Sue Burchill

Professor Sue Burchill is a leading academic in pediatric cancer research at the University of Leeds, affiliated with the School of Medicine under the Faculty of Medicine and Health. She serves as Scientific Director of the Children's Cancer Research Group (CCRG) at St James's University Hospital and leads multiple international biomarker initiatives in neuroblastoma and Ewing sarcoma.

Her research focuses on understanding metastatic, drug-resistant disease in childhood cancers, particularly neuroblastoma and sarcomas. She has pioneered work in circulating nucleic acid biomarkers for early detection, prognostication, and monitoring of minimal residual disease. Using both preclinical models and clinical samples, her group identifies molecular drivers of cancer progression and explores novel therapeutic targets. Her work is highly translational, aiming to improve clinical outcomes through better diagnostics and targeted treatments.

Sue Burchill is actively involved in major collaborative networks including SIOPEN, INRC, Euro Ewing 2012, rEECur, and INTER-EWING-1, and contributes to national research groups such as NCRI CCL Neuroblastoma, Sarcoma, and Bone Sarcoma subgroups. She plays a key role in shaping international standards for molecular monitoring and response criteria in pediatric oncology.

• American Association of Cancer Research
• British Association of Cancer Research
• Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group
• European Association of Cancer Research
• European International Society of Paediatric Oncology
• The Royal Society of Medicine

She supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research students and teaches on several postgraduate medical programs including MEDM5221M, MEDM5221MO1, MEDM5231M, MEDM5141M, and BIOL321501. Her leadership in multidisciplinary, collaborative research has established her as a central figure in advancing pediatric cancer therapeutics and diagnostics globally.