Acting
John A. Lee
Acting
Biography
John Andre Lee is an English consultant histopathologist at Rotherham General Hospital and clinical professor of pathology at Hull York Medical School. Lee gained his medical degree, a BSc and a PhD in physiology at University College London. He is most notable to the wider public as co-presenter (with Gunther von Hagens) of Anatomy for Beginners (screened in the UK on Channel 4 in 2005), Autopsy: Life and Death (Channel 4, 2006) and Autopsy: Emergency Room (Channel 4, 2007). In the first series, various aspects human anatomy were explored, with von Hagens dissecting cadavers to illustrate certain points. In the later series particular diseases were highlighted and explained, again with dissections of cadavers, allowing direct observation of the symptoms in humans. During these programmes, Lee provided the background information about, and elucidation regarding, von Hagens' ongoing dissections. In essence, he was used to 'cut away' whilst the less telegenic parts of the dissection proceeded. This background information was usually shown on a television monitor and ensured that the audience could follow the doctors as they worked. Further anatomical and medical information was demonstrated on live models (naked persons with the relevant internal organs drawn and/or projected on to their body). He is a distinguished supporter of the British Humanist Association. On 15 September 2010, Lee, along with 54 other public figures, signed an open letter published in The Guardian, stating their opposition to Pope Benedict XVI's state visit to the UK.
Television & Series (1)
Anatomy for Beginners is a television show created by Gunther von Hagens. In this 4-part series, Dr Gunther von Hagens and Professor John Lee demonstrated the anatomical structure and workings of the body. The 4 episodes were screened in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 in 2005. The show features public anatomy demonstrations with the use of real human cadavers and live nude models, carried out at Gunther von Hagens' "Institute for Plastination" in Heidelberg, Germany. Dr von Hagens’ public demonstrations are not formal anatomy dissections performed by medical students in some countries as part of their medical training. Formal dissection are performed slowly and take dozens of hours of dissection. Anatomy for Beginners performs quicker autopsy and also combines with demonstration of plastinated body parts and specimens to gives just a glimpse of the human anatomy. The individuals on whom the demonstration was performed had, before their death, enrolled on von Hagens’ body donor programme and consented to the use of their bodies for public education in anatomy, including public demonstration.