Discover groundbreaking new technologies that push the boundaries of medicine and tailor surgery to an individual patient’s needs — a leading transplant surgeon explains what the future holds.
PubSci is a ‘pay-what-you-can’ event. Your contributions are what keeps it going. Please consider contributing via Eventbrite when booking.
For the fifth in our 2026 talks programme, PubSci is delighted to welcome Mr Pankaj Chandak to help us explore the wonders of modern surgery, from appendectomy to xenotransplantation, in “The Future of Transplant Surgery” on Wednesday 20th May 2026.
Of beasts and biology…
Transplant surgery has come a very long way in the last 100 years, and PubSci is delighted to welcome pioneering surgeon Pankaj Chandak to talk about the origins and future of organ transplantation, and present his own pioneering work which has transformed countless lives.
This was the problem faced by Pankaj when he became the first surgeon in the world to plan and perform a kidney transplant from a father into his two-year old daughter, which he achieved with the aid of 3-D modelling and printing.
On 20th May, we explore the amazing possibilities of 3-D techniques, xenotransplantation, warm machine perfusion, and the groundbreaking bioengineering possibilities of organ repair and regeneration. Pankaj will also dive into the realm of complex transplants and share some truly heartwarming stories from the transformative world of organ transplantation, such as the Children’s Transplant Choir.
Join PubSci and Pankaj Chandak to discover the incredible future of transplant surgery.
• • •
The venue is PubSci’s regular home, The Old King’s Head near Borough Market, which offers a great range of drinks, has a happy hour before 7pm, and opens the kitchen serving classic pub grub especially for us.
How to Book Tickets
PubSci talks are pay-what-you-can: You can make a contribution when booking on Eventbrite. We have no other source of funding. There are two ticket options:
Book for one + Support PubSci (max 1 ticket) if you prefer to contribute when booking – this option also reserves you one spot at the event. You may need to scroll down to see this option on Eventbrite.
Book without donating (max 4 tickets) if you prefer to put cash in the pot on the night.
Doors open at 6.30 for a 7pm start. Talks generally run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm, and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub. The nearest tube is London Bridge — full address below and on the booking page.
• • •
About the speaker
Pankaj Chandak is a transplant surgeon and post-doctoral research fellow at The Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital, UCL, and King’s College London. His research focuses on machine perfusion of human organs for therapeutic manipulation, regeneration, and bioengineering, as well as complex paediatric transplantation.
In 2015 Pankaj became the first surgeon in the world to employ 3D printing to plan intricate paediatric transplants and has developed human kidney models of transplant rejection for drug testing using machine perfusion (pump) technology.
He is passionate about public engagement and science education and actively supports under-represented groups and young people to engage with science and healthcare innovations. He has produced multiple short films and collaborates closely with The Science Museum and the Hunterian Museum.
Pankaj delivered a prestigious Discourse on his work at The Royal Institution in 2024 and regularly presents at schools/STEM events. He has made appearances for film and television including BBC, The BBC World Service Radio, and served as medical director and advisor to the Netflix series “The Crown”, and acted in several episodes.
He founded the UK’s first Children’s Transplant Choir in partnership with BBC Children in Need. He has been the British Science Association’s Charles Darwin Award Lecturer and has received The Royal College of Surgeons of England Lister Medal and Prize, as well as The Royal Society of Medicine Norman Tanner Medal.
He is a Fellow of The Linnean Society and The Royal Photographic Society, having received their Combined Royal Colleges Medal for advancing 3D printing sciences, which is on permanent display at London’s Science Museum.
PubSci is delighted to welcome Pankaj as our May speaker.
• • •
See the rest of our current programme
To make sure you don’t miss out on future events, subscribe to our Google Calendar to be the first to know when new talks are scheduled, and follow PubSci’s events on Eventbrite to be notified when tickets are available. You can also sign up to our own mailing list on any page on this site.
• • •
PubSci is entirely funded by audience contributions and has no other income.
As a Pay-What-You-Can event, we don’t charge a fixed price for our talks, so anybody who wants to come can come. Think of it as “Free, with a donation”, which can be made when registering on Eventbrite or by putting a few pounds in the beer mug which is passed round on the night. You can also contribute digitally through our TipJar. Please help PubSci continue putting on events.
We aim to keep PubSci accessible for all, although it is unsuitable for under 18s as we meet in the function room of a pub. Regrettably, there is no wheelchair access.
Check out the Future Events page where you can also subscribe to our Google Calendar so PubSci events automatically appear in your own Calendar. You can find all our links on our LinkTree.
• • •
PubSci is organised and hosted by science communicator, Richard Marshall, assisted by Mike Lucibella. It usually takes place on the third Wednesday of the month, upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge Underground (Borough High Street east side exit). Join us every month except December for your regular helping of Sipping, Supping & Science.
Address:
The Old King’s Head (upstairs room)
King’s Head Yard
45-49 Borough High Street
London SE1 1NA
PubSci 