# Robert D. Burgoyne
Robert Burgoyne (R.D. Burgoyne) is a neuroscientist and physiologist, Emeritus Professor of Physiology at the [University of Liverpool](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-liverpool), known for his work on calcium-regulated exocytosis (process by which cells release contents outside their membrane) and on the [neuronal calcium sensor](https://www.edgepedia.org/neuronal-calcium-sensor) (NCS) proteins. His listed fields of scholarship are calcium signaling, calcium-binding proteins, exocytosis, neuronal function, neurodegeneration, and membrane traffic.[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) He was elected to Academia Europaea in 2001 and, according to the Academy of Medical Sciences, to that academy in 2002.[2](https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Professor-Robert-Burgoyne-0006102)
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Field | Calcium signaling, exocytosis, neuroscience, physiology[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) |
| Position | Emeritus Professor of Physiology, University of Liverpool (from 2018)[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) |
| Training | B.Sc. Bacteriology (1974) and Ph.D. Microbiology (1977), University of Birmingham[3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne) |
| Liverpool career | Lecturer 1983; Personal Chair 1990; Head of School 2004–2009; Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor 2015–2017[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) |
| Model system | Adrenal chromaffin cells, later the nematode *Caenorhabditis elegans*[2](https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Professor-Robert-Burgoyne-0006102) |
| Signature work | "Control of exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells", *Biochimica et Biophysica Acta*, 1991[4](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/030441579190024Q) |
| Honours | Demuth Award 1988; Academia Europaea 2001; Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences 2002[5](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert/CV) |
## Early life and education
Burgoyne was born in 1953.[5](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert/CV) He took a B.Sc. in [Bacteriology](https://www.edgepedia.org/bacteriology) at the [University of Birmingham](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-birmingham) in 1974 and a Ph.D. in [Microbiology](https://www.edgepedia.org/microbiology) there in 1977.[3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne)
He then held two postdoctoral positions: in the Department of Biology at the [Open University](https://www.edgepedia.org/open-university) from 1977 to 1980, and at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, from 1980 to 1983, where he was a Member of Scientific Staff.[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) • [3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne)
## Career at the University of Liverpool
He joined Liverpool as a Lecturer in 1983 and was promoted through Senior Lecturer and Reader to a Personal Chair in 1990, as Professor of Physiology.[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) In 1994 he was Founding Director of the first [Wellcome Trust](https://www.edgepedia.org/wellcome-trust) 4-year PhD program in Liverpool.[3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne) He was Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences from 2004 to 2009, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences from 2010 to 2015, and Executive Pro-Vice-[Chancellor](https://www.edgepedia.org/chancellor) for that faculty from 2015 to 2017.[3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne) • [1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) He became Emeritus Professor in 2018 and became Emeritus Honorary Professor and a Non Executive Director at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) • [3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne)
His laboratory was funded by the [Biotechnology](https://www.edgepedia.org/biotechnology) and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).[6](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne/research)
## Research on calcium-regulated exocytosis
Burgoyne built his career on a model for calcium-regulated exocytosis using adrenaline secretion from adrenal chromaffin cells, the hormone-releasing cells of the adrenal medulla. The Academy of Medical Sciences credits him with major contributions to the mechanisms underlying calcium-regulated exocytosis and assesses that this model is generally applicable to hormone release in neuroendocrine and endocrine cells and to neurotransmitter release from synapses.[2](https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Professor-Robert-Burgoyne-0006102)
According to the 1991 review "Control of exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells" in *Biochimica et Biophysica Acta*, the chromaffin cell served as his laboratory's model system for exocytosis.[4](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/030441579190024Q) His laboratory went on to study mammalian Munc18-1 and cysteine string protein, and uses *C. elegans* to study UNC-18, the worm orthologue of Munc18-1, in work on how synaptic proteins protect neurons from age-related neurodegeneration.[6](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne/research)
## Neuronal calcium sensor proteins
The second strand of his research concerns the neuronal calcium sensor proteins, a family of calcium-binding proteins that includes NCS-1 and the KChIPs. His laboratory investigates the physiological roles of NCS-1 and related family members, including the KChIPs, which regulate the traffic of Kv4 potassium channels.[6](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne/research) A 2004 review in *Biochimica et Biophysica Acta* covered the NCS family of Ca²⁺-binding proteins.[8](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2004.08.008) A 2012 review in *Molecular Brain* set out the position that members of the NCS family have multiple non-redundant roles in the nervous system.[9](https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3000899/) A 2015 review in *Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Molecular Cell Research* argued that the specificity of calcium signaling arises from the properties of calcium sensor proteins and the nature of their interactions with target proteins, which mediate unique patterns of regulation.[10](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4728190/)
Methodologically, his group uses biochemical and structural approaches including NMR to identify interacting proteins, and visualizes the calcium-myristoyl switch of NCS proteins in live cells using fluorescent-tagged proteins.[6](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne/research)
## Representative work
"Neuronal calcium sensor proteins: generating diversity in neuronal Ca2+ signalling", published in *Nature Reviews Neuroscience* in 2007, covered how NCS proteins generate diversity in neuronal calcium signaling, and is his most cited review.[11](https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2093)
## Honors and professional recognition
Burgoyne received the Drs. C. & F. Demuth Swiss Medical Research Foundation's Annual International Award for Young Investigators in the Neurosciences in 1988.[5](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert/CV) He was elected a Member of Academia Europaea in 2001, in the [Physiology](https://www.edgepedia.org/physiology) & [Neuroscience](https://www.edgepedia.org/neuroscience) section, and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2002, listed as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Liverpool.[1](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert) • [2](https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Professor-Robert-Burgoyne-0006102) He is a member of the Neuronal Signalling Group at Liverpool.[3](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne)
## References
1. [Academy of Europe: Burgoyne Robert](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert)
2. [Professor Robert Burgoyne | The Academy of Medical Sciences](https://acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/fellow/Professor-Robert-Burgoyne-0006102)
3. [Robert D Burgoyne | Our people | University of Liverpool](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne)
4. [Control of exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells (Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1991)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/030441579190024Q)
5. [Academy of Europe: CV, Robert Burgoyne](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Burgoyne_Robert/CV)
6. [Robert D Burgoyne | Research | University of Liverpool](https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/robert-burgoyne/research)
7. [BBSRC grant record BB/J005843/1](https://gow.bbsrc.ukri.org/grants/AwardDetails.aspx?FundingReference=BB%2FJ005843%2F1)
8. [The neuronal calcium-sensor proteins (Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 2004)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2004.08.008)
9. [Understanding the physiological roles of the neuronal calcium sensor proteins (Molecular Brain, 2012)](https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3000899/)
10. [Sense and specificity in neuronal calcium signalling (Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 2015)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4728190/)
11. [Neuronal calcium sensor proteins: generating diversity in neuronal Ca2+ signalling (Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2007)](https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2093)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Life and health scientists › Life scientists › Researchers in neuroscience › Cellular and synaptic physiology › Synaptic transmission and plasticity*
*Initially written Sep 21, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 25, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 25, 2026*
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