Professional background

Austin Obichere underwent general surgical training in North West Thames higher surgical training scheme and developed a sub-specialist interest in coloproctology very early in his career. He embarked on on a two year research project (October 1997-October 1999) at St. Mark’s Hospital evaluating the quality of life in patients with stomas that led to the award of doctor of medicine (MD thesis) degree from the University of London.

He subsequently held the posts of colorectal fellow (St Mark’s Hospital) and laparoscopic colorectal fellow (Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada) prior to his appointment as consultant colorectal surgeon to the Middlesex Hospital / senior lecturer UCL. Having acquired advanced laparoscopic skills in his training, he introduced laparoscopic colorectal surgery to the Trust and performed the first bowel resection using this technique in 2003.

He is currently director of the bowel cancer screening programme at UCLH and is an expert bowel cancer screening endoscopist (UK Joint Advisory Group [JAG] accreditation). He is a member of the surgical sub-group of National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) and is president elect IA (Ileostomy & Internal Pouch) support group, Greater London West Chapter.

He remains committed to clinical research and medical education and has numerous peer reviewed publications, book chapters and invitations as speaker / member of faculty at National and International meetings and workshops.

Research interests

  • Bowel cancer screening and novel new strategies
  • Surgery in advanced colorectal cancer
  • Laparoscopic surgery and surgical management of benign disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and pelvic floor

Publications

Selection of recent articles reflecting research interest

Contemporary Peri-operative management of adult dysautonomia (Riley -Day) Syndrome
Milne M, et al. Among authors : Obichere A
A A Case Rep 2015; (9) 111-3.

Testing innovative strategies to reduce the social gradient in the uptake of bowel cancer screening: a programme of four qualitatively enhanced randomised controlled trials.
Raine R et al; Among authors Obichere A
NIHR Journals library 2017 Mar.

The impact of Diet induced Weight loss on Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer: An exploratory Study (INTERCEPT)
Keeken RJ, et al. Among authors: Obichere A
Obesity Nov 2017; 25

Socioeconomic variation in uptake of colonoscopy following a positive faecal occult blood test result: a retrospective analysis of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.Morris S, Baio G, Kendall E, von Wagner C, Wardle J, Atkin W, Halloran SP, Handley G, Logan RF, Obichere A, Rainbow S, Smith S, Snowball J, Raine R. Br J Cancer. 2012; 107:765-71.
Palliative resection of the primary tumour in stage IV rectal cancer: response to Verberne et al. O'Bichere A. Colorectal Dis. 2012; 14:1027

High resolution colonoscopy in a bowel cancer screening programme improves polyp
detection. Banks MR, Haidry R, Butt MA, Whitley L, Stein J, Langmead L, Bloom SL, O'Bichere A, McCartney S, Basherdas K, Rodriguez-Justo M, Lovat LB.
World J Gastroenterol. 2011; Oct: 4308-13.

Protein biomarkers in exfoliated cells collected from the human rectal mucosa: implications for colorectal disease detection and monitoring.
Anderson N, Suliman I, Bandaletova T, Obichere A, Lywood R, Loktionov A.
Int J Colorectal Dis. 2011; Jun: 1287-97.

Inequalities in participation in an organized national colorectal cancer screening programme: results from the first 2.6 million invitations in England.
von Wagner C, Baio G, Raine R, Snowball J, Morris S, Atkin W, Obichere A, Handley G, Logan RF, Rainbow S, Smith S, Halloran S, Wardle J.
Int J Epidemiol. 2011; Feb 17

Changing management and survival in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer.
Platell C, Ng S, O'bichere A, Tebbutt N.
Dis Colon Rectum. 2011; 54:214-9.

Management of the asymptomatic primary in the palliative treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Suliman I, O’bichere A
Colorectal Dis 2010; 12: 267-267.

Social variations in access to hospital care for patients with colorectal, breast, and lung cancer between 1999 and 2006: retrospective analysis of hospital episode statistics. Raine R, Wong W, Scholes S, Ashton C, Obichere A, Ambler G.
BMJ. 2010 Jan 14;340:b5479.

Inequalities in colorectal cancer screening participation in the first round of the national screening programme in England.
von Wagner C, Good A, Wright D, Rachet B, Obichere A, Bloom S, Wardle J
Br J Cancer. 2009; 101 Suppl 2:S60-3

Mural Inflammation in Crohns Disease: Location-Matched Histologic Validation of
Imaging. Punwani S, Rodriguez-Justo M, Bainbridge A, Greenhalgh R, De Vita E, Bloom S, Cohen R, Windsor A, Obichere A, Hansmann A, Novelli M, Halligan S, Taylor S. Radiology 2009; 252: 712-20.

Crohn’s Disease: Correlation of Dynamic Contrast- enhanced MR Imaging Findings with Angiogenesis and Inflammation at Histologic Examination- Pilot Study.
Taylor SA, Punwani S, Rodriguez-Justo M, Bainbridge A, Greenhalgh R, De Vita E, Forbes A, Cohen R, Windsor A, Obichere A, Hansmann A, Rajan J, Novelli M, Halligan. Radiology 2009; 251: 369-79.

Primary tumour resection and survival in the palliative management of metastatic
colorectal cancer. Bajwa A, Blunt N, Vyas S, Mckenzie G, Bridgewater J, Hochhauser D, O’Bichere A. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2009; 2: 164-7.