Dr David A Aitken

BSc, PhD, FRCPath

Dr Aitken is a Consultant Clinical Scientist, Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow and Head of Biochemical Genetics in the Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics at Yorkhill.

He trained in Glasgow and after completing his PhD in the Institute of Genetics he moved to Holland as a Post Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics at Erasmus University in Rotterdam where he worked on the enzymatic diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism. He returned to Glasgow in 1978 and joined the Institute of Medical Genetics as a senior Clinical Scientist with responsibility for the development of the Biochemical Genetics service.

In his present capacity as Head of Biochemical Genetics he is Director of the Regional Prenatal Screening service which provides screening for neural tube defects and Down's syndrome for women in seven Health Boards in the west of Scotland.

He is also Director of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening laboratory service for Scotland which provides bloodspot testing for phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism and cystic fibrosis for all neonates.

Dr Aitken has published over 100 scientific papers in peer reviewed journals and continues to have an active role in research, development and teaching. His research group has been awarded over £1.0M of research funding over the last 20 years to support ongoing research in screening for abnormalities in the fetus and neonate.

He also provides a course of lectures on Biochemical Genetics to MSc students in the Institute and is currently supervisor for three PhD students.