ProfessorDaniel Leff

Daniel is currently a Professor of Breast Surgery, Chair in Surgical Performance and Precision Surgical Sciences. He works in the Departments of BioSurgery and Surgical Technology and the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery at Imperial College London. He is an Honorary Consultant in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery working in the Breast Unit at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. 

Daniel has undergone advanced Oncoplastic training having been competitively selected for a Training Interface Group (TIG) National Oncoplastic Fellowship, one of only nine such training posts in the United Kingdom. He trained at several centres of excellence in breast cancer and reconstructive breast surgery including the Imperial Breast Unit, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the St Andrews Centre for Plastic Surgery in Chelmsford. Daniel has a Masters of Surgery Degree in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, he graduated with a first class distinction and attained the highest aggregate score of his peer group, and was awarded the "Issac Gukas Medal" for outstanding achievement.  

Daniel received his PhD in Surgery from Imperial College London for his research in the field of "clinical neuroergonomics" - optimising performance through investigations of brain function in clinicians. Daniel's current work spans robotics, imaging and biosensing technology research geared to improving breast conserving surgery and reconstructive breast surgery. He leads a number of research groups whose goals are to develop new systems and approaches to improve surgical precision and surgical performance to enhance quality of care and quality of life for patients.

Daniel is Co-Lead on the CRUK funded “REI-EXCISE” trial which is a first in woman trial seeking to validate a mass-spectrometry based intelligent knife or “iKnife” as an immediate margin detection system to improve the precision of breast conserving surgery, reduce re-operative intervention, and enhance quality of life. He is Chief Investigator (CI) on a number of current NIHR funded trials including the "PRADA-II"  Trial which aims to improve quality of life outcomes for women undergoing breast reconstruction and radiation and the "MAMMA-VAD" Trial we seeks to develop kinder, more minimally invasive approaches to managing breast abscess. Daniel was CI of a CRUK-EPSRC co-funded “MAMMOBOT” project, which is a multicentre, multidisciplinary study that aims to develop a flexible growing robotic for early ductoscopic diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. He co-chaired the “Precision Therapy” theme of Imperial’s CRUK Centre and represents cancer surgery for the Imperial ECMC. He co-led the “Precision Surgery” theme of the NIHR Oncology Translational Research Collaborative (O-TRC). Daniel was a member of the Academic and Research Subcommittee of the Association of Breast Surgery (ABS), contributing to a research GAP analysis (Lancet Oncology) and the ABS submission to the Royal College of Surgeons Commission on the Future of Surgery. He led a major national quality improvement initiative investigating Mastitis and Mammary Abscess Management (“MAMMA”) http://mammastudy.com/