Professor Thangesweran Ayakannu
- Clinical Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Sir Jeffrey Cheah ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Medical School
Biography
Professor Thangesweran Ayakannu is a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Gynae-Oncology Consultant, and Robotic Surgeon at ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Medical Centre. He also serves as a Clinical Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at ºìÐÓÊÓƵ University.
Professor Ayakannu graduated from the University of the West Indies in 2001 and pursued specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the North West of England. He was awarded a PhD in Gynaecological Oncology by the University of Leicester. Following his PhD, he completed a post-CCT Clinical Fellowship in Gynaecological Oncology and Laparoscopic Oncology Surgery at Maidstone Hospital, as well as a post-CCT Senior Clinical Fellowship in Gynaecological Oncology and Robotic Surgery at the Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford. He subsequently held a consultant post at Liverpool Women’s Hospital Gynaecological Oncology Cancer Centre, a leading tertiary referral center in the UK.
As a robotic surgeon, Professor Ayakannu played a key role in developing and introducing robotic surgery services in gynaecology and gynaecological oncology. Notably, he performed the first robotic total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for endometrial cancer at Liverpool Women’s Hospital in 2020.
Professor Ayakannu is an internationally recognised researcher, with numerous publications in high-impact journals. His work has been featured in Scientific Reports, Cancers (MDPI), and in abstract form in The Lancet. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences, and was honoured with the Sir William Gilliatt Award for Best Oral Presentation at the RCOG Conference in Singapore. He has also had the distinction of presenting his research in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal in London.
Academic & Professional Qualifications
- PhD in Gynaecology Oncology (University of Leicester, United Kingdom) (2016)
- MBBS (UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO) 2001
- FRCOG (RCOG, LONDON, UK) 2025
- British & Irish Association Registered Robotic Gynaecological Surgeon (Liverpool, UK) 2021
- Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery Certified Surgeon (SERGS, European) 2022
Research Interests
- Robotic Surgery in Gynaecology & Gynae-Oncology
- Endocannabinoids in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Biomarkers for gynaecological cancers
- Proteomics in gynaecological cancers
Teaching Areas
- Problem based learning
- Hospital bed site teachings
- Teaching in the theatre settings
- One to one discussions
- Teaching medical students and the ward nurses
Notable Publications
(1) 2023 Identification of Potentially Novel Molecular Targets of Endometrial Cancer Using a Non-Biased Proteomic Approach Anthony H. Taylor, Justin C. Konje & Thangeswera Ayakannu Cancers 2023, 15(18), 4665;
(2) 2021 Expression of the putative cannabinoid receptor GPR55 is increased
in endometrial carcinoma. Thangesweran Ayakannu, Anthony H. Taylor & Justin C. Konje
Histochemistry and Cell Biology
(3) 2020 Selection of endogenous control reference genes for studies on Type 1 or Type 2 endometrial cancer. Thangesweran Ayakannu, Anthony H. Taylor & Justin C. Konje. Scientific Reports, 10:8468 (2020).
(4) 2019 Expression and Function of the Endocannabinoid Modulating Enzymes Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and N-Acylphosphatidylethanolamine-specific Phospholipase D in Endometrial carcinoma. Thangesweran Ayakannu, Anthony Taylor, Monica Bari, Nicoletta Mastrangelo, Mauro Maccarrone and Justin C Konje. Fronteirs in Oncology Women’s Cancer, 2019.
(5) 2019 Identification of Novel Predictive Biomarkers for Endometrial Malignancies: N-Acylethanolamines. Thangesweran Ayakannu, Anthony H. Taylor, Timothy H. Marczylo, Mauro Maccarrone, Justin C. Konje. Front. Oncol. 9:430. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00430.
(6) 2019 The Impact of Focality and Centricity on VIN Disease Progression in HIV+ and
HIV-patients: A 10-Year Retrospective Study. Ayakannu T, Murugesu S, Taylor AH, Sokhal P, Limandhee R, Wilhelm-Benartzi CSM, D Lyons, Chatterjee J, in 'Dermatology'. 2019.
(7) 2019 New Insights of Uterine Leiomyoma Pathogenesis: Endocannabinoid System
Thangesweran Ayakannu, Anthony H. Taylor, Timothy H. Marczylo, Justin C. Konje,
Med Sci Monit Basic Res, 2019; 25: DOI: 10.12659/MSMBR.914019
(8) 2018 Cannabinoid receptor expression in estrogen-dependent and estrogen-independent endometrial cancer. Ayakannu T, Taylor AH, Konje. J Recept Signal Transduct Res. 2018 Dec 20:1-8. doi:10.1080/10799893.2018.1531890.
(9) 2020 (Endo)Cannabinoids and Gynaecological Cancers Anthony H. Taylor,Daniel Tortolani,Thangesweran Ayakannu,Justin C. Konje and Mauro Maccarrone
Cancers 2021, 13(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13010037 - 25 Dec 2020
(10)2020 Ovarian Cancer: Lifestyle, Diet and Nutrition Ahmed El-Sherif , Sherif El-Sherif , Anthony Henry Taylor & Thangesweran Ayakannu. Nutrition and Cancer, 16/7/2020.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2020.1792948
Achievements & Accolades
Awards
2020 BEING BRILLIANT AWARD 2020 Robotic Surgery Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
2020 BEING BRILLIANT AWARDS 2020 Oncology Team Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
2018 Sir William Gilliatt Awards -Best oral presenter in invasive gynaecological malignancies sessions in RCOG World Congress 21-24 of March 2018 in Singapore.
2012 University of Leicester Royal Infirmary Award for PhD in Gynaecology Oncology
• Developed a new robotic surgery service in gynaecology/ gynaecology oncology in Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
• Developed local Robotic Surgery Consent form in Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
• Developed local Robotic surgery gynaecology/ gynaecology oncology guidelines.
Professional Associations
2022 Society of European Robotic Gynaecological Surgery Certified Surgeon (SERGS,
European)
2021 British & Irish Association Registered Robotic Gynaecological Surgeon
(Liverpool, United Kingdom)