King’s is home to one of the world’s most concentrated hubs of liver expertise, making it uniquely positioned to lead progress in this critical field. We were delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London to the RW-ILS to share more about how the Institute is bridging the gap between cutting-edge science and real-world patient outcomes, and the future directions of liver research and care.
Professor Phil Newsome, Director of the RW-ILS
07 May 2025
Lord Mayor visits the Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies to champion liver health innovation
On 2 May, the Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies (RW-ILS) welcomed the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London for a visit spotlighting King's leadership in liver disease research and care.
Joined by Professor Graham Lord, Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences) at King’s, Professor Ajay Shah, Executive Dean of our Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital, Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, and the Director of the RW-ILS Professor Phil Newsome, the Lord Mayor Alistair King heard first-hand about the challenges facing liver health and the Institute’s pioneering work – from scientific discovery through to clinical impact and policy influence.
Established in 2024, the RW-ILS is a collaboration between King’s College London, the Foundation for Liver Research, and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, integrating clinical expertise with advanced research to drive progress against liver disease.
Discussions during the visit focused on shared goals around improving outcomes for people with liver disease, advancing research, and the vital importance of training the next generation of liver innovators.
As the Lord Mayor toured the Institute, he met clinicians and researchers driving forward cutting-edge translational projects. Professor Debbie Shawcross, attending in her role as clinician-researcher and also the first female President of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), further underscored the Institute’s international profile.
Clinical academic partnerships – like those taking place within the Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies – are the catalysts we need to drive real change for patients. Only by uniting expertise across disciplines can we tackle the challenges of liver disease, accelerate innovations and reimagine healthcare. It was an honour to meet the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London and shine a light on the power of partnership.
Professor Graham Lord, Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences) at King’s
Tackling liver disease requires strategic collaboration across discovery, care, and civic leadership. We are proud of the work the Institute is doing to drive change for liver disease on a local and international level, and grateful for the opportunity to welcome the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London to King’s.
Professor Ajay Shah, Executive Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
Find out more about the RW-ILS here.
In this story
Director of Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies
Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences)
Executive Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
Professor of Hepatology and Chronic Liver Failure