Ashwin Dhanda

Ashwin Dhanda is an Associate Professor in Hepatology at Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth, and a Consultant Hepatologist at the South West Liver Unit, Derriford Hospital, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. He is actively engaged in both clinical practice and translational research, with a focus on inflammatory and alcohol-related liver diseases.

Research Interests: His research centers on biomarkers of survival in alcohol-related liver disease, immune function, circulating microbiome, and response to glucocorticoid therapy. He is Chief Investigator of the MIRAGE pilot trial, investigating Functional Imagery Training for alcohol dependence. He leads the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) Special Interest Group on alcohol-related liver disease and contributes to national guidelines as a Topic Expert for NICE and committee member of the British Society of Gastroenterology Liver Clinical Research Group.

Recent Research Trends: His recent publications highlight a strong focus on integrated care models, proactive case finding, and behavioral interventions for alcohol-related liver disease. Articles emphasize multidisciplinary collaboration, health equity, stigma reduction, and innovative trial designs, reflecting a translational approach from bench to bedside and community.

• Scientific Roles:
  • Lead, BASL Special Interest Group on Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
  • Topic Expert, NICE Clinical Guidelines Update Committee for Alcohol Use Disorders
  • Committee Member, British Society of Gastroenterology Liver Clinical Research Group

Grants and Supervision: He is part of an MRC-funded national consortium aiming to reduce mortality in alcoholic hepatitis and leads a workstream validating a novel bioassay for steroid response. He has supervised Plymouth theses and contributes to academic training. His dataset for the MIRAGE trial is publicly available through the University of Plymouth.

Labs and Teams: He is embedded in the South West Liver Unit and collaborates nationally through BASL and MRC consortia. His work involves multidisciplinary teams including clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates focused on improving outcomes in alcohol-related liver disease.