Mr James Byrne
BSc (Hons), MBChB, MD, FRCS (Eng, Ed, Gen Surg)
Consultant Surgeon and Honorary Principal Research Fellow
Profile page(s)
Obesity is the most serious public health problem in the UK and developed world, and surgery at present is the only effective treatment for people living with severe and complex obesity. Mr James Byrne's research programme is dedicated to improving lives of those living with obesity.
He developed evidence delivering understanding of safety, effectiveness and utility of two well established and novel interventions. He established a programme of research in Southampton that has secured commercial and NIHR funding of over £7.5M to date. He is British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society President Elect (2023-2025), the professional body for UK bariatric surgery, with 400+ members - surgeons, dieticians, psychologists, and other integrated healthcare professionals.
Major grants:
SIRONA – First in human Study £950,000: 2022-2024. Commercially funded IRAS ID 307759, Chief investigator. First in human study Sirona, first of class expanding hydrogel tablet, designed to promote weight loss. I established a study team Southampton, Bristol & Oxford(2021-2022). I have led study design, protocol writing & secured REC approval(May 2022)
BYBAND SLEEVE(BBS) £4.1M: 2012-2022*. Health Technology Assessment programme, NIHR, Co-applicant, TMG member. World’s largest multicentre bariatric surgery RCT 1,341 participants, of whom I personally randomised 135, 10% of total. Publication 3 year primary outcomes. March 2023.
ENDOBARRIER RANDOMISED STUDY £2.1M, 2014-2019. Effectiveness & Mechanism Evaluation programme, NIHR. Co-applicant, TMG and TSC member, Local PI. Exemplar study of novel reversible endoscopic intervention for type 2 diabetes, response to NICE IPG518 guidance recommending further research.
Impact examples:
Endobarrier study: Improvements in glycaemic control & weight loss not durable at 24 month endpoint, increased adverse events. This negative study has prevented this procedure being rolled out into NHS clinical practice, saving c£5,000 per intervention, and avoiding harm to patients.
BYBANDSLEEVE study: This study will define patient centred quality of life and weight loss surgery outcomes amongst people having weight loss surgery in the UK. This will have a profound impact on decision making for people living with severe and complex obesity who are considering surgery, clinicians and the wider NHS.