Principal Investigator
Professor of Experimental Hepatology (adjunct.)
Kings College London
Chief Scientific Officer and Acting Director
Head of the Liver Immunology Research Group
The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology
Contact Prof Shilpa Chokshi: s.chokshi@researchinliver.org.uk
Contact Susan Short: s.short@researchinliver.org.uk
PA to Prof Chokshi
Professor of Experimental Hepatology (adj.) at King’s College London, Professor Chokshi serves as the Acting Director and Chief Scientific Officer for the Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology in London.
A translational scientist in the field of hepatology, she is known for her extensive research interests that span from her initial expertise in viral hepatitis to alcoholic liver disease, the immune mechanisms driving cirrhosis, and the development of immunotherapeutic treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). She embarked on her academic career at the world-renowned King’s Liver Unit and later transitioned to UCL, where her PhD focused on pioneering immunotherapeutic strategies for Chronic Hepatitis B.
Her primary mission is to drive a competitive research agenda, centred on the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates for the treatment of chronic liver diseases and liver cancers. Professor Chokshi’s research strategy is dedicated to “supporting research into liver diseases that yield tangible clinical benefits for patients” and she leads a research portfolio that encompasses a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations of liver disease, all categorised under the umbrella of “Mechanisms of Hepatic Injury and Repair.” The collective focus of these studies is fundamental discovery-based studies to identify novel drug targets and biomarkers, aimed at tackling the intricate challenges associated with treating liver disorders.
Key Collaborations within the Institute:
- Luca Urbani
- Vish Patel
- Michele Vacca
Team: Liver Immunology Research Group
Dr Elena Palma
Dr Sandra Phillips
Dr Antonio Riva
Students and visiting fellows:
Wendy Fernandes, PhD, Current 2nd, 2022 – 2025: Improving response to anti-PD1 immunotherapy and anti-tumor immunity during hepatocellular carcinoma using novel gut-derived bacterial metabolites.
Caitlin Rore, PhD, Current 2nd, 2022 – 2025: Alcohol misuse and Hepatitis B virus infection – a cocktail for exacerbated liver disease.
Huanran Lyu, PhD, Current 2nd, 2022 – 2026: Role of erythrophagocytosis in alcohol related liver disease.
Tamas Sukei, PhD, Current 2nd, 2020 – 2023: Assessing the tumor-specific immunogenicity of liver cancer extracellular matrix.
Stijn De Daas, PhD, Current 2nd, 2020 – 2023: The Inflammasomes and Gut-Liver Bacterial Translocation in Cirrhosis – Opportunities for Novel Therapies.
Ravi Jagatia, PhD, Current 1st, 2020 – 2023: Novel therapeutic strategies for primary and secondary liver cancers.
Ema Maxan, Fellowship, Current 1st, 2022 – 2023: Delineating the mechanisms driving the increased susceptability to bacterial infection that denotes patients with alcohol-related liver disease.
Key Publications:
Riva A, Chokshi S. Immune checkpoint receptors: homeostatic regulators of immunity. Hepatol Int. 2018 May;12(3):223-236. Invited Review. Impact Factor 9.029; Citations=44. Last & Corresponding Author.
Riva A, Patel V, Kurioka A, Jeffery HC, Wright G, Tarff S, Shawcross D, Ryan JM, Evans A, Azarian S, Bajaj JS, Fagan A, Patel V, Mehta K, Lopez C, Simonova M, Katzarov K, Hadzhiolova T, Pavlova S, Wendon JA, Oo YH, Klenerman P, Williams R, Chokshi S. Mucosa-associated invariant T cells link intestinal immunity with antibacterial immune defects in alcoholic liver disease. Gut. 2018 May;67(5):918-930. Original Article. Last and Corresponding author. Impact Factor 31.793; Citations=44.
Van der Merwe S, Chokshi S, Bernsmeier C, Albillos A. The multifactorial mechanisms of bacterial infections in decompensated cirrhosis. J Hepatol. 2021 Jul; 75 Suppl 1:S82-S100. Invited Review. Impact Factor 30.083.
Chokshi S, Phillips S, Chatterji U, Riva A, Bobardt M, Williams R, Gallay P, Naoumov NV. Alisporivir inhibition of hepatocyte cyclophilins reduces HBV replication and hepatitis B surface antigen production. Gastroenterology. 2015 Feb;148(2):403-14.e7. *Joint 1st author. Impact Factor 33.383; Citations=59.
Markwick LJ, Riva A, Ryan JM, Cooksley H, Palma E, Tranah TH, Manakkat Vijay GK, Vergis N, Thursz M, Evans A, Wright G, Tarff S, O’Grady J, Williams R, Shawcross DL, Chokshi S. Blockade of PD1 and TIM3 restores innate and adaptive immunity in patients with acute alcoholic hepatitis. Gastroenterology. 2015 Mar;148(3):590-602.e10. Original Article. Impact Factor 33.383; Citations=164.
Riva A, Laird M, Casrouge A, Ambrozaitis A, Williams R, Naoumov NV, Albert ML, Chokshi S. Truncated CXCL10 is associated with failure to achieve spontaneous clearance of acute hepatitis C infection. Hepatology. 2014 Aug;60(2):487-96. Original Article. Impact Factor 17.298; Citations=58.
Evans A, Riva A, Cooksley H, Phillips S, Puranik S, Nathwani A, Brett S, Naoumov NV* and Chokshi S*. Programmed death 1 expression during antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis B: Impact of hepatitis B e-antigen seroconversion. Hepatology. 2008 Sep;48(3):759-69. *joint last author. Original Article. Impact Factor 17.298; Citations=238.