Wesley Burks

Dr. Wesley Burks serves as the Dean of the UNC School of Medicine and the Chief Executive Officer of UNC HealthCare. He holds the position of Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he maintains an active clinical practice specializing in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

As an internationally renowned authority on food allergies, Dr. Burks has extensive expertise in anaphylaxis and reactions to peanut, egg, and milk exposure. His clinical practice also encompasses other childhood allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and eosinophilic esophagitis. Dr. Burks sees patients at UNC Hospitals Children's Specialty Clinics in Chapel Hill.

His research program focuses on several critical areas in food allergy:

• Investigating oral immunotherapy approaches for children with severe food hypersensitivities
• Developing methods to induce tolerance and desensitization in peanut allergy through oral, sublingual, and epicutaneous exposure
• Understanding the biological mechanisms of food allergy through bench and clinical research
• Developing mouse models for peanut allergy to investigate potential immune therapies

Dr. Burks' publication record demonstrates his significant contributions to advancing food allergy treatment. His recent work has focused on various immunotherapy approaches for peanut allergy, including oral, sublingual, and epicutaneous methods. He has also contributed to standardizing diagnostic protocols for food challenges and developing consensus guidelines for food allergy management.

Dr. Burks' educational background includes:

• Undergraduate studies at the University of Central Arkansas
• Medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (1980)
• Pediatrics residency at Arkansas Children's Hospital and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (1980-1983)
• Fellowship in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Duke University Medical Center

He maintains board certification in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Burks has served in editorial roles, including as Associate Editor for the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, and has been instrumental in developing major clinical guidelines for food allergy diagnosis and management through his work with the NIAID-sponsored expert panel.