Background
Gusterson, Barry Austin was born on October 24, 1946 in Colchester, Essex, England. Son of Joseph Austin and Doris Edith Gusterson.
Gusterson, Barry Austin was born on October 24, 1946 in Colchester, Essex, England. Son of Joseph Austin and Doris Edith Gusterson.
Gusterson was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physiology at Street Bartholomew"s Hospital. He then earned a dental degree at the Royal Dental Hospital and a medical degree at Street Bartholomew’s Hospital. He also studied at the Institute for Cancer He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy on opiate receptors at the Ludwig Institute, and his MRCPath, while training at the Royal Marsden Hospital.
Prior to this he was Founding Director of the Toby Robins Breakthrough Breast Cancer Centre at the Institute of Cancer and Professor of Pathology and Head of the Section of Molecular Pathology at the Institute of Cancer Gusterson held posts in medicine and surgery at Street Bartholow’s Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and was appointed as Professor of Histopathology at the Institute of Cancer and Consultant at the Royal Marsden Hospital in 1986. Whilst at the Institute he held a number of senior positions, including Chairman of the Section of Cell Biology and Experimental Pathology. He initiated the concept to build the first dedicated breast cancer research centre and was appointed Founding Director of the Toby Robins, Breakthrough Breast Cancer Centre in 1998.
In 2000 he moved to Glasgow University, where he held a number of positions as Professor of Pathology, Head of Forensic Science and Medicine, initiator and Director of the Glasgow Biobank.
As Associate Dean for in the Medical faculty and Head of Cancer Sciences he restructured cancer sciences, which brought Glasgow up to 4th in the United Kingdom in the Assessment Exercise. He chaired the pan-Glasgow pathology Committee that resulted in the unification of all pathology departments across Glasgow and Clyde into a new purpose built building at the Southern General Hospital.
Gusterson’s interests have been predominantly aimed at understanding the biology of head and neck cancer and breast cancer, with some earlier studies on soft tissue sarcomas. He has studied normal breast and breast development.
Since retiring his research interests continue in these areas.
Gusterson initiated two cancer centres, which developed as major fund-raising projects in which he played a key role as the clinical lead. These resulted in the building of the Toby Robins Breakthrough Breast Cancer Centre at the Institute of Cancer in London and the Wolfson Wohl Cancer Centre at Glasgow University.
Founding director member Breakthrough Breast Cancer, London, 1987—2000. Fellow Pathol. Society Great Britain and Ireland (committee, Oakley lecturer 1986). Member British Society Cell Biology.
Married Ann Josephine Davies, December 2, 1972. Children: Philip, Rosalind, Ruth.