Neurologist awarded first Rob Burrow professorship

Rob Burrow CBE's parents Geoff and Irene Burrow were among the first to congratulate Dr Cooper-Knock while visiting his MND research facilities

A world-leading neurologist and geneticist has become the first to be awarded a professorship named after the late rugby league player Rob Burrow.

Dr Johnathan Cooper-Knock, based at the University of Sheffield, has received the Professorship in Translational Neurobiology, which is funded by the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association

The award will fund his research into the condition for eight years, which he hopes will result in "at least one treatment in a clinical trial running [by 2028] and several more in the pipeline".

"We have some promising leads from our work already and I really feel we are on the cusp of something exciting," he said.

MND is a rapidly progressing, incurable disease which kills six people a day in the UK.

It affects the brain and spinal cord, attacking the nerves which control movement so muscles no longer work.

Former Leeds Rhinos and England player Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019.

Prior to his death in June 2024 he campaigned for better awareness and helped raise millions of pounds to fund research into the disease.

Rob Burrow CBE campaigned to raise awareness following his diagnosis for MND

Dr Brian Dickie, chief scientist at the MND Association said: "This award recognises Rob's drive to find effective treatments for MND and his determination to accelerate MND research so no one else would have to face the same diagnosis."

Dr Cooper-Knock, who is based at the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, said as part of his research he wanted explore "why the disease starts".

"We're taking a new approach - instead of only looking at the motor neurons - the cells that die - we're studying how they interact with every other cell around them," he said.

"Focusing on the whole picture is our best chance to find the hidden gene faults which can then become new drug targets to slow down or treat MND.

"With the incredible support of the MND Association and the Burrow family, I'm confident we are close to delivering real hope."

Burrow's father, Geoff, said funding for MND research gave the family hope that "one day there will be an end" to the disease.

He added: "Rob worked so hard to fundraise to help find treatments and I am so proud this Professorship, funded by the MND Association, is in his name."

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