Biography

Professor John Dunning is a consultant cardiac and transplant surgeon  based at Harefield Hospital, treating both NHS and private patients.

Professor Dunning was schooled in Edinburgh at George Watson’s College, and attended University in St Andrew’s and Manchester, qualifying with a B.Sc. in 1981 and an M.B., Ch.B. in 1984. Subsequently his general surgical training took place in Manchester and Leicester, with specialist cardiothoracic training at Groby Road Hospital, Leicester, Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, and The John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. 

Professor Dunning was appointed as a consultant surgeon at Papworth Hospital in 1994, and subsequently spent nearly four years as clinical director of the cardiothoracic surgical unit at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, before returning to Papworth in September 2007. He established the national pulmonary endarterectomy programme in Cambridge in 1996.

From 2019 to 2021, Professor Dunning worked at Tampa General Hospital as the surgical director of heart and lung transplantation and was appointed as endowed professor of cardiovascular research at Tampa General Hospital. 

In November 2021, Professor Dunning returned to the UK as director of the cardiothoracic transplantation & mechanical circulatory support service at Harefield Hospital where his practice includes all areas of adult cardiothoracic surgery, with major interests in cardiopulmonary transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, and surgery of the great vessels.

Areas of experise

Professor Dunning has expertise in a wide range of cardiac surgical procedures, including:

• Coronary artery bypass surgery
• Aortic valve surgery
• Aortic surgery
• Heart transplantation
• Lung transplantation
• Mechanical circulatory support including both short- and long-term VAD therapy

Publications

Professor Dunning has written over 130 peer-reviewed papers, reviews and editorials, as well as contributing to many book chapters.  He reviews articles submitted for publication in national and international journals.

Teaching

Professor Dunning is regularly invited to lecture and present original scientific work at national and international meetings for surgeons, anaesthetists and other professional groups allied to medicine.

He has also served on the examination panels for the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in the UK and in Australia.

Private patient referral

If you would like to make an appointment with this specialist for private care, contact the RB&HH Specialist care team.