Research

Mr Laing has extensive research experience and completed his PhD in 2021. He has won several awards including the Andy Burroughs Award from the British Liver Transplant Group, The Medawar Medal for Clinical Research from the British Transplant Society and the Rising Star Award from the International Liver Transplant Society. He was appointed as a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow and was instrumental in setting up and delivering VITTAL, a Wellcome Trust Funded Clinical Trial which has helped change practice in Liver Transplantation worldwide. The results of this study were published in the Nature Journal - Nature Communications.

He is involved with Collaborative National and International Studies in HPB and Upper GI Surgery and has been a key member of several Steering Groups. 

Jarvis MS, Laing RW, James A. Anaesthesia for pancreatic resection surgery: part 1. BJA Educ. 2025 Feb;25(2):57-64. doi: 10.1016/j.bjae.2024.10.001. Epub 2024 Nov 22. Review. PubMed PMID: 39897427; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11785549.

Hajibandeh S, Mostafa OE, Akula Y, Ghassemi N, Hajibandeh S, Bhatt A, Durkin D, Athwal TS, Laing RW. Meta-analysis of routine abdominal drainage versus no drainage following distal pancreatectomy: Does the best available evidence overcome "HPB surgeon's paranoia"?. Pancreatology. 2024 

Dec;24(8):1360-1372. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2024.11.012. Epub 2024 Nov 20. PubMed PMID: 39592298.

Robinson D, Zakeri R, Brown LR, Laing RW, Choh C, Askari A, Abouelazayem M, Bradley A, Currie AC, Elmasry M, Evans R, Gall T, Jerome E, Raftery NB, Samuel M, Spiers H, Chan B. Upper gastrointestinal training in the UK and Ireland: a Roux Group Study. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2024 Sep;106(7):610-619. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2023.0104. Epub 2024 Apr 18. PubMed PMID: 38634225; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11368156.

Evans D, Ghassemi N, Hajibandeh S, Hajibandeh S, Romman S, Laing RW, Durkin D, Athwal TS. Meta-analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy versus no adjuvant chemotherapy for resected stage I pancreatic cancer. Surgery. 2024 Jun;175(6):1470-1479. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2023.11.027. Epub 2023 Dec 29. Review. PubMed PMID: 38160086.

Halle-Smith JM, Pathak S, Frampton A, Pandanaboyana S, Sutcliffe RP, Davidson BR, Smith AM, Roberts KJ. Current postoperative nutritional practice after pancreatoduodenectomy in the UK: national survey and snapshot audit. BJS Open. 2024 Mar 1;8(2). doi: 10.1093/bjsopen/zrae021. PubMed PMID: 38513279; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10957164.

Hajibandeh S, Hajibandeh S, Romman S, Ghassemi N, Evans D, Laing RW, Durkin D, Athwal TS. Pancreatic resection for metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: A single institution experience and meta-analysis of survival outcomes. Pancreatology. 2024 Feb;24(1):160-168. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2023.11.014. Epub 2023 Nov 23. PubMed PMID: 38012888.

Hajibandeh S, Ghassemi N, Hajibandeh S, Romman S, Ghassemi A, Laing RW, Bhatt A, Athwal TS, Durkin D. Meta-analysis of laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy: An insight into confounding by indication. Surgeon. 2024 Feb;22(1):e13-e25. doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2023.08.006. Epub 2023 Sep 4. PubMed PMID: 37673704.

Mergental H, Laing RW, Kirkham AJ, Clarke G, Boteon YL, Barton D, Neil DAH, Isaac JR, Roberts KJ, Abradelo M, Schlegel A, Dasari BVM, Ferguson JW, Cilliers H, Morris C, Friend PJ, Yap C, Afford SC, Perera MTPR, Mirza DF. Discarded livers tested by normothermic machine perfusion in the VITTAL trial: Secondary end points and 5-year outcomes. Liver Transpl. 2024 Jan 1;30(1):30-45. doi: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000270. Epub 2023 Dec 15. PubMed PMID: 38109282.

Hajibandeh S, Hajibandeh S, Parente A, Laing RW, Bartlett D, Athwal TS, Sutcliffe RP. Meta-analysis of fenestrating versus reconstituting subtotal cholecystectomy in the management of difficult gallbladder. HPB (Oxford). 2024 Jan;26(1):8-20. doi: 10.1016/j.hpb.2023.09.005. Epub 2023 Sep 7. Review. PubMed PMID: 37739875.

Hajibandeh S, Hajibandeh S, Romman S, Parente A, Laing RW, Satyadas T, Subar D, Aroori S, Bhatt A, Durkin D, Athwal TS, Roberts KJ. Preoperative C-Reactive Protein-to-Albumin Ratio and Its Ability to Predict Outcomes of Pancreatic Cancer Resection: A Systematic Review. Biomedicines. 2023 Jul 13;11(7). doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11071983. Review. PubMed PMID: 37509622; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10377035.

PANC Study (Pancreatitis: A National Cohort Study): national cohort study examining the first 30 days from presentation of acute pancreatitis in the UK. BJS Open. 2023 May 5;7(3). doi: 10.1093/bjsopen/zrad008. PubMed PMID: 37161673; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10170253.

Mohkam K, Nasralla D, Mergental H, Muller X, Butler A, Jassem W, Imber C, Monbaliu D, Perera MTPR, Laing RW, García-Valdecasas JC, Paul A, Dondero F, Cauchy F, Savier E, Scatton O, Robin F, Sulpice L, Bucur P, Salamé E, Pittau G, Allard MA, Pradat P, Rossignol G, Mabrut JY, Ploeg RJ, Friend PJ, Mirza DF, Lesurtel M. In situ normothermic regional perfusion versus ex situ normothermic machine perfusion in liver transplantation from donation after circulatory death. Liver Transpl. 2022 Nov;28(11):1716-1725. doi: 10.1002/lt.26522. Epub 2022 Jun 29. PubMed PMID: 35662403; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9796010.

Mergental H, Laing RW, Hodson J, Boteon YL, Attard JA, Walace LL, Neil DAH, Barton D, Schlegel A, Muiesan P, Abradelo M, Isaac JR, Roberts K, Perera MTPR, Afford SC, Mirza DF. Introduction of the Concept of Diagnostic Sensitivity and Specificity of Normothermic Perfusion Protocols to Assess High-Risk Donor Livers. Liver Transpl. 2022 May;28(5):794-806. doi: 10.1002/lt.26326. Epub 2021 Nov 9. PubMed PMID: 34619014.

Mergental H, Stephenson BT, Laing RW, Muiesan P, Perera MTP, Afford SC, Mirza DF. Comment on Long-Term Normothermic Machine Preservation of Partial Livers: First Experience With 21 Human Hemi-Livers. Ann Surg Open. 2022 Mar;3(1). doi: 10.1097/AS9.0000000000000124. eCollection 2022 Mar. PubMed PMID: 35559425; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7612700.

Attard J, Sneiders D, Laing R, Boteon Y, Mergental H, Isaac J, Mirza DF, Afford S, Hartog H, Neil DAH, Perera MTPR. The effect of end-ischaemic normothermic machine perfusion on donor hepatic artery endothelial integrity. Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2022 Mar;407(2):717-726. doi: 10.1007/s00423-021-02394-4. Epub 2022 Jan 9. PubMed PMID: 34999966.

Neil DAH, Mergental H, Hann A, Laing RW, Hartog H, Mirza DF, Perera MTPR. Is Hepatocyte Necrosis a Good Marker of Donor Liver Viability During Machine Perfusion?. Hepatol Commun. 2022 Feb;6(2):435-436. doi: 10.1002/hep4.1816. Epub 2021 Sep 2. PubMed PMID: 34558864; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8793988.

Gemenetzis G, McKay S, Pathak S, Moir J, Laing R, Jamieson NB, Young AL, Chatzizacharias NA, Giovinazzo F, Roberts KJ. Surgical Management of Non-Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer in the United Kingdom: Results of a Nationwide Survey on Current Practice. Front Oncol. 2021;11:791946. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.791946. eCollection 2021. PubMed PMID: 35004314; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8733562.

Bonney GK, Chew CA, Lodge P, Hubbard J, Halazun KJ, Trunecka P, Muiesan P, Mirza DF, Isaac J, Laing RW, Iyer SG, Chee CE, Yong WP, Muthiah MD, Panaro F, Sanabria J, Grothey A, Moodley K, Chau I, Chan ACY, Wang CC, Menon K, Sapisochin G, Hagness M, Dueland S, Line PD, Adam R. Liver transplantation for non-resectable colorectal liver metastases: the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association consensus guidelines. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Nov;6(11):933-946. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00219-3. Epub 2021 Sep 8. PubMed PMID: 34506756.

Mergental H, Laing RW, Afford SC, Mirza DF. Reply to 'Hypothermic machine perfusion before viability testing of previously discarded human livers'. Nat Commun. 2021 Feb 12;12(1):1015. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21183-7. PubMed PMID: 33579911; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7881196.

Laing RW, Stubblefield S, Wallace L, Roobrouck VD, Bhogal RH, Schlegel A, Boteon YL, Reynolds GM, Ting AE, Mirza DF, Newsome PN, Mergental H, Afford SC. The Delivery of Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells to Extended Criteria Human Donor Livers Using Normothermic Machine Perfusion. Front Immunol. 2020;11:1226. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01226. eCollection 2020. PubMed PMID: 32714318; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7344318.

Mergental H, Laing RW, Kirkham AJ, Perera MTPR, Boteon YL, Attard J, Barton D, Curbishley S, Wilkhu M, Neil DAH, Hübscher SG, Muiesan P, Isaac JR, Roberts KJ, Abradelo M, Schlegel A, Ferguson J, Cilliers H, Bion J, Adams DH, Morris C, Friend PJ, Yap C, Afford SC, Mirza DF. Transplantation of discarded livers following viability testing with normothermic machine perfusion. Nat Commun. 2020 Jun 16;11(1):2939. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16251-3. PubMed PMID: 32546694; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7298000.

Boteon YL, Laing RW, Schlegel A, Wallace L, Smith A, Attard J, Bhogal RH, Reynolds G, Thamara Pr Perera M, Muiesan P, Mirza DF, Mergental H, Afford SC. Correction: The impact on the bioenergetic status and oxidative-mediated tissue injury of a combined protocol of hypothermic and normothermic machine perfusion using an acellular haemoglobin-based oxygen carrier: The cold-to-warm machine perfusion of the liver. PLoS One. 2020;15(2):e0230062. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230062. eCollection 2020. PubMed PMID: 32106259; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7046300.

Boteon YL, Laing RW, Schlegel A, Wallace L, Smith A, Attard J, Bhogal RH, Reynolds G, Perera MTPR, Muiesan P, Mirza DF, Mergental H, Afford SC. The impact on the bioenergetic status and oxidative-mediated tissue injury of a combined protocol of hypothermic and normothermic machine perfusion using an acellular haemoglobin-based oxygen carrier: The cold-to-warm machine perfusion of the liver. PLoS One. 2019;14(10):e0224066. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224066. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 31644544; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6808429.

Boteon YL, Laing RW, Schlegel A, Wallace L, Smith A, Attard J, Bhogal RH, Neil DAH, Hübscher S, Perera MTPR, Mirza DF, Afford SC, Mergental H. Combined Hypothermic and Normothermic Machine Perfusion Improves Functional Recovery of Extended Criteria Donor Livers. Liver Transpl. 2018 Dec;24(12):1699-1715. doi: 10.1002/lt.25315. PubMed PMID: 30058119; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6588092.

Mergental H, Stephenson BTF, Laing RW, Kirkham AJ, Neil DAH, Wallace LL, Boteon YL, Widmer J, Bhogal RH, Perera MTPR, Smith A, Reynolds GM, Yap C, Hübscher SG, Mirza DF, Afford SC. Development of Clinical Criteria for Functional Assessment to Predict Primary Nonfunction of High-Risk Livers Using Normothermic Machine Perfusion. Liver Transpl. 2018 Oct;24(10):1453-1469. doi: 10.1002/lt.25291. PubMed PMID: 30359490; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6659387.

Trivedi PJ, Reece J, Laing RW, Slaney E, Cooney R, Gunson BK, Kamarajah SK, Pinkney T, Thompson F, Muiesan P, Schlegel A, Hirschfield GM, Iqbal T, Ferguson J. The impact of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis on graft survival following liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Aug;48(3):322-332. doi: 10.1111/apt.14828. Epub 2018 Jun 8. PubMed PMID: 29882252.

Stephenson BTF, Bonney GK, Laing RW, Bhogal RH, Marcon F, Neil DAH, Perera MTPR, Afford SC, Mergental H, Mirza DF. Proof of concept: liver splitting during normothermic machine perfusion. J Surg Case Rep. 2018 Mar;2018(3):rjx218. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjx218. eCollection 2018 Mar. PubMed PMID: 29644030; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5887957.

Schlegel A, Kalisvaart M, Scalera I, Laing RW, Mergental H, Mirza DF, Perera T, Isaac J, Dutkowski P, Muiesan P. The UK DCD Risk Score: A new proposal to define futility in donation-after-circulatory-death liver transplantation. J Hepatol. 2018 Mar;68(3):456-464. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2017.10.034. Epub 2017 Nov 15. PubMed PMID: 29155020.

Boteon YL, Laing R, Mergental H, Reynolds GM, Mirza DF, Afford SC, Bhogal RH. Mechanisms of autophagy activation in endothelial cell and their targeting during normothermic machine liver perfusion. World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Dec 28;23(48):8443-8451. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i48.8443. Review. PubMed PMID: 29358854; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5752706.

Laing RW, Mergental H, Yap C, Kirkham A, Whilku M, Barton D, Curbishley S, Boteon YL, Neil DA, Hübscher SG, Perera MTPR, Muiesan P, Isaac J, Roberts KJ, Cilliers H, Afford SC, Mirza DF. Viability testing and transplantation of marginal livers (VITTAL) using normothermic machine perfusion: study protocol for an open-label, non-randomised, prospective, single-arm trial. BMJ Open. 2017 Nov 28;7(11):e017733. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017733. PubMed PMID: 29183928; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5719273.

Trivedi PJ, Scalera I, Slaney E, Laing RW, Gunson B, Hirschfield GM, Schlegel A, Ferguson J, Muiesan P. Clinical outcomes of donation after circulatory death liver transplantation in primary sclerosing cholangitis. J Hepatol. 2017 Nov;67(5):957-965. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2017.06.027. Epub 2017 Jul 8. PubMed PMID: 28690174.

Laing RW, Bhogal RH, Wallace L, Boteon Y, Neil DAH, Smith A, Stephenson BTF, Schlegel A, Hübscher SG, Mirza DF, Afford SC, Mergental H. The Use of an Acellular Oxygen Carrier in a Human Liver Model of Normothermic Machine Perfusion. Transplantation. 2017 Nov;101(11):2746-2756. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000001821. PubMed PMID: 28520579; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5656179.

Laing RW, Mergental H, Mirza DF. Normothermic ex-situ liver preservation: the new gold standard. Curr Opin Organ Transplant. 2017 Jun;22(3):274-280. doi: 10.1097/MOT.0000000000000414. Review. PubMed PMID: 28333889.

Hrydziuszko O, Perera MT, Laing R, Kirwan J, Silva MA, Richards DA, Murphy N, Mirza DF, Viant MR. Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolomics Comparison of Liver Grafts from Donors after Circulatory Death (DCD) and Donors after Brain Death (DBD) Used in Human Orthotopic Liver Transplantation. PLoS One. 2016;11(11):e0165884. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165884. eCollection 2016. PubMed PMID: 27835640; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5105997.

Mergental H, Perera MT, Laing RW, Muiesan P, Isaac JR, Smith A, Stephenson BT, Cilliers H, Neil DA, Hübscher SG, Afford SC, Mirza DF. Transplantation of Declined Liver Allografts Following Normothermic Ex-Situ Evaluation. Am J Transplant. 2016 Nov;16(11):3235-3245. doi: 10.1111/ajt.13875. Epub 2016 Jul 13. PubMed PMID: 27192971.

Laing RW, Scalera I, Isaac J, Mergental H, Mirza DF, Hodson J, Wilkin RJ, Perera MT, Muiesan P. Liver Transplantation Using Grafts From Donors After Circulatory Death: A Propensity Score-Matched Study From a Single Center. Am J Transplant. 2016 Jun;16(6):1795-804. doi: 10.1111/ajt.13699. Epub 2016 Mar 3. PubMed PMID: 26725645.

Bhangu A, Nepogodiev D, Gupta A, Torrance A, Singh P. Systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes following emergency surgery for Clostridium difficile colitis. Br J Surg. 2012 Nov;99(11):1501-13. doi: 10.1002/bjs.8868. Epub 2012 Sep 13. Review. PubMed PMID: 22972525.

Varadhan L, Laing R, Cheruvu CV, Varughese GI, Clayton RN. Should every patient being assessed for bariatric surgery be screened for Cushing syndrome?. Endocr Pract. 2011 Mar-Apr;17(2):309. PubMed PMID: 21612019.