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Kapil Sahnan, Chair
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Kapil Sahnan
Current position
- Consultant Surgeon, St Mark’s Hospital, London
- Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Imperial College London
Medical school
- EBSQ – European Colorectal Board (2025)
- FRCS (Royal College of Surgeons, England) (2022)
- PhD, Imperial College London (2020)
- MBBS, Imperial College London (2009)
- BSc (Hons), Imperial College London (2007)
General surgical and colorectal training
His early surgical training took place in Oxford and Bristol before he progressed to higher surgical training in London, having achieved the highest national ranking for entry into the programme. He subsequently completed a highly regarded European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) fellowship in robotic colorectal cancer surgery in Barcelona, further developing his expertise in advanced minimally invasive colorectal procedures.
Main clinical and research interests
- Digital Surgery
- Robotics and Innovation
- IBD and proctology
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
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Christos Kontovounisios
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Christos Kontovounisios
Current positions
- Director of the 2nd Surgical Department, HYGEIA Hospital, Athens, Greece
- Adjunct Professor, Department of Surgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York
- Visiting Reader (Associate Professor), Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London
- Visiting Professor of Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA)
- Honorary Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London
- Honorary Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London
Medical school
Doctor of General Medicine, University of PECS, School of Medicine, Hungary. Graduated June 2004.
General surgical and colorectal training
- Naval Hospital of Athens, Greece, Surgical Department (Dec 2005 to June 2006)
- Red Cross Hospital Athens, Greece, General Surgical Residency Programme (2007 to 2012)
- Northwick Park Hospital, London, UK, Surgical Department (July to Oct 2012)
- St.Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK, Colorectal Department (October 2012 to April 2013)
- The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, Uk, Colorectal Department (2013-2014)
- Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, Colorectal Department (Oct 2014 to April 2015)
- The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, Uk, Colorectal Department (April 2015 to Feb 2016)
- Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, Colorectal Department (2016 to 2018)
- Department of Surgery and Cancer Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK (2018 to 2023)
- Head of Surgery 2nd Surgical Department Evaggelismos Athens General Hospital, Greece (Feb 2024 to now)
Main clinical and research interests
Specialised in the treatment of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and other benign and complex colorectal conditions. Committed in providing advanced, patient-centred care, using minimally invasive techniques including laparoscopic and robotic surgery, to help reduce recovery time and improve outcomes.
Fully committed in academic surgery, research, education with clinical interest in robotic colorectal and pelvic exenterative surgery for locally advanced and recurrent malignant disease.
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
Additional information
- 30+ peer‑reviewed publications; H‑index 42 (Google Scholar)
- PhD: 'The role of neurotensin in acute abdomen and especially in ischemic mesentery', School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA)
- Membership of professional bodies:
- Athens Medical Association
- Hungarian Medical Association
- Hellenic Surgical Society
- Medical Association of Cyprus
- European Society of Coloproctology
- Cypriot Surgical Association
- European Association of Endoscopic Surgery
- Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
- Greek Society of Coloproctology
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
- Board of directors at the National Public Health Organisation in Greece
- Representative of Greece in the Εuropean Commission Initiative on Colorectal Cancer (ECICC)
- Examiner Board Ministry of Health, Greece for appointment of consultant surgeons at the National Health System
- Head of the scientific committee of the Greek National Bowel Screening Programme
- Central Board of Health (KESY) for Oncology , Ministry of Health Greece
- Treasurer, Greek Chapter, American College of Surgeons (ACS)
- Editorial Board of scientific journals:
- International Editor Surgery
- Techniques in Coloproctology
- Journal of Clinical Medicine
- Frontiers in Surgery - Visceral Surgery
- Annals of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery
- Hellenic Journal of Surgery (HJS)
- Section Editor for International Journal of Colorectal Disease
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Alp Omer Canturk
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Alp Canturk
Current position
Consultant Surgeon: General, Colorectal Surgery and Proctology, Sakarya University Hospital, Turkey (since 2022)
Medical school
- Kocaeli University Faculy of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey (graduated September 2016)
- University of Health Sciences, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey (graduated September 2022)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, Digestive Disease Institute, Department of Colorectal Surgery, CIME International, Ohio, USA (2024)
- NTT Medical Center, Department of Gastroenterology & Endoscopy, Tokyo, Japan (2025)
- UEMS F.E.B.S (Coloproctology), Paris, France (2025)
Main clinical and research interests
- Colorectal cancer and coloproctology
- Endoscopy, endoluminal surgery (TAMIS, ESD)
- Artificial intelligence in endoscopy
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
Additional information
- PhD Student: University of Health Sciences, Molecular Oncology Programme, Istanbul, Turkey (since 2025)
- Member of the Social Media Committee of the European Society of Coloproctology (since 2025)
- Member of the Social Media Committee of the Turkish Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery (since July 2024)
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Javier Castellano
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Javier Castellano
Current position
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain (since April 2026)
Medical school
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain (graduated in 2010)
General surgical and colorectal training
- General Surgery residency, Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain (2010-2016)
- Fellowship in Colorectal Surgery, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain (2016/2017)
- Master's degree in Minimally Invasive Surgery, Alicante, Spain (2017)
- Master's degree in Coloproctology and Pelvic Floor Surgery, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain (2023)
Main clinical and research interests
- Colorectal surgery and minimally invasive techniques
- Robotic surgery (certified da Vinci Xi console surgeon)
- Rectal cancer
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
Additional information
- ESCP (European Society of Coloproctology) member since 2017
- AECP (Asociación Española de Coloproctología) member since 2016
- Co-author of a machine-learning clinical prediction model for anastomotic leakage in colorectal surgery, published in JAMA Network Open (2025)
- Peer reviewer for the International Journal of Colorectal Disease (IJCD).
- PhD thesis supervisor: "Sarcopenia radiológica y estado nutricional como factor predictivo de dehiscencia anastomótica y complicaciones posquirúrgicas en cirugía del cáncer colorrectal" Universidad de La Laguna (Sobresaliente Cum Laude, defended 10/04/2026)
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Volkan Doğru
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Volkan Doğru
Current positions
- Deputy Chief Physician at Akdeniz University Hospital, Antalya, Türkiye.
- Clinical Lead of the General Surgery Endoscopy Unit at Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Türkiye.
- Faculty Member in General Surgery at Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Türkiye.
Medical school
- Istanbul University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye. Graduation July 2010.
- Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Visiting Medical Student Clerkship Programme, Gastroenterology, Rochester, USA. April 2010.
General surgical and colorectal training
- Akdeniz University, School of Medicine, General Surgery Residency, Antalya, Türkiye. 2011-2016.
- Teaching staff in General Surgery at Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Türkiye. 2018 to 2021.
- Post-doctoral fellow at Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at New York University, Langone Health, New York, NY, USA. 2021 to 2022.
Main clinical and research interests
- IBD
- Colorectal surgery and minimally invasive techniques
- Endoscopy
- Surgical education
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Zoe Garoufalia (ex-officio - ESCP Secretary)
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Zoe Garoufalia
Current position
Colorectal Surgeon, 6th Surgical Department, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece
Medical school
School of Medicine of the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece (graduated in 2013)
General surgical and colorectal training
- Transplantation Unit, Laiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece (2014-2015)
- Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Laiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece (2015 -2021)
- Colorectal Surgery Department, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK (2019 -2020)
- Colorectal Surgery research fellow in Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA (2021- 2023)
- Clinical Fellow in Minimally Invasive Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA (2023 -2025)
Main clinical and research interests
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Colorectal cancer
- LARS
- Patients’ outcomes
- Training and accreditation systems
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
Additional information
- ESCP Assistant Secretary (since 2025)
- PhD in Medicine, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2023)
- Past member of the ESCP Research Committee (2020-2023)
- Member of the ESCP Social Media Working Group (since May 2020)
- Member of the ASCRS Social Media Committee (December 2020 - April 2022)
- Vice-Chair of the ASCRS Communications Committee (2023 -2025)
- Co-Chair of the ASCRS Communications Committee (since May 2025)
- Member of the ESCP Programme Committee (since October 2021)
- Member of the ASCRS IBD Committee (since 2023)
- Chair of the Y-ESCP (since 2023)
- Member of the Social Media Committee of the Greek Society of Coloproctologists (since July 2023)
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Muhammad Fahad Ullah
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Muhammad Fahad Ullah
Current position
ST8 Final year Colorectal trainee, University Hospital Leicester, United Kingdom
Medical school
Dow Medical College, Karachi Pakistan Batch 2009, MRCS, FRCS, PGdip, PGCert
General surgical and colorectal training
Higher Specialist Training in General and Colorectal Surgery, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, United Kingdom
Main clinical and research interests
- Minimally invasive and robotic colorectal surgery
- Digital health, artificial intelligence and technology-enhanced surgical care
- Colorectal virtual wards, remote postoperative monitoring and enhanced recovery
- Surgical education, simulation and robotic-surgery training
- Colorectal cancer, endoscopy and service improvement
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
Additional information
- Holds an MSc in Organ Transplantation from the University of Barcelona, a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health Leadership from Imperial College London and a Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Health Innovation.
- Fellow of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme and NHS Digital Academy.
- Previously served as the Association of Surgeons in Training National Robotic Surgery Lead.
- Clinical founder and lead of the Leicester Colorectal Virtual Ward, a digitally supported pathway for remote monitoring and early discharge following colorectal surgery.
- Wider interests include artificial intelligence in clinical decision-making, digitally enabled surgical pathways, predictive monitoring and the future application of quantum computing in surgery and healthcare.
- Academic work includes publications and national and international presentations in colorectal surgery, robotic surgery, digital health and surgical innovation.
- Actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate surgical teaching, simulation and mentoring.
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Yaniv Zager
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Yaniv Zager
Current position
Endoscopist and Researcher, Colorectal Surgery Division, UMass Memorial, Worcester, MA, USA since 11/2025.
Medical school
Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (graduated in 2014)
General surgical and colorectal training
- General Surgery Residency - Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
- Colorectal Surgery Fellowship – Adventhealth Orlando, FL, USA.
Main clinical and research interests
- Additive value of AI to MDT in colorectal surgery.
- AI based anatomical segmentation in colorectal surgery.
- New paradigms in the management of diverticulitis.
Member of the AI Working Group since
2026
Additional information
- Former member of Y-ESCP committee (2022-2025) and co-founder of the Y-ESCP podcast.
- Early Career Editorial Advisory Board in Colorectal Disease journal.
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