Professor Charles Knowles

Professional statement

Professor Charles Knowles is a distinguished consultant colorectal surgeon based in London. He is internationally recognised for his expertise in pelvic floor disorders and GI neuromuscular diseases, as well as chronic constipation, faecal incontinence, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and disorders of the anus and rectum. He consults privately at Cleveland Clinic London Colorectal Unit in Cleveland Clinic London.

Professor Knowles is a respected authority in colorectal surgery, with a demonstrated commitment to clinical excellence. He earned his MBBChir from the University of Cambridge in 1992 and completed his surgical training in London, after which he was awarded the esteemed fellowship to the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1996. Professor Knowles furthered his pursuits by completing a PhD at the University of London in 2000 and subsequently achieved the prestigious FRCS (Gen Surg) from the Intercollegiate Royal College Specialty Boards in 2005.

Currently, Professor Knowles serves as the lead for colorectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic London, where he additionally held the position of inaugural clinical director for research. He is also the director of the renowned National Bowel Research Centre, and maintains honorary consultant posts at both Barts Health NHS Trust and at St Mark’s Hospital. Professor Knowles is a dedicated medical educator as well, and holds professorship at Queen Mary University of London.

Within clinical research, Professor Knowles' contributions are significant, with a vast portfolio of over 270 peer-reviewed papers, five textbooks, and editorial roles on the board of three prominent journals. He continues to make long-lasting advancements in his field, as the research lead of the neurogastroenterology section at the British Society of Gastroenterology and the research lead of the pelvic floor section at the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.