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Rajarshi (Rishi) Mukherjee, a Medical Research Council (MRC)/GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Surgeon Scientist based at the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, delivered the esteemed Hunterian Lecture for the Royal College of Surgeons of England last week. The lecture took place during the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) International Congress, in front of an audience that included the sitting presidents of all four Royal Colleges of Surgeons.
Rishi’s lecture, titled "Novel Cyclophilin D Inhibitors for the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis", showcased groundbreaking progress in this area since his landmark doctoral research at the University, which identified mitochondrial injury as a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. His ongoing research is conducted under the mentorship of Professor Robert Sutton—himself a former Hunterian Professor—and in collaboration with Professor Paul O’Neill, an expert in medicinal chemistry and therapeutics innovation frontier lead.
In his lecture, Rishi reflected on the legacy of John Hunter, widely regarded as the father of scientific surgery, and emphasised the often-overlooked role that surgeons have historically played in the development of medicines. He highlighted examples such as Edward Jenner, developer of the smallpox vaccine, and fellow Hunterian Professors Alexander Fleming and Liverpool’s own Sir Ronald Ross.
Looking ahead, Rishi will continue his pioneering work as the inaugural MRC Medicines Development Clinician Scientist in partnership with GSK, focusing on new treatments for pancreatitis-induced lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
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