Obituary, Professor Alistair Gunn

By Professor Laura Bennet, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland

University of Auckland Professor Alistair Jan Gunn, a pioneer of groundbreaking treatment studies in fetuses and newborns, died suddenly at Auckland hospital on 10 May at the age of 67. 

Alistair and I have been co-directors of the University's Fetal Physiology and Neuroscience Group.

Alongside his role as a research professor, Alistair had worked as a paediatrician in endocrinology at Starship Children’s Hospital since 1999.

He was a pre-eminent leader in fetal and neonatal perinatal neuroscience, a speciality focusing on babies' brain development from conception through their early days.

His pre-clinical and clinical studies led to the optimisation and implementation of brain cooling, now known as therapeutic hypothermia, for newborn babies who suffer from oxygen deprivation at birth.

The treatment involves chilling the brain for 72 hours after birth. This reduces the amount of oxygen the baby's brain needs, thereby potentially preventing further damage. It is currently the only standard international clinical therapy designed to reduce brain injury and improve infant survival.

It has saved countless lives and enabled millions of babies to thrive in this world without disability.

Work on this therapy is ongoing to expand its use to younger and less severely injured babies.

The Fetal Physiology and Neuroscience Group is also developing new treatments and methods for detecting when fetuses and newborns are at risk of brain injury.

Alistair’s research and clinical successes have been recognised by many awards and prizes.

He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2009, and received the MacDiarmid Medal in 2014 and the Health Research Council's prestigious Beaven Medal in 2017.

He and I received the NZ Association of Scientists' Shorland Medal in 2017, with colleagues Associate Professors Joanne Davidson and Justin Dean and Professor Colin Green.

In 2024, he was awarded the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Howard Williams Medal and he was recently made an honorary fellow of the USA-based Newborn Brain Society, for his outstanding contributions to our understanding and practice of neuroprotection of the newborn.

Alistair was a cherished colleague, friend and mentor. 

His colleagues remember him as curious, kind hearted and generous in sharing his skills and knowledge.

Many in the department will remember him occasionally walking down the corridors, a draft research paper in one hand, and a team member’s baby in the other, soothing their crying. He loved babies and they loved him, or his beard at least.

Colleagues around the world have sent messages of condolence and they all say the same thing: Al was a clever, kind guy with a unique sense of humour; his scientific insight, openness, and commitment to perinatal brain research and mentoring was an inspiration to us all.

He was a leading research star – a legend and will be sorely missed by all.

Alistair is survived by his wife, Diana, four children and four grandchildren.