Board of Trustees
SOHAM BANDYOPADHYAY
Soham was an InciSioN UK research lead (2018/19) and chair (2019/20). He is currently an academic doctor at Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School and Milton Keynes University Hospital. As part of his academic responsibilities, he is a lecturer in medicine for Oxford University, a neuroanatomy demonstrator for Oxford Medical School, and a Teaching Associate for the Oxford University Global Surgery Group. His primary academic interest is research, particularly in global health and neurosurgery. He is passionate about bringing the voices of patients and the general public to the table when discussing research or advocacy efforts.
HANNAH THOMAS
Hannah is a final year medical student at the University of Edinburgh. She recently earned her Masters of Science in Global Health from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) for her work on strengthening pediatric trauma care in Uganda. Hannah served as the Chair of InciSioN UK from 2018-2019. During her tenure as Chair, she spearheaded major group expansion efforts, including building partnerships with other international InciSioN national working groups. In addition, she led efforts to evaluate national global health curricula in the UK. Today, Hannah continues to work in global surgery, collaborating with key organizations including InciSioN International. As an aspiring academic urologist, Hannah is interested in topical issues in global urology, including the neglected burden of urological disease around the world.
SARA VENTURINI
Sara is a neurosurgical trainee and academic clinical fellow in neurosurgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the University of Cambridge. She graduated from the University of Leicester, where she also undertook an intercalated BSc in Medical Research. She then completed a critical care and neurosurgery themed Academic Foundation Programme at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary before starting neurosurgery training.
Sara’s primary academic interest is traumatic brain injury, and her research focuses on neuromonitoring, traumatic brain injury prevention and global neurosurgical capacity. Alongside her clinical work, she is also studying for a Master of Public Health. Sara has done extensive work in the field of global surgery including research, advocacy, and involvement with national and international organisations including InciSioN, the UK Global Surgery National Working Group, WHO and WFNS.
Sara is passionate about student education and engagement with the field of academic medicine. She is the neurosurgery section lead for Teach Me Surgery leading the development of educational resources for students and junior doctors, and also a research mentor for students internationally.
RIYA SAWHNEY
Dr. Riya Sawhney, InciSioN UK Vice Chair (2019-2020), is a foundation trainee in the North West of England and University of Leeds Medical School graduate. She has been involved with the NIHR Global Health Research Group in Surgical Technologies in Leeds and received the Royal College of Surgeons of England's SK Fellowship in recognition of her work. She is passionate about Global Surgery and advocates using frugal innovations to increase access to healthcare and mitigate health inequities.
ISSY MARKS
Issy completed her academic foundation training in North West London and subsequently worked as a Major Trauma fellow at St Mary's Hospital. Whilst training at Barts & the London Medical School, she worked as a paediatric surgical outcomes fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a research associate with the Program for Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC) at Harvard Medical School. Issy coordinated the International Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA's) Global Surgery Working Group for two years, and was a founding member and chair of InciSioN, the International Student Surgical Network, afterwards chairing the InciSioN Board of Trustees. Issy worked as a WHO policy officer for the UK Department of Health and delivered advocacy training for the G4 Alliance at the 2016 World Health Assembly. Issy has led a number of international projects, including the 2017 surgical indicator collection for the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. She has also worked on several baseline assessments of surgical capacity in Nicaragua and Kenya.