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Biography
Mr Dolan is a trained biochemist and neuroscientist who completed his scientific training at Trinity College Dublin. He studied medicine at the University of Dundee and completed his surgical training in Dundee, Glasgow, Forth Valley and Newcastle. He completed his PhD in the Academic Department of Surgery in Glasgow Royal Infirmary under the supervision of Professor Donald McMillan and Professor Paul Horgan. He completed the RCS Senior Clinical Fellowship in Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery in Newcastle in 2025 and was appointed as a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon in 2026.
His main research interest is in cancer cachexia. His PhD thesis examined the interplay among the systemic inflammatory response, body composition, physical function, and tumour activity in patients with cancer. During this research period, he gained experience in AI-based analysis and the use of activity monitoring devices. His research found that low skeletal muscle mass and poor muscle quality were strongly linked to both the systemic inflammatory response and patient survival. These findings suggest that therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing inflammation and enhancing muscle health can lead to meaningful improvements in both quantity and quality of life. He is one of the founding members of the Caledonian Cachexia Collaborative; a Scotland-wide collaborative organisation which links research institutions across Scotland with an interest in cachexia research. He also has interests in artificial intelligence, surgical automation, medical device design and the use of simulation in surgical training. He has experience in radiological AI image analysis and the use of deep learning algorithms in clinical research.
Mr Dolan has an interest in clinical trials and was one of the principal investigators for the REVOLUTION study, which uses direct patient monitoring to assess functional status, muscle quality, and outcomes in patients with cancer in Scotland. He is a member of the CSO Translational Clinical Studies Committee and of the Cancer Cachexia Society (CCS) Educational Committee. Through his work with the CCS, he has built extensive collaborations with research colleagues throughout the UK, Europe, and both North and South America.