In the 1970s, Alex was appointed Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Hepatologist at King’s, a post which was unique and a timely recognition of a new specialty in paediatric health care. Prior to that, there had been no sustained academic interest in paediatric liver disorders and children with these conditions had a very bleak outlook.
He established a first-class clinical unit for children who suffered with these rare conditions at King’s College Hospital and led research into the causes and treatment of disorders, previously thought untreatable in children
Professor Mowat brought together staff from many disciplines across the hospital, forging a team of hepatologists, paediatric transplant surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, nurse specialists, dieticians and other specialists, which had no equal at that time. Together they found new ways to identify and diagnose liver disorders; pioneered new treatments, including the development of liver transplantation in children; and focussed on pushing medical understanding and knowledge of the specialty by disseminating research findings, teaching and education.
Today, King’s is a world-leader in children’s liver care, treating over 3,000 young patients each year and has the largest paediatric liver transplantation centre in the world, performing more than sixty transplants a year, on children as young as five days old. Many of the world-first medical breakthroughs in paediatric liver care have originated from the leading work undertaken by the King’s team.
