Profile

Professor Nikhil Vasdev is Professor and Chair of Robotic Surgery at the School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UK. Professor Vasdev is a Consultant Urological and Robotic Surgeon at the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Urological Cancer Centre, Lister Hospital, UK. His private practice is Pinehill Hospital, Hitchin and One Hatfield Hospital, Hatfield. Professor Vasdev is a Visiting Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi and holds a visiting Professorship at the Apollo Hospitals Education and Research foundation in India. 

Professor Vasdev is the Associate Medical Director for Cancer Services and Cancer Lead at the East and North Herts NHS Trust (Appointed in October 2019). Prof Vasdev is an international accredited proctor in Robotic Urology and operates regularly in Asia and Europe. Prof Vasdev is the Lead Consultant (Cancer) for the COVID-19 Response at NHS England for the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

In September 2016, Prof Vasdev was awarded the prestigious “Celebration of Clinical Excellence Award” by the Chief Executive of the East and North Herts NHS Trust and in May 2017, Prof Vasdev was awarded the Best Innovator in the Surgical Division Awards at the East and North Herts NHS Trust. In April 2019, Prof Vasdev demonstrated a live Robotic Bladder removal and Robotic Urinary diversion at the Thai Urology Association meeting which is second operation of its kind to be performed in Thailand. In May 2020, Prof Vasdev was awarded an “Doctor of Science (DSc)” [Higher award than PhD] by the awards committee at the University of Hertfordshire in recognition for his contribution in Robotics in Surgery internationally. In July 2024, Prof Vasdev received national recognition as one of the 10 national Artificial Intelligence (AI) Champions by UKRI/EPSRC-funded Responsible AI UK, celebrated at the Royal Society in London. This prestigious recognition underscores his leadership in the international movement for responsible and trustworthy AI in medicine.

Prof Vasdev’s specialist interest is Urologic Oncology (Clinical and Academic). He specializes in both Robotic Prostate and Bladder cancer surgery (Robotic Prostatectomy with intra- operative Frozen section of prostate (NeuroSAFE) and extended pelvic lymph node dissection and Robotic Cystectomy) and kidney surgery (Robotic Nephrectomy and Robotic Pyeloplasty). Prof Vasdev in 2019 has commenced preforming Robotic Salvage Prostatectomy and Robotic Salvage Cystectomy (In patients with cancer recurrence following initial Radical radiotherapy) making him a very few select Robotic surgeons with this skill. Prof Vasdev also performs robotic cystectomy with both ileal conduit and neobladder formation. 

Prof Vasdev specialises in general urology (Stone disease; Andrology; Fertility, Infertility and assisted conception; Vasectomy reversal; Urinary tract disorders; Urinary infection; prostate disease; Prostate Biopsy (Transperineal), Urinary symptoms; BPH / LUTS; treatment with preservation of sexual function; Blood in the urine or haematuria; Renal colic and stones)

In August 2023, Prof Vasdev has commenced the Robotic Aquablation programme at Pinehill Hospital, Hitchin for patients with Benign Prostate Enlargement Aquablation therapy is an advanced, minimally invasive treatment that uses imaging, robotics, and a heat-free waterjet to provide long-lasting relief from BPH with low rates of complications. He has completed 70 Aquablation cases in November 2024 and has trained 5 surgeons nationally with the technique. 

In February 2017, Prof Vasdev has lead and commenced the Blue Light Cystoscopy programme for bladder cancer patients in North Hertfordshire. Prof Vasdev has performed 1500 Robotic Urological procedures in 10 years as a consultant and continues to be amongst the highest volume robotic urology cancer surgeons in the UK with excellent patient outcomes.

Prof Vasdev is the UK’s first nationally accredited Robotic Fellow by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the British Association of Urological Surgeons. As a part of his robotic urological fellowship in the UK and USA he obtained a ChM (Urol) with a distinction from the University of Edinburgh / Royal College of Surgeon of Edinburgh for his thesis on the use of “Intraoperative frozen section of the prostate to reduce positive margin and improve nerve sparing during Robotic prostatectomy”. Prof Vasdev role as the driving force behind the UK’s first BAUS/Royal College of Surgeons approved Robotic Fellowship in Stevenage has set new standards for surgical excellence. His influence extends far beyond the UK—training 9 fellows in the UK, 14 in India, 2 in Hong Kong, 4 in Thailand, and 2 in Jordan—laying the foundation for minimally invasive robotic pelvic surgery units both nationally and internationally. He has lead for the USA-based Vattikuti Foundation / ENHT Herts NHS Trust collaboration. 

Prof Vasdev has published extensively and has over 220 peer-reviewed articles, 400 abstracts, 15 book chapters, written 2 textbooks on Urological Cancers and is on the editorial board of 15 international urological journals. He is on the national and international Fellowship accreditation committee at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Prof Vasdev has been selected as the subsection editor for Urology, Pelvic Anatomy and Robotic Urology in the prestigious Grays Surgical Anatomy textbook in 2023. In 2022 Prof Vasdev was appointed on the national Clinical Advisory Group at Prostate Cancer UK and In 2022, Prof Vasdev performed Jordan’s first Robotic Surgery.

Prof Vasdev’s Urological surgical training includes his research in Gene Therapy for Urological Malignancies at the National University Hospital, Singapore followed by his basic surgical training at the National University Hospital, Singapore and Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. He then completed my 6 year Higher surgical training on type-1 national training number in Urology in the Northern Deanery, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK training at large teaching hospitals including the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne; James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough and Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK and Robotic fellowship training at the Lister Hospital, UK and City of Hope national medical centre, USA.