Jagdeep Nanchahal

Jagdeep undertook his PhD, funded by the MRC, whilst a medical student in London and trained as a reconstructive plastic surgeon. His research is focussed on identifying novel therapeutic targets for reducing fibrosis and promoting tissue regeneration, and translating his findings through to clinical trials. 

In 2013 his group identified TNF as therapeutic target for Dupuytren’s disease, a common fibrotic condition of the hand. He was chief investigator for a phase 2a followed by a recently completed phase 2b clinical by the Wellcome Trust and Department of Health and 180 Life Sciences to assess the efficacy of local administration of anti-TNF in patients with early stage Dupuytren’s disease. The trials showed that intranodular injections of adalimumab downregulate myofibroblast phenotype and lead to softening and decrease in size of the nodules of early-stage disease, which continue for up to 9 months after the final injection. He is co-chief investigator for a trial of anti-TNF for early stage, pain-predominant frozen shoulder and co-applicant on a trial led by Prof Matt Costa at the Kadoorie Centre of anti-TNF for preventing delirium in patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures. 

His group has also identified a novel mechanism for promoting repair and regeneration of multiple tissues by targeting endogenous stem cells and is developing HMGB1 as a therapeutic with funding from a Wellcome Trust Innovator Award.

He is a proponent of evidence-based medicine and was the only plastic surgery member of the NICE Guidance Development Groups on complex and non-complex fractures.