Meet our changemakers

The inspirational people in our university community shaping the picture of health

Celebrating the impact of our community around the world

For generations, Newcastle University alumni and academics have tackled the most pressing health and wellbeing challenges of their time. From pioneering medical research and healthcare innovation to improving mental health, shaping public policy and advancing community wellbeing, their work is making a difference to lives and societies every day.

Here, we spotlight just some of the people connected to Newcastle who are driving positive change. Are you doing something incredible in health and wellbeing? We'd love to hear about it! Share your story with us for your chance to be featured in our NCL in Action series.

Professor Sir John Burn (BSc Human Genetics 1973, MBBS 1976, MD 1991)

John became one of the first clinical geneticists in the UK following his studies. He is currently Professor of Clinical Genetics at Newcastle University.

Formerly, John was Director of the Institute of Genetic Medicine, Chief Investigator of CAPP, and Executive Director of Global Variome. He led the regional NHS Genetics Service for 20 years and helped to create the Centre for Life.

John was knighted in 2010 and chosen as one of the first 20 ‘local heroes’ to have a brass plaque on Newcastle Quayside. In 2017, he was appointed as the new Chairman of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is also a Non-Executive Director of NHS England.

Dr Helen Devine (NUAcT Clinical Fellow and Honorary Consultant Neurologist, Newcastle University)

Helen’s research focuses on improving treatments for motor neuron disease (MND), rare neuromuscular disorders and mitochondrial disease through translational research that bridges laboratory science and clinical practice.

Using human stem cell models, patient-derived samples and translational neuroscience, she investigates disease mechanisms and evaluates new therapeutic approaches. A particular focus of Helen’s work is understanding how mitochondrial dysfunction and altered cellular metabolism contribute to neurodegeneration, with the aim of translating these findings into treatments that improve outcomes for patients.

Alongside her research, Helen leads the development of NE BRIDGE, a collaborative initiative that brings together academia, the NHS and industry to strengthen rare disease therapeutic translation across the North East.

Dr Rachel Hawes OBE (MBBS, 2002)

Dr Rachel Hawes OBE is a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine at the RVI and an Army Reservist, as well as an Emergency Doctor with the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Rachel was an active member of the Territorial Army while at University and served a period of duty in Afghanistan in 2011. On deployment, Rachel witnessed the advantages of carrying blood on board the helicopter as an essential adjunct in resuscitating trauma patients prior to their arrival in hospital. When she returned to Newcastle, she was inspired to introduce this practice with GNAAS via the 'Blood on Board' project, working alongside Northumbria and Cumbria Blood Bikes and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust. By enabling immediate transfusions in the aftermath of an injury, before arriving at hospital, this change in practice saved 18 lives in the first year of the project and has treated hundreds of critically ill patients since.

In recognition of the life-saving effect of the clinical changes she oversaw, Rachel was awarded Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant Award in 2017 and was made an OBE in 2018.

Dr Rishab Kapoor (MRes Immunology, 2013; PhD, 2018)

Dr Rishab Kapoor is currently working as a healthcare consultant. Under his profile, he manages prominent diagnsotics and AI startups in India and renowned healthcare organisations in Africa. Rishab's work focuses on introducing AI-integrated medical imaging to improve early detection and treatment, particularly in female healthcare and cancer screening with improvising TAT and unit economics of public health infrastructure.

During the pandemic, Rishab led India’s first COVID-19 testing laboratory to become one of the fastest globally. By integrating AI-powered Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) and automated workflows, his team streamlined sample processing, result validation, and data integration, improving efficiency and accuracy.

Davina McCall MBE (Hon DCL, 2024)

Davina is a British TV presenter whose later work has been associated with widening public discussion of menopause and women's health in the United Kingdom, including Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause, Davina McCall: Sex, Mind and the Menopause and Davina McCall's Pill Revolution.

McCall has said that she sees this phase of her career less as offering expertise than as widening access to specialist knowledge. In a 2025 interview, she described herself as "an amplifier" who uses her profile to spread information she thinks is useful, while in 2023 she argued that public discussion of women's health in Britain was beginning to change after having long been treated as secondary.

By sharing her personal experience of the menopause in her documentaries, Davina has helped break down the stigma surrounding it and used her platform to campaign for better support for women. Her book Menopausing was named Book of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2023.

Dr Jack Mosley (MBBS, 2017)

Dr Jack Mosley is a GP registrar and science communicator with a particular interest in treating obesity and its related diseases, as well as GLP-1 weight loss drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound). Jack has written the Number 1 Sunday Times bestselling book Food Noise, a practical guide to the weight loss drugs and managing cravings, with a focus on sustainable dietary and lifestyle changes.

He studied medicine at Newcastle University and completed a Masters of Research (Dist) in Diabetes during his medical training, exploring the factors behind successful weight loss maintenance.

As a science communicator Jack has appeared on multiple TV shows talking about lifestyle changes and GLP-1 weight loss medications, including BBC Breakfast, This Morning, the BBC News Channel and Jeremy Vine on 5. He also appeared as a presenter on the Channel 4 show Everything You Need to Know About Protein.

Fiona Moss (BA Hons English Language and Literature, 2013)

Newcastle University alumna Fiona is the founder and director of the Natalie Kate Moss Trust (NKMT), a charity dedicated to advancing research into haemorrhagic strokes and promoting public awareness around stroke prevention and blood pressure management.

Since the trust was established in memory of Fiona's sister in 2012, it has driven significant advancements in medical research by partnering with Manchester University, including the adoption of life-saving stroke treatments across the NHS.

Dr Lewis Potter BEM (MBBS, 2012)

Lewis is a qualified GP, entrepreneur and Newcastle University alumnus. He founded Geeky Medics while studying Medicine at Newcastle in 2010 and developed it into one of the world’s leading medical education platforms.

Geeky Medics now supports millions of healthcare learners worldwide, with educational content that has generated more than half a billion views. Its clinical skills resources are widely used by medical students and universities across the UK and internationally.

Dr Potter was recently awarded the British Empire Medal for services to healthcare and medical education. His current focus is SimChat.ai, an AI-powered simulation platform that enables universities and healthcare organisations to deliver realistic, repeatable communication skills training at scale, with learners able to practise conversations with AI-powered virtual patient avatars.

Dame Lesley Regan (Hon MD, 2026)

Dame Lesley is internationally renowned for her extensive contributions to the fields of women’s health, obstetrics and gynaecology. She was the first woman appointed as a consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College, London, and was only the second woman to serve as President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In 2022 she was appointed by the Prime Minister as the UK government’s first Women’s Health Ambassador for England. In this role, she is the leading advocate for the implementation of a Women’s Health Strategy aiming to address gender disparities in healthcare and to improve health services for women across the country. As a popular writer and broadcaster, Dame Lesley’s work shines a light on historically taboo subjects from period problems to the menopause.

Alice Wiseman MBE (BA Hons Social Policy, 2000)

Alice Wiseman has served as Director of Public Health (DPH) for Gateshead since 2016 and took on the joint role across Newcastle and Gateshead in April 2024.

She is deeply committed to improving health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on reducing the unfair and avoidable inequalities experienced by many communities. Alice’s approach recognises that achieving meaningful change requires sustained action across the health, social, and commercial determinants of health.

Alice plays an active role in strengthening the evidence base for public health practice. She leads a major collaboration between Gateshead Council and Newcastle University, which secured a five‑year NIHR contract under the Health Determinants Research Collaborative. This work aims to deepen understanding of the lived experiences of disadvantaged communities and the impact of government policy on their everyday lives.

Nationally, Alice is the Vice President of the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH). In this capacity, she works closely with colleagues across the country and has provided evidence to several All-Party Parliamentary Groups as well as a Parliamentary Committee. In 2025, she was appointed Professor of Practice at Newcastle University, enabling her to share her expertise directly with students.

Most recently, Alice was awarded an MBE in the 2026 New Year Honours in recognition of her services to public health — a reflection of her leadership, commitment, and impact in the field.

Are you doing something incredible in health and wellbeing?

We'd love to hear about it! Share your story with us for your chance to be featured in our NCL in Action series.

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