Past Presidents
Declan Costello
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Declan Costello is a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon specialising in voice disorders (a laryngologist). He studied music at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar, and went on to study medicine at Imperial College. As a singer himself, he has a particular interest in treating voice disorders in performers.
Having worked for ten years in Birmingham as a consultant, he moved to Wexham Park Hospital in Berkshire in 2018. He has published a number of books and has written many chapters, including the chapter on “Larynx” for the 42nd edition of “Gray’s Anatomy”. In the middle of 2020, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, he helped to coordinate research on the perceived dangers of singing and aerosols. This research led to the UK government opening up performing after a prolonged period of enforced silence.
Declan was appointed President-Elect June 2022.
Mark Watson
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Mr Mark Watson FRCS has worked in Doncaster and Bassetlaw since 1992 having completed his medical training in 1981 at Birmingham Medical School and later at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. In his hospital he has held posts including Lead Clinician for head and neck cancer, Clinical Director for Special Surgery and Chairman of the Clinical Records Committee.
On a regional level he has been network lead for ENT, OMFS and head and neck cancer, as well as serving as Trent regional representative for ENT-UK. At national level, Mark spent 10 years on the specialist advisory committee for the DAHNO head and neck audit, and served as an elected representative on the ENT-UK head and neck group. He was part of the Modernisation Agency ENT group and contributed to several national policy documents, and clinical guidelines.
As well as ENT conditions, he has a special interest in diagnosing and treating tumours of the head and neck, and in managing voice, airway and swallowing disorders, and reflux problems. He teaches other specialists in the management of these disorders both around the UK and across Europe. Alongside ENT colleagues and speech therapy specialists, he has helped to pioneer innovative and cutting-edge treatments throughout his career, leading to more widespread use of modern surgical techniques across the country.
Martin Birchall
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Martin is one of the leading academic Otolaryngologists in the world, one of the leading academic surgeons in Europe and an international figure in the field of translational regenerative medicine. His work is dedicated to the successful translation of innovative technologies, especially in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, with a focus on alleviating suffering and improving the quality of life for those with disorders of the head and neck, voice and swallowing. He aims to achieve these goals through forming partnerships with the very best scientists and surgeons in the appropriate fields. These multidisciplinary teams focus on clear therapeutic targets.
He has supervised 9 PhD and 5 MD students, raised over £4 million in peer-reviewed grant money, including from MRC, NIH and the Wellcome Trust (nearly £2 million held presently) and has published 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers plus numerous reviews and reports. He is Director of UCL Partners ENT Programme and was named Morgan Stanley Briton of the Year in 2008.
Janet Wilson
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Professor Janet Wilson is the Professor of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery at Newcastle University and Past President of the BLA, (2014 – 2016).
Prof Wilson has held the substantive Chair in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (one of very few in the UK) at Newcastle University since 1995. She was only the second female to be appointed to a UK chair in a surgical discipline. Prof Wilson chairs the Local Comprehensive Research Network ENT Specialty Group, she is the regional ENT Trainee Research Director and an intercollegiate examiner. Additionally she has established and continues to run UK Evidence Based Medicine review days in Otolaryngology and she contributes to National research Priority setting in the specialty.
Prof Wilson graduated BSc (Med Sci) in 1976, and MB ChB, Edinburgh l979, FRCSEd, Otolaryngology l983, FRCSEng, Otolaryngology l984, MD Edinburgh l989. Currently President of the Edinburgh Harveian Society, she has won a number of awards and honours for her work in Laryngology.
David Howard
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David qualified at St George’s Hospital, London, in 1972, and following 6 years of initial training in general surgery and orthopaedics, he commenced ENT and head and neck surgery in 1978. He became Senior Lecturer in Laryngology at University College London in 1984 and Honorary Consultant at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital.
He has a career-long interest in laryngology with multiple honorary consultant appointments in London and the UK. His research and teaching have involved many national and international presentations and projects.
He was appointed Professor of Head & Neck Oncology at Imperial College and Imperial NHS Trust Hospitals in 2007.
David has retired from full-time NHS and University work but continues with busy commitments to High Altitude and Critical Care medical research with the Centre for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment at University College, London, and teaching /surgery at Korle Bu Hospital,Accra, Ghana.
Guri Sandhu
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Guri Sandhu is a consultant Laryngologist and Airway Surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital in London. He is Professor of Laryngology at Imperial College London. He graduated from the University of London and trained in ENT at The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear, and Great Ormond Street Hospitals. He co-founded, and is the lead, for the National Centre for Airway Reconstruction, and co-founder of the British Laryngological Association. He has 30 years’ experience in the field of Laryngology, with over 150 peer reviewed publications, 20 book chapters and 3 textbooks in Laryngology. He has delivered numerous international presentations, keynote and posthumous lectures.
As well as airway surgery he has large practice managing voice problems, and receives referrals from the music industry, media and stage.
His honours include Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music, ENT Surgeon to The Royal Society of Musicians, Honorary Fellow to The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, and the only British ENT surgeon to be made fellow of the American Laryngological Association. He is Past-President for the section of Laryngology and Rhinology at the Royal Society of Medicine and Past-President of the British Laryngological Association. He is recipient of the Isshiki prize for ‘outstanding contributions to the field of Laryngology’.