The BRIDGES Committee
Mr Daren A Subar, BRIDGES Director, General & HPB Consultant. Research & Development Lead for General Surgery. Clinical Director for Cancer Services
Mr Subar is an advanced laparoscopic HPB surgeon. His research interests include investigating outcomes in liver and pancreatic surgery. He is the principal investigator for a number of local and regional HPB research studies.
Christa Hammill: Theatre Practitioner, Courses Faculty
Christa brings extensive frontline surgical experience to the faculty, providing invaluable practical insights into theatre operations and best practices. Her expertise ensures that Bridges courses are grounded in real-world clinical excellence.
Dr Rebecca Moncur – Co-Courses Representative26-27
An FY1 at Macclesfield General Hospital who developed the successful "Surviving Surgery" teaching series. A former international rugby player, Rebecca combines leadership and organizational skills to deliver practical surgical education for junior doctors.
Dr Saan Dyare, Conference and Student Liaison 26-27
An incoming Academic Foundation Doctor in Liverpool and a graduate of Lancaster Medical School. His interests include academic surgery, healthcare regulation, and medical ethics. He completed an intercalated degree in Medical Law and Ethics, worked within the General Medical Council Fitness to Practise Directorate, and served as Chair of the Richard Owen Society, leading the delivery of surgical education and events.
Dr Omar Farooq – Journal Club Representative 26-27
FY1 at East Lancashire NHS Hospitals Trust with a prolific research background and experience as a National Training Lead. Omar is dedicated to mentorship and academic excellence, having published surgical research and led national educational programs.
Mr Talha Ahmed, Committee Member, North West General Surgery StR Trainee.
Talha is a Higher Surgical Trainee with a special interest in HPB Surgery. He is passionate about surgical education and training, with extensive experience in teaching courses and leading national trainee-led programmes. He is committed to supporting the next generation of surgeons through structured training, mentorship, research, and collaborative initiatives.
Dr Deepshikha Kumar, BRIDGES Committee member, 2025-2026 (Journal Club Representative, Co-Webmaster and Courses Co-Chair). Academic Foundation NW Trainee
Dee is a Foundation Doctor and Academic Trainee in the North West. With a background in Medicine and Dentistry, she is keen to develop transferable surgical skills and support trainee-led education, research, and innovation through the BRIDGES platform.
Mr Joel Lambert, BRIDGES Director,
HPB Consultant and Research Fellow
Joel graduated from the University of Bristol and is completing higher surgical training in the Northwest. His interest areas include prehabilltation in cancer surgery and medical education. He is currently enrolled on an MD at Lancaster University.
Aley Abraham: Theatre Practitioner, Courses Faculty
With a deep background in the surgical environment, Aley focuses on bridging the gap between theory and the operating room. As part of the Courses Faculty, she is dedicated to fostering technical proficiency and team-based simulation.
Dr Aysa Masoumi – Co-Courses Representative 26-27
An FY1 at ELHT with a strong interest in breast oncoplastic surgery and experience as a surgical skills demonstrator. Aysa has extensive experience in event logistics and is passionate about delivering structured, hands-on surgical workshops
Dr Jessica Man – Co-Journal Club Representative 26-27
A Core Surgical Trainee at Wythenshawe Hospital with a passion for peer-to-peer mentorship and simulation teaching. Jessica has a proven track record in leadership, previously organizing large-scale regional events for doctors.
Mrs Donna Shrestha, Committee Member, North West General Surgery Trainee StR and PhD student .
Donna graduated from the University of Sheffield and is currently a higher surgical trainee in the North West Deanery, with an interest in Colorectal Surgery. She has an interest in research and medical education, and keen to use the BRIDGES platform to promote related activities and be an advocate for junior doctors’ training at ELHT.
Dr Eyad Jamileh, Bridges Foundation Research Representative. FY2 doctor
Eyad has a passion for global health, surgery, and academic medicine. He is actively engaged in research, teaching, and quality improvement initiatives, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and advancing healthcare practice.
Mrs Asma Sultana, HPB Chair
General & HPB Consultant Surgeon. Surgical Tutor & Honorary Senior Lecturer UCLAN
Ms Sultana’s research interests are in retrospective and prospective clinical studies, clinical trials and systematic reviews/meta-analyses. She has published widely in these areas, and won prizes and awards (Hirshberg Award from the American Pancreatic Association and the International Association of Pancreatology). She is also collaborating with the University of Central Lancashire on the application of nanotechnology to Hepatopancreatobiliary cancers.
Deborah Sutton: ELHT Research Development and Innovation
Deborah leads the charge in integrating cutting-edge research into clinical practice at ELHT. Her work in innovation provides a platform for committee members and trainees to engage with NIHR-funded research and quality improvement initiatives.
Dr Sadaf Naderi – Webmaster 26-27
An FY2 doctor and former Vice President of the T&O Surgical Society who has organized national conferences. Sadaf brings strong digital competence and a commitment to supporting the next generation of surgeons through high-quality educational infrastructure.
Mr Georgios Sgourakis, Basic Science and Translational Medicine Chair General & HPB Consultant Surgeon. Honorary Clinical Lecturer UCLAN
Mr Sgourakis’ research is focused on the development of molecular biomarkers for colorectal and pancreatic cancer screening and the use of augmented reality and haptic feedback in surgical training. His scholarly experience includes 110 publications in peer reviewed, indexed in Medline, journals. These publications have been cited more than 3200 times.
Dr Nadeem Gire, Bridges Committee member, Research and Development Liaison, FY2 Doctor
Nadeem is well versed in research and grant applications having completed a pharmacy degree prior to gaining his MBBS. He has also completed a PhD during his medical training and brings a wealth of experience and insight to his role in advising on planned research by BRIDGES.