Critical liver failure: Current concepts and perspectives

Dr James Andrew Morgan is currently completing an Advanced Training post in Hepatology in Yorkshire in his final year of Gastroenterology training. He is originally from the West Midlands and has trained in The Liver Unit at University Hospital Birmingham, one of the largest liver transplantation units in Europe.  During this time, he was exposed to critically unwell liver patients, both peri-transplantation and on acute admissions. The importance of early intensive care support in acute liver failure and close working relationship with liver intensivists was crucial in ensuring good patient outcomes. Under appreciated aspects of medical care pre-ITU including assessment of underlying aetiology, anticipation of subtle signs of deterioration and the complex decision making surrounding liver transplantation are also vital.  Dr Morgan received a young investigator award at EASL 2021 for leading work regarding graft and patient survival following liver re-transplantation. He also is advocate for improving medical education, having completed a Masters in Medical Education in 2018. He hopes to combine his passion for liver medicine and medical education is his future career to engage a new generation of hepatologists and promote an excellent, integrated service across primary and secondary care. Prior to graduating with honours from Warwick Medical School, he studied Pharmacology at Liverpool University. In his spare time, he enjoys to travel and experience different cultures and cuisine. He actively participates in sports including tennis, rugby, squash and running.

Dr Nick Murphy is a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine with an interest in liver failure and liver transplantation. He is research active and have two main research interests amongst others. The first is in the management and pathophysiology of acute liver failure. The other is the investigation of ischaemia reperfusion and metabolism of liver grafts during and following transplantation. He is a nationally recognised figure in acute liver failure. Dr Murphy has lectured nationally and internationally on the topic and have been the Lead Clinician, in liver failure at University Hospitals Birmingham, since he arrived as Consultant in July 2000.Over the last 21 years, Dr Murphy has instigated and participated in research aimed at improving the intensive care management, prognostication and the use of extracorporeal liver support systems. He has a particular interest in the prevention of cerebral oedema during acute liver failure and have run two randomised interventional clinical trials in this setting. Dr Murphy is a Founder Member of the European Acute Liver Failure Research Group and has collaborated with centres in the UK, Europe and the USA.