Meet the team

Aamir is a cardiothoracic surgery resident based at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust who ranked among the UK’s top 10 candidates for specialty training. He graduated summa cum laude with an institutional gold medal and holds a membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, an MSc in Medical Education, and has completed MIT’s executive programme in AI in Healthcare. In 2024, he became the youngest recipient of the People’s Award at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust for excellence in patient care.

Aamir is an invited member of the EACTS Pleural Diseases task force and was involved in the largest ever meta-analytic review of surgical outcomes for thoracic endometriosis syndrome (Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 2025; 33, 546-556) which reviewed 1,182 patients over 25 years. Furthermore, he co-wrote an article for the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (GB & Ireland) August 2026 Bulletin: ‘It’s 2026 - Thoracic Endometriosis is Still an Enigma - and We’re not Having it’ (page 64).

Alongside thoracic endometriosis, Aamir’s clinical and research interests include lung cancer, pleural diseases, emphysema, AI and wearable surgical technology, including pioneering applications of upper body exoskeletons in surgery.

Andrea Bille is a consultant thoracic surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London and a professor at King’s College London. He trained in cardiothoracic surgery in Italy and at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and has completed a thoracic surgery fellowship at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center, NY. He obtained his PhD in 2015.

Andrea is a member of several international professional associations, including the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons, ITMIG and IASLC. He has contributed to numerous publications and presented research at international thoracic surgery meetings and conferences.

Andrea’s clinical work focuses on robotic minimally invasive surgery for both cancerous and non-cancerous conditions affecting the chest. He has performed over 100 robotic procedures for thoracic endometriosis focusing on diaphragmatic resection and reconstruction, and pleural disease.

Francesco graduated from Padua Medical School before specialising in thoracic surgery with full honours and distinction. He undertook further training at several UK centres, including the Royal Brompton Hospital in London and hospitals in Birmingham and Plymouth. His international experience includes visiting fellowships at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital and West China Hospital in Chengdu.

Francesco is a Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. He also serves as Course Director for Fundamentals in Thoracic Surgery at the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and is a member of its examination board.

He has played a key role in introducing uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) at several institutions, including Oxford. Alongside his clinical work, Francesco is actively involved in teaching in Oxford and internationally, including delivering study days focused on thoracic endometriosis.

His specialist interests include thoracic endometriosis, chest wall surgery, diaphragmatic surgery and lung cancer surgery.

Following the completion of his specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Islam undertook a fellowship in Endometriosis and Minimally Invasive Surgery at a nationally accredited BSGE Endometriosis Centre.

Islam is currently a Consultant Gynaecologist and Endometriosis Specialist at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. He has co-led the hospital’s BSGE Endometriosis Centre for six years and pioneered the introduction of its da Vinci robotic surgery programme. He is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol.

His clinical practice focuses on endometriosis, benign gynaecological conditions and complex pelvic pain, with a particular interest in advanced minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic pelvic surgery.

Islam regularly presents and teaches internationally on endometriosis, advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery, and wider gynaecological topics. In 2025, he contributed to a specialist study day in Liverpool, providing education for clinicians on thoracic endometriosis. He also plays an active role within the BSGE and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, supporting the delivery of specialist training nationally.

James completed his medical training at Imperial College London in 2011 before specialising in benign gynaecology and endometriosis.

He is now a Consultant Gynaecologist and Clinical Lead for Gynaecology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. He leads the Trust’s benign robotic gynaecological surgery service and co-leads the BSGE-accredited Leeds Centre for Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain.

James specialises in advanced robotic and laparoscopic surgery, including the diagnosis and excision of endometriosis, the removal of fibroids and ovarian cysts, and total laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomy. His principal clinical interests include the multidisciplinary management of both pelvic and extra-pelvic endometriosis.