Dr. Brendan Payne
“Understanding viral infection requires both clinical precision and mechanistic depth — knowing what a pathogen does to a patient, and what it does to a cell.”
Dual-Trained. NHS-Leading. Research-Active.
Dr. Brendan Payne is a Consultant Physician specialising in Infectious Diseases and Medical Virology at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust — one of the UK’s leading tertiary care institutions. Dual-trained in both clinical infectious diseases and laboratory medical virology, he has served as a consultant since 2015, working across clinical care, research, and medical education. His combined expertise across both disciplines is held by very few consultants in the UK.
He undertook his undergraduate medical training at the University of Nottingham, graduating with BMedSci and BMBS degrees, and completed postgraduate clinical and academic training in Newcastle and the Northern region. He subsequently earned his PhD through research in infectious diseases and medical virology, and holds dual Royal College membership — MRCP (Royal College of Physicians) and FRCPath (Royal College of Pathologists) — alongside the Diploma in HIV Medicine (DipHIVMed), reflecting specialist certification in HIV clinical care.
In addition to his clinical role, Dr. Payne is an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University and serves as a principal investigator at the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, where his work explores how HIV and long-term antiretroviral therapy affect mitochondrial function — a question with direct relevance to the long-term health of people ageing on modern ART regimens.
As a Medical Reviewer for Sunny Pharma®, Dr. Payne provides expert clinical oversight on HIV treatment education content, reviewing articles for accuracy against current DHHS, BHIVA, and WHO guidelines and the latest peer-reviewed evidence in antiretroviral pharmacotherapy.
Understanding viral infection requires both clinical precision and mechanistic depth — knowing what a pathogen does to a patient, and what it does to a cell. I apply that same rigour to every piece of content I review.
Field of Specialization
Dr. Payne’s clinical practice spans the full breadth of infectious diseases and medical virology. His recognized areas of subspecialty expertise include:
Wellcome Centre Research & Academic Work
Dr. Payne’s primary research programme, conducted at the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, investigates the mechanisms by which HIV infection and chronic antiretroviral therapy affect mitochondrial function. This work has direct clinical implications for understanding accelerated ageing, metabolic complications, and organ dysfunction in people living with HIV on long-term treatment.
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Mitochondrial Dysfunction, HIV, and Antiretroviral Therapy
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High-Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) Clinical Management
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Vaccine & Antiviral Clinical Trials
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Post-COVID Syndrome & ME/CFS Clinical Research
Review Standards & Editorial Transparency
All content reviewed by Dr. Brendan Payne for Sunny Pharma® is evaluated against current WHO HIV treatment guidelines, DHHS Adult ARV Treatment Guidelines, BHIVA guidelines, and the latest peer-reviewed evidence in antiretroviral pharmacotherapy and infectious disease management. Dr. Payne applies the same clinical rigour he uses in daily hospital practice at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring every reviewed article is factually accurate, appropriately caveated, and suitable for a patient-facing audience.
Dr. Payne has no financial relationships with any antiretroviral or antiviral pharmaceutical manufacturer. His compensation from Sunny Pharma® is a fixed review fee, independent of all commercial outcomes. He holds dual Royal College membership (MRCP and FRCPath) and maintains active registration with the General Medical Council (GMC).
Last credentials verified: March 2026 | LinkedIn: brendan-payne-11a07a112