Dr. Helm graduated in medicine from Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK and the Middlesex Hospital, London, UK and after training in surgery and obstetrics and gynecology he has focused his professional career on the specialty of gynecologic cancer.

His main interest is the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, including hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) treatment for gynecologic cancers involving the peritoneal cavity including ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. He is the Principal Investigator on two international studies of HIPEC for ovarian cancer based at Saint Louis University.

Dr. Helm has an active interest in student and post-graduate training. He has received awards for his student teaching and he participates as invited faculty on open surgery and laparoscopic surgery courses for physicians. He initiated and directs a course to teach gynecologic oncologists the skills necessary for extensive resection of gynecologic cancers involving the upper abdomen and bowel. This course has taught attendees from many different countries around the world. Dr Helm has published widely about HIPEC for ovarian and endometrial cancer both in peer-reviewed journals and in medical textbooks and has been an invited lecturer in many countries.