A new research fellowship has been launched to honour the memory of Dr Hassan Burhan, a leading Liverpool doctor who died unexpectedly in May. Dr Burhan, a respiratory consultant at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, collapsed and died while walking with his family in the Peak District on May 4.
Thirty-three clinicians awarded fellowships
Thirty-three clinicians from across the University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHL) have been awarded Burhan Principal Investigator Research Fellowships, giving them protected time to develop and lead research alongside their clinical roles. The UHL Group includes Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool Women’s University Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
The fellowships were formally presented during a memorial event held on September 1, where colleagues, friends and family gathered to celebrate the life and contribution of Dr Burhan.
Career and legacy
Born in Huddersfield, Dr Burhan moved to Liverpool to study medicine and settled in the region, living in Birkenhead. He rose to become a consultant respiratory physician at the Royal, also holding the posts of severe asthma service lead and respiratory research lead at the trust which runs the city centre hospital.
The Burhan Principal Investigator Research Fellowship programme has been established in Dr Burhan's memory and aims to support clinicians to develop their own research programmes, attract external funding and build research leadership skills while continuing to deliver patient care.
By supporting clinicians to develop their own research programmes, the fellowships will aim to help build research leadership across UHL Group and strengthen Liverpool's reputation as a centre for clinical research. Over time, it is hoped this work could lead to new evidence, treatments and improvements in care for patients across the region.
Tributes and support
Dr Burhan was a former Ronald Finn Research Fellow; a programme delivered in partnership between UHL Group and the University of Liverpool. He completed his PhD while continuing his clinical work and was widely respected for his commitment to research, education and patient care.
Professor Terry Jones, Director of Research and Innovation for University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, said: “This is an important investment in our clinical workforce and our research future, and a fitting tribute to the lasting impact of Dr Burhan’s clinical and research work to improve the lives of the communities we serve. These fellowships will support talented clinicians to develop as research leaders, helping us to grow the quality and impact of research across our hospitals for the benefit of patients.”
Fellowship recipients will receive mentorship and support from the UHL Group research leadership team as they develop their research careers and prepare future funding applications.
Diane McCarter, an Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at Liverpool Women’s University Hospital, who was awarded protected research time through the fellowship, said: “It is a great privilege to be a recipient of a Burhan Principal Investigator Research Fellowship. This award will provide valuable time for me to complete my PhD study, which explores the use of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) on the neonatal unit.
“As a nurse practitioner combining clinical work with research activity, this award gives me the opportunity to strengthen my own clinical academic presence. These pathways are less established for nurses, so I am delighted to have been awarded this opportunity.
“Over the period of the fellowship, I also aim to use this time to support the professional development of my nursing, midwifery and AHP colleagues within the research arena. This will hopefully enable the fellowship to have a wide and lasting impact, across UHL Group.”
After the ECHO reported on the news of Dr Burhan's sudden death in May, social media feeds were inundated with tributes from people across the region who he had treated and helped. Many of those commenting said Dr Burhan had saved their lives.
