Professor Ala is an experienced and established Consultant Physician, Clinical Lead Consultant in Gastroenterology at Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, Surrey and Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at University of Surrey. He is qualified in endoscopy, managing general and complicated gastroenterology/liver problems including gastrointestinal inflammation, liver disease, treatment of viral hepatitis, rare liver diseases and hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) disease/cancer.

His works with dedicated members of the regional multi-disciplinary team of surgeons, pathologists, radiologists and oncologists at Royal Surrey County Hospital. Having graduated from Charing Cross & Westminster Hospitals in 1992, he completed postgraduate clinical studies at King’s College Hospital. He underwent Gastroenterology and Hepatology training at King’s College and Royal Free Hospital before undertaking an Advanced Liver Fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, USA focused on liver and bowel transplantation, rare diseases, viral hepatitis. His PhD award from University College London focused on common immune & inflammatory mechanisms underlying gut and liver disease.

Professor Ala is the South East Coast England National Institute for Health and Research (NIHR) Lead for liver disease and the Research and Clinical Trials programme at the University of Surrey and Royal Surrey County Hospital. He has authored multiple original publications, reviews, book chapters and guidelines. He is a member of the NICE Team in developing the 2013 Guidelines Hepatitis B management, NHS England Hepatitis C Advisory Group, Clinical Reference Group (CRG ) representative for liver, bile duct and pancreatic disease. He is an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians, London.