Awarded the James Spence Medal 2025
Citation submitted 2024
Professor Kelly is a Professor of Paediatric Hepatology at the University of Birmingham and Consultant Paediatric Hepatologist at the Liver Unit of Birmingham Women’s & Children's Hospital (BWCH). In 1989, she established the Liver Unit at BWCH, now an internationally renowned centre of excellence for paediatric liver disease. Her research led to improved outcomes for children with biliary atresia and advancements in liver transplantation, including optimal immunosuppression and pioneering cut-down liver and combined liver-small bowel transplantation in the UK. As Clinical Lead for the National Paediatric Hepatitis C Operational Delivery Network, she oversaw a ground-breaking national treatment pathway for children with hepatitis C.
Professor Kelly has held leadership roles as past President of The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition(ESPGHAN), British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BSPGHAN), and the International Paediatric Transplant Association. She received numerous awards, including Commander of the British Empire CBE and the ESPGHAN Distinguished Service Award. Her leadership extends to various boards, including the Healthcare Commission, Care Quality Commission, and NHS Blood & Transplant. A dedicated mentor, she has inspired a generation of paediatric hepatologists through her endless energy and support.