Dr Maximiliano Gelli
Dr Maximiliano Gelli is a surgeon specialised in digestive oncology and liver transplantation. He currently serves as Head of the Department of Surgery, Anaesthesiology and Interventional Treatments at Gustave Roussy. His career combines clinical expertise and cutting-edge research in oncological surgery, with a particular focus on colorectal cancer and liver metastases,
After his medical degree in 2006 from the University of Genoa in Italy, he continued his training in general surgery and specialised in hepatobiliary surgery and liver transplantation with a fellowship at the Hepato-Biliary Centre of Paul Brousse Hospital in Villejuif. He joined Gustave Roussy in 2015 to integrally focus is activity on oncological surgery.
His current clinical activity at Gustave Roussy focuses on the management of colorectal liver metastases, primary liver tumours (hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma), and pancreatic cancer. He is deeply involved in the development of minimally invasive robotic surgery and, together with the visceral surgery team, performed the first liver resection in France using the Single Port robotic system through a single 3 cm umbilical incision.
Alongside his clinical career, Dr Gelli completed a PhD in cancer biology in 2022 at the University of Paris-Saclay. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of metastatic dissemination in colorectal cancer — a key area for improving both surgical and targeted therapies.
Dr Gelli is also actively involved in several large-scale clinical research projects, where he plays a key role as principal investigator. These include the CLIMES project, which investigates the use of circulating tumour DNA in patients with colorectal liver metastases, and PACHA-01, which explores new intra-arterial chemotherapy strategies following liver metastasis resection. He is also co-coordinator and last author of TRANSMET trial, the first randomised study evaluating liver transplantation for unresectable liver metastases, published in The Lancet in 2024.
As part of his translational research, he works closely with research teams at Gustave Roussy and other institutions, particularly on innovative treatment approaches for complex cancers. He also participates in international studies on advanced surgical techniques and the impact of adjuvant therapies on improving postoperative outcomes in high-risk patients.
Author of 83 scientific publications, Dr Gelli is a regular contributor to peer-reviewed medical journals. His expertise is widely recognised, and he is frequently invited to speak at international conferences to share his work and experience in oncological surgery.
