Professor Charles McCollum

Professor McCollum was appointed Professor of Surgery and Head of Academic Surgery at the University of Manchester in 1989, establishing a distinguished career in academic and clinical surgery. His extensive experience encompasses the assessment and management of a broad range of vascular and venous conditions, combining specialist clinical practice with research, teaching and leadership in vascular surgery. Throughout his career, Professor McCollum has contributed to the development of modern vascular practice, with particular expertise in arterial and venous disease, vascular surgery and the prevention and management of thromboembolic disease.

Professor McCollum has extensive experience in senior clinical, academic and surgical leadership, developed over a career spanning vascular surgery, university medicine, research and service development. His appointment as Professor of Surgery and Head of Academic Surgery at the University of Manchester in 1989 involved leadership responsibilities across clinical practice, academic surgery, research and postgraduate education. Throughout his career, he has contributed to the development and delivery of vascular surgical services, working within multidisciplinary teams and across clinical and academic organisations. His leadership experience has included clinical governance, service development, research strategy, surgical education and the supervision and development of clinicians and academic researchers. As a senior academic surgeon, Professor McCollum has also led and collaborated on major programmes of vascular and cardiovascular research, contributing to the development of evidence-based practice and improvements in the assessment, treatment and outcomes of patients with vascular disease.

Professor McCollum’s research interests span a broad range of vascular and cardiovascular disease, with particular emphasis on improving the understanding, prevention and treatment of thrombotic, embolic, arterial and venous disorders. His research has included arterial and venous thrombosis, cerebral embolism, stroke and cerebral perfusion, together with the relationship between cerebral emboli and cognitive impairment or dementia. He has also undertaken research into carotid and extracranial arterial disease and paradoxical embolism as a potential mechanism of stroke. His interests in aortic and peripheral vascular disease include aortic aneurysm repair, the indications and risk assessment for aneurysm intervention, ischaemic tissue injury and surgical risk prediction. His venous research encompasses chronic venous disease, varicose veins, pelvic vein incompetence, leg ulceration and wound healing. Professor McCollum’s wider research interests have also included blood transfusion therapy and perioperative outcomes, reflecting a longstanding focus on improving patient selection, treatment strategies and outcomes across vascular surgical practice.

Professor McCollum is regularly invited to deliver plenary and keynote lectures at national and international scientific meetings, reflecting his longstanding expertise in vascular surgery, arterial disease and venous disease. He is the senior author of more than 420 scientific publications, including over 330 original research papers published in peer-reviewed journals. His extensive body of academic work also includes leading articles, editorials and authoritative reviews, covering a broad range of vascular and cardiovascular topics. His publication record reflects a substantial contribution to the evidence base in arterial and venous disease, thrombosis and embolism, stroke and cerebral perfusion, aortic aneurysm disease, vascular wound healing and vascular surgical outcomes.

Professor McCollum has extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, surgical training and specialist vascular education, developed throughout his academic and clinical career at the University of Manchester. As Professor of Surgery and Head of Academic Surgery, he has played an important role in the education, training and professional development of medical students, surgical trainees, vascular surgeons and clinical researchers. His teaching has encompassed both the clinical and academic aspects of surgery, with particular emphasis on vascular surgery, arterial and venous disease, clinical research and evidence-based surgical practice. He has supervised and mentored surgical trainees and academic researchers, supporting the development of clinical expertise, research skills and academic careers. His contribution to education also extends nationally and internationally through invited lectures, scientific meetings and specialist teaching in vascular surgery.

Professor McCollum has over 30 years’ experience as a vascular surgery medico-legal expert witness and maintains an established medico-legal practice. He has been recognised by Lawyer Monthly as Vascular Expert Witness of the Year for several consecutive years. He accepts instructions from Claimant and Defendant legal teams, insurers and insurance companies in clinical negligence and personal injury matters, with an approximate Claimant/Defendant instruction ratio of 60:40. His overriding duty as an expert is to the Court, and he provides independent, impartial and evidence-based expert opinion, irrespective of the instructing party. His expert witness practice encompasses a broad range of arterial, venous and aortic conditions, including peripheral arterial disease, carotid and cerebrovascular disease, aortic aneurysms, thrombosis and embolism, venous disease, vascular interventions, wound healing and complications arising from vascular disease and surgery. Professor McCollum prepares independent medico-legal reports addressing breach of duty, causation, condition and prognosis, including in complex vascular cases. Drawing on his extensive clinical, academic and research experience, he provides clear, objective and clinically robust expert opinion based on the available evidence and appropriate standards of vascular practice.