Dr Matthew Hoare (Robinson 1999) is a hepatologist specializing in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite initially intending to pursue a different specialty, a six-month job as a Senior House Officer (SHO) in that field, made him realise it wasn’t for him. He quickly redirected his career plans and discovered a passion for hepatology during his SHO rotation, drawn to the diverse range of procedures, transplantation work, and collaborations with various specialties throughout the hospital.

Currently, Dr Hoare leads a Cancer Research UK-funded (CRUK) laboratory at the University of Cambridge Early Cancer Institute, where his team aims to understand why patients with liver disease have an increased cancer risk. They have identified recurrent DNA mutations in metabolism genes in the livers of patients with chronic liver disease. By unravelling the underlying causes of these mutations, they hope to develop new treatments for progressive fatty liver disease.

In early 2020, Dr Hoare took on the role of specialty lead for medicine teaching at the Clinical School. His main objective is to ensure that all clinical students graduate with the skills and confidence necessary to excel as foundation year doctors. His commitment goes beyond his medical expertise. The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on medical education, including a rise in mental health issues among medical students which has required Dr Hoare to spend considerable time providing support and guidance to struggling students.

Among the memorable experiences throughout his career, Dr. Hoare recalls skydiving in New Zealand during his time as an SHO at a small District General Hospital (DGH). Another notable incident involved him intervening to prevent the arrest of a renal consultant at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) by the Spanish Military Police. The consultant was dressed as Elvis at the time, leaving the details of the incident open to speculation.

When not at work, Dr Hoare usually can be found outdoors walking, running, or cycling alongside his beloved dog, who serves as his personal therapist.