SPECIALISING IN GALLBLADDER, LIVER & PANCREATIC SURGERY

Mr Siong-Seng Liau – Consultant HPB Surgeon in Cambridge

MA, MBChB (Edin), MD (Edin, Distinction), FRCS (Gen. Surg, Edin), FACS

Internationally trained specialist in gallbladder, liver, and pancreatic surgery with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic techniques

Mr Siong-Seng Liau is a Senior Consultant Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) Surgeon, specialising in gallstone disease and management of conditions affecting gallbladder, liver, bile ducts and pancreas, including cancer. Mr Liau has extensive experience in minimally invasive gallbladder and HPB surgery (laparoscopic and robotic).

Mr. Liau sees private patients in Cambridge at both Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital and Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital. He currently serves as a Consultant HPB Surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where he leads the Cambridge Regional HPB Surgical Unit—one of the UK’s most respected and safest centres for liver and pancreatic surgery.

Mr Liau is listed on the General Medical Council Specialist Register for General Surgery since 2012. Internationally, he played a key role as one of the Office Bearers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) influencing surgical practice and education worldwide. He is an examiner for FRCS (Gen Surg) and Joint Specialty Fellowship in General Surgery in Hong Kong and Singapore. Nationally, he was a Past Chair of the RCSEd General Surgery Surgical Specialty Board. Locally, he is the Past Chair of Cambridge & Anglian HPB Cancer Specialist MDT.

Clinical leadership and international surgical fellowships

Mr Liau is based full time at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and he served as Clinical/Specialty Lead for the Cambridge Regional HPB Surgical Unit, one of UK’s largest regional HPB surgical centre providing specialist care for patients with liver, pancreas, and gallbladder conditions across the East of England. He was the Lead Clinician for Cambridge & Anglian HPB Specialist MDT (2019-21). Alongside his clinical work, he is closely involved in improving surgical services and advancing minimally invasive techniques. As Chair of the Robotic Surgery Steering Group, he is a pioneer in robotic-assisted HPB surgery, having introduced and developed this advanced multi-specialty surgical service at Cambridge.

Born in Malaysia and educated in Singapore in his early years, Mr Liau read Medicine at Edinburgh Medical School, graduating with Distinctions in 2001. Mr Liau underwent an exceptionally rigorous and internationally regarded specialist surgical training pathway. He began his surgical career in Edinburgh, completing one of Scotland’s most competitive basic surgical training programmes, and progressed through the Cambridge & Anglian Specialist Registrar rotation in General/HPB Surgery (mainly at Addenbrooke’s Hospital).

To deepen his expertise, Mr Liau then completed a prestigious post-CCT fellowship in HPB Surgical Oncology and Multi-organ Transplantation at Toronto General Hospital, one of North America’s premier centres for complex HPB surgery and transplantation where he performed over 200 complex HPB resections and gained advanced experience in liver and pancreas transplantation. He trained under Professors Paul Greig and Steven Gallinger, acquiring not only technical mastery but also insights into multidisciplinary cancer care and research. This fellowship was supported by the Ellion-Cliffe Travelling Fellowship from the Royal Society of Medicine and University of Cambridge Parke Davis Fellowship.

Mr Liau performing a Whipple’s pancreaticoduodenectomy surgery at Toronto General Hospital

Mr Liau with the Toronto General Hospital HPB Surgical Oncology Team

Farewell dinner for Mr Liau at the end of one-year fellowship at Toronto General Hospital

As part of his commitment to surgical excellence, Mr Liau undertook a series of highly selective international fellowships that have significantly shaped his expertise in complex hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) and minimally invasive surgery:

2010 – Hong Kong

Mr Liau spent three months as a visiting HPB fellow (supported by the Sir Comyns Berkeley Fellowship) at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong—a world-renowned liver transplantation centre. Under Professors S.T. Fan and C.M. Lo, he gained valuable experience in live donor liver transplantation and the management of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic livers.

2012 & 2016 – Paris, France

Mr Liau further refined his minimally invasive skills through fellowships at L’Institut Mutualiste Montsouris with Professor Brice Gayet, a pioneer in laparoscopic HPB surgery. There, he learnt laparoscopic major hepatectomies and pancreaticoduodenectomies (Whipple procedures), which he later introduced into his own practice.

2018 – South Korea

Supported by the prestigious SSAT Fischer International Travelling Fellowship and the ASGBI Moynihan Travelling Fellowship, Mr Liau visited three leading centres in Seoul—Asan Medical Centre, Seoul National University Hospital, and Bundang Hospital—where he observed cutting-edge techniques in laparoscopic and robotic HPB surgery. He successfully integrated many of their innovations into his UK surgical practice.

2023–2024 – Netherlands, Belgium, UK

Most recently, Mr Liau visited advanced robotic surgery units in the Netherlands (Amsterdam Medical Centre), Belgium (Groeninge Hospital, Kortrijk), and the UK (Coventry) to study robotic-assisted liver and pancreatic surgery. He also completed TR200 and TR300 certifications in robotic surgery through Intuitive Surgical’s formal training programmes in the UK.

Mr Liau visited Prof Brice Gayet at IMM, Paris on 2 fellowship visits (2012, 2016)

These international fellowships have given Mr. Liau unparalleled insight, equipping him to lead the development of robotic HPB surgery in Cambridge and to help shape best practices across the UK. His training exemplifies not only technical excellence but also a proactive commitment to learning from best practices worldwide.

Surgical credentials & qualifications

Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd)

Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons of England ad eundem (FRCSEng ad eundem)(2012-2020)

Fellowship of American College of Surgeons (FACS)

UK Intercollegiate Specialty Examination in General Surgery (with UK Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training)

Membership of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (MRCSEd)

Membership of Royal College of Surgeons of England at eundem (MRCSEng ad eundem)(2009)

Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB Edin)

Doctor of Medicine (MD Edin)

Master of Arts (MA Cantab)

Awards

Major awards & honours

Academic & clinical

Pre-clinical/undergraduate

National & local surgical appointments

Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge

Mr Liau is the Chair of the Multi-Specialty Robotic Surgery Steering Group at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH). In this role, he successfully led a cross-specialty initiative to establish a comprehensive robotic surgery programme. This included securing £1.5 million in funding through a charitable campaign to acquire new robotic systems. His introduction of “Super Sunday” robotic operating days has significantly reduced NHS waiting lists and drawn media coverage.

At the national level, Mr Liau served as the Honorary Treasurer and elected Council Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), a role that places him among the College’s four senior Office Bearers. He is responsible for financial governance and strategic planning for the College, which has over 30,000 members across 100 countries and an annual turnover exceeding £40 million. He chairs key financial and investment committees, and has introduced progressive membership fee structures to support trainees in the UK and internationally.

Office Bearers and Council of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (2024). Mr Liau (front row, 2nd from right).

Lead author – national guidance on robotic surgery

As Lead for the Robotic Taskforce Guidance Development Group at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, I led the creation of a national guide for developing new robotic surgical services in the UK. This comprehensive, speciality-agnostic document offers best practice recommendations in clinical governance, training, and multidisciplinary collaboration. It serves as a practical toolkit to support the safe and effective implementation of robotic-assisted surgery nationwide.

S-S. Liau, R.W. Parks, C. Auld, V. Hanchanale, A. Immanuel, A. Laird, A. McNeill, N. Oozeer, R. J. E. Skipworth, C. Selvasekar, J. Wilson, S. Yule (2022).

Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland

Mr Liau previously served as Finance Director of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI), where he revitalised the organisation’s financial health, launched multiple surgical innovation initiatives, and created new fellowships to support surgical training and international collaboration. He is also a Board Trustee of the ASGBI Foundation.

Senior appointments

2022–25

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh:
• Chair of Strategy, Finance and Estate Committee (SEFCo)(2023–25)
• Chair of Investment Committee
• Chair of Financial Development Committee (FDC)(2022–23)
• Chair of Resources and Monitoring Committee (RAM)(2022–23)
• Chair of Ethicon Foundation Fund & Binks Bursary Committee
• Member of Shadow Trustee Board (2024–)
• Member of Edinburgh Surgery Online Board, Research Committee, Remuneration Committee, Audit Committee and Robotic Surgery Taskforce

Mr Liau with his ceremonial role as Office Bearer of RCSEd at Hong Kong College of Surgeons’ Diploma Ceremony

Research & surgical training contributions

Mr Liau has played key roles in multiple Cambridge-initiated early-phase clinical trials in pancreatic cancer, including HIPPOS and PRICKLE, and has been instrumental in integrating surgical practice with clinical research. His contributions have been widely recognised, earning him over 22 prestigious awards, including the National Clinical Impact Award (N2, 2024), the Hunterian Professorship from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and the Pancreatic Cancer UK Research Innovation Award. As a speaker, he is regularly invited to national and international forums and has authored over 100 publications, including clinical guidelines, published papers (50+), published abstracts (50+), surgical videos, and book chapters.

Book chapter: JR Benson, S-S. Liau: Nature and development of cancer. Chapter in Oxford Textbook of Medicine, 5th Edition, (David A. Warrell, Timothy M. Cox, John D. Firth, eds), Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010.

Book chapter: S-S. Liau, D.A. Tuveson: Molecular pathology of pancreatic cancer. Chapter in Molecular Oncology: Causes of Cancer and Targets for Treatment, 1st Edition, (Edward Gelmann, Charles Sawyers, and Frank Rauscher III, eds), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Book chapter: S-S. Liau, E. E Whang: Acute cholangitis, Chapter in Current Surgical Therapy, 9th Edition, (John L. Cameron, ed.), Chicago: Mosby 2007.

Mr Liau’s seminal work on biliary anatomy, published in the British Journal of Surgery 2021, represents a significant advancement in the understanding of intrahepatic biliary variations. As a senior author, Mr. Liau led a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis that synthesised data from 35 studies encompassing over 11,700 patients. This extensive analysis culminated in the development of a novel, prevalence-based classification system for intrahepatic biliary duct variants. Mr. Liau’s contribution provides a critical resource for surgeons, enhancing preoperative planning and intraoperative decision-making. By offering a standardised framework for identifying and categorising biliary anatomy, this work aids in reducing the risk of bile duct injuries and improving patient outcomes in hepatobiliary surgery. The significance of this research was further highlighted by its feature on the cover of the British Journal of Surgery, emphasizing its impact on surgical practice and education.

Despite being a full-time NHS surgeon, he led a broad portfolio of translational research in pancreatic cancer, with a focus on immunotherapy for DNA repair-deficient pancreatic tumours. As a principal investigator or co-investigator, he had secured over £2.3 million in personal grant funding and contributed to collaborative awards totalling £26 million.

Throughout his career, Mr Liau has remained committed to surgical education and mentorship. He has supervised research fellows, acted as an examiner for MRCS and FRCS examinations in UK and overseas. He serves as examiner for Joint Specialty Fellowship examinations in General Surgery in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Mr Liau (centre) with the RCSEd MRCS examiner team at the Combined Military Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan (2025)

Mr Liau’s leadership extends beyond the operating theatre. He is a passionate advocate for equitable training and innovation in the NHS. His efforts in establishing the Cambridge multi-specialty robotic programme were driven by a vision to provide cutting-edge care and to train the next generation of surgical leaders. He has also dedicated significant time to training operating theatre staff—including scrub teams and perioperative care teams—to build a high-performing, cohesive robotic surgical team. Mr Liau has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to both clinical excellence and health system improvement.

TRUSTED EXPERT SURGICAL CARE, DELIVERED QUICKLY AND RELIABLY

Start your journey with us today

Don’t let gallstones continue to affect your quality of life. With modern, minimally invasive options, treatment is quicker, safer, and easier than ever. Mr Liau understands how worrying it can be to face surgery. That is why he takes a calm, clear, and compassionate approach to every consultation. From first meeting to post-operative care, you will receive expert guidance every step of the way.