepatocellular carcinoma, portal hypertension and liver sepsis, Professor Williams is a leader in the ongoing research and public education efforts surrounding dangerous levels of alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom.
Renowned for his service and contributions to the field, Professor Williams has been honored throughout his career. Most recently in 2013, he was the first British citizen to ever be awarded with the Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. He’s received several lifetime achievement awards, including those from the British Association for the Study of the Liver and the American Society of Transplantation. Professor Williams’ numerous awards and honors from the medical community are enriched by his appointment to the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of 1992 for Services to Medicine.
From research to clinical care, Professor Williams’ work spans the entirety of the hepatology spectrum. His independent work and collaborations have yielded findings that not only further patient care and quality of life, but also provide a legacy of foundational work that current and future generations of researchers will continue to build upon.
Since joining HBSN, Professor Williams has encouraged and supported the journal, working to expand its sphere of influence in the surgical community. We are honored by the opportunity to work alongside him.
Acknowledgements
Disclosure: The author declares no conflict of interest.
