Dr John Burnett is a Clinical Professor in the UWA Medical School. He received his MB ChB from the University of Otago in 1984, MD from the University of Otago in 2004, and PhD in Biochemistry from Western University in 1998. A Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FRCPA) in Chemical Pathology, he has served as a clinician-scientist and consultant chemical pathologist in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA - South East Division, Royal Perth Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital, since 1999, including as Head of Department from 2006 to 2012. Appointed Clinical Professor at the University of Western Australia in 2007, Burnett has trained many chemical pathologists, medical students, and graduate students. He previously held a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Research Fellowship at the Robarts Research Institute and was a Fellow in Medical Biochemistry in the Faculty of Medicine at Western University.

Burnett's research interests centre on the structure, metabolism, and function of plasma lipoproteins and their link to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with a focus on rare monogenic disorders affecting lipoprotein metabolism. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and reviews, more than 20 book chapters, and co-edited four editions of the RCPA Manual of Use and Interpretation of Laboratory Tests. Key publications include 'An evaluation of recaticimab for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia' (2025), 'Assessing the clinical development of zerlasiran, a small-interfering RNA for elevated lipoprotein(a)' (2025), 'Emerging ANGPTL3-directed therapies for hyperlipidemia: insights from two recent phase II trials' (2025), 'Remnant Cholesterol and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease' (2020), and 'Pathology: evolution not revolution' (2024). Awards include the AACB Roman Travelling Lecturer (2007), Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation Senior Medical Research Award (2012), Practitioner Fellowship from the Royal Perth Hospital Medical Research Foundation (2012-2015), AACB Outstanding Service Medallion (2021), JACC Elite Reviewer Award (2022), and Simon Dack Award for Outstanding Scholarship from the American College of Cardiology (2023). He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Pathology and was previously Editor-in-Chief of Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (2008-2012). Burnett has held extensive roles in the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, including State Councillor, Member of Council, Chair of the Chemical Pathology Advisory Committee, Chief Examiner in Chemical Pathology, and Chair of the RCPA Manual Steering Committee. His contributions advance good health and well-being.

Professional Email: john.burnett@health.wa.gov.au