Sir John Burn

Professor Sir John Burn was born on 6 February 1952 and educated at Barnard Castle School and later at Newcastle University Medical School.  A consultant clinical geneticist for 30 years, he is currently Professor of Clinical Genetics at Newcastle University.

He is also the lead clinician for the UK National Health Service (North East), and genetics lead for the UK National Institute of Health Research. He was previously a director of the Institute of Genetic Medicine at The University of Newcastle (2005-2010), and president of the European Society of Human Genetics (2007).

Post Professor of Clinical Genetics
Institute University of Newcastle

Programmes
+ The Future of Stem Cells

Professor Burn led the study that demonstrated the use of aspirin in reducing the risk of colorectal and other cancers in persons with Lynch syndrome, and leads an international consortium investigating chemoprevention in persons with hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer.

He conceived and helped bring about the Centre for Life in Newcastle, which was opened by the Queen in 2000. In addition to housing the region’s Fertility and Genetics services, the Centre attracts a quarter of a million paying visitors to its science centre and provides practical science education to 40,000 school children per annum.

Professor Burn received a knighthood for services to medicine and healthcare in 2010.