International Scientific Advisory Council Chair
Sir Doug Turnbull, MBBS, MD, PhD, FRCP, FMedSci
Professor of Neurology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Director, Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research
Honorary Consultant Neurologist, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne
Director, Newcastle University Centre for Brain Ageing and Vitality
Sir Doug Turnbull, MBBS, MD, PhD, FRCP, FMedSci, is Professor of Neurology at Newcastle University, an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a director of the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research. He is also the National lead of the National Highly Specialized Services for Rare Mitochondrial Diseases of Children and Adults and Director of the Newcastle University Centre for Ageing and Vitality sponsored by RCUK. Sir Doug was educated at Newcastle University, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and qualifying as a junior doctor. He was subsequently awarded a PhD for research investigating mitochondrial cytopathies.
In his role as director of the Newcastle University Centre for Ageing and Vitality, Sir Doug oversees the Centre’s activities, which focus on understanding mechanisms underlying the ageing process and developing interventions which will promote healthy ageing. In addition, the Centre has played a significant role in capacity building in the area of lifelong health. Sir Doug has vast experience in research training for both clinical and basic scientists, including clinical training fellows and dozens of PhD students. Sir Doug has been recognised by the Royal College of Physicians on several occasions: awarded the Goulstonian Lecturer (1992), the Jean Hunter Prize (2003), and the Sims Royal College of Physicians Lecturer (2004). He was awarded a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2016.