Pearl Avery is an experienced IBD/Gastro nurse with 19 years of experience in Gastroenterology. She has received several awards for her contributions to the field, including the BJN Gastro/IBD Nurse of the Year 2018. Pearl is interested in research and digital health and has successfully applied to the HEE/NIHR bridging award and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur program. In addition to her role as the Non-Medical Prescribing lead for Dorset Healthcare, she also works as a consultant nurse with a special GI interest at Wyke Regis and Lanehouse Medical Centre. Pearl is pursuing a PhD and holds the position of Nurse representative for the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) IBD section clinical research group. She is also a member of the RCN Gastrointestinal Nursing Forum Steering Committee. Pearl is actively working on raising awareness of non-traditional pathways to advanced-level practice and is grateful to have received support from the Crohn's & Colitis UK Nurse Specialist programme to become one of the first Royal College of Nursing Credentialed ANPs in IBD in the UK. This year, Pearl has received one of the prestigious BSG research scholarships and has been a key contributor to The National Lower GI Pathway development

Katharine is dedicated to improving care for patients, especially those marginalised by liver disease. Her goal is to advocate for patients and liver nurses, ensuring their needs are represented and that care is both inclusive and effective. Katharine focuses on enhancing patient experiences, improving outcomes, and creating clear pathways by raising standards and strengthening hepatology teams. Her commitment includes empowering nurses at all levels to drive quality care and develop professionally. Through her roles with the BLNA for BASL, the BASL End-of-Life SIG, and various NHS England advisory groups, Katharine contribute to shaping national guidance and advancing hepatology nursing. She also works collaboratively across specialties and sectors, partnering with organisations like the British Liver Trust and LiverCancerUK, and serves as an associate PI on the Reduce2 trial. She draws inspiration from Ernest Shackleton’s leadership, Florence Nightingale’s vision, Edward Whymper’s courage, and the creativity of Studio Ghibli. And is also moved by the innovation and passion of Dr. Joy Buolamwini.

Claire Coughlan is the clinical lead for Bowel Cancer UK and Consultant Nurse in Colorectal Cancer at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. Her focus for the charity is on provision of support for patients, health professional education and ensuring that the charity’s clinical focus remains current and relevant. Claire is a consultant nurse in colorectal cancer with expertise in bowel cancer follow-up, genetics and symptom assessment. She is currently undertaking a PhD in the priorities for bowel cancer follow-up care across diverse communities.

Leigh Donnelly has been involved in endoscopy since 1995, firstly as a staff nurse and then eventually holding several nurse specialist posts, including being a clinical endoscopist for the last 18 years. More recently, Leigh has been involved in training, education and development which is now the majority of her current role. Leigh has always been passionate about training and education and with her enthusiasm for endoscopy, this has given her a very engaging career pathway. Leigh is a final year PhD student examining the lived experience of endoscopy trainees and she is an active member of BGSNA and she sits on various committees and working parties including those on sustainability.

Rebekah is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of East Anglia. Rebekah is the current Chair of the RCN Gastrointestinal Forum Committee, having worked for many years within gastroenterology and hepatology nursing before going into education. Rebekah completed her PhD on the experience of living with Hepatitis C, a field she remains passionate about.

Laurence Lovat is Professor of Gastroenterology & Biophotonics at University College London. His research focuses on novel technology development, and he is developing artificial intelligence tools to improve detection of subtle dysplastic lesions in the oesophagus and colon. He is also leading an NIHR programme to develop AI to reduce hospital airborne transmitted disease, an issue which is important in endoscopy.

Gerri is a Nurse with over 40 years’ experience, spanning both acute medical and surgical nursing. In 2021, Gerri was awarded her PhD titled ’advancing health professionals’ knowledge of liver disease’. In 2022, Gerri was promoted to Associate Professor in Advancing Practice by the University of Derby and lectures on MSc advanced practice programme and mentors PhD students. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Current research interest is liver disease and with a focus on metabolic health. In 2021 Gerri, won 2021 BJN Nurse of Year for published guidelines on venesection. In addition to this Gerri works as a Commissioner for the Commission on Human Medicines which advises Ministers on the safety and efficacy of medicines.

Dr Zainab Noor is a specialist clinical psychologist who leads the psychology service at UCLH, with a focus on optimising surgical interventions. She also serves on national prehabilitation guidance committees for cancer. Dr. Noor’s expertise bridges mental and physical health, developing innovative service designs and translating research into practical tools that empower patients to thrive in challenging circumstances. As a strong advocate for psychologically informed healthcare, Dr. Noor transforms abstract concepts into actionable strategies while fostering inclusive work environments. Her research interests include cancer survivorship, the impact of anxiety on physical health, surgical outcomes, and innovative applications in peri-operative medicine. Dr. Noor is dedicated to advancing holistic healthcare solutions. Learn more at: https://www.cancerpsychologycollective.co.uk/

Dr Shellie Radford is a Nurse Researcher with a background in Specialist IBD nursing and Clinical Research delivery. Shellie is a Senior Research Fellow in Gastroenterology, working within both the Nottingham clinical trials unit and the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre at the University of Nottingham. Shellies research encompasses the development of clinical trials and using mixed methods to investigate ways to better support people living with long term conditions, clinical trials based in secondary and primary care and implementation of healthcare interventions.

Natasha has been nursing since 1991 when she worked at St Thomas Hospital. In 2017, she took the Lead Stoma Care Nurse Specialist role at UHBW and continues in her determination to bring service improvement and positive recognition to the team. She has co-led a national task-force committed to raising the profile of the stoma care nursing profession and protecting the role, co-authoring a paper and presenting regularly on the work. The project has been adopted as an ASCNUK project and as Honorary Treasurer of ASCNUK (elected 2023), this gives Natasha further opportunity to advocate for, and demonstrate the worth of the specialist nursing profession.