Shane Burch, MD, MS, FRCSC
Orthopedic surgeon
Dr. Shane Burch is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in treating spinal deformities, degenerative spine conditions and cancers involving the spine.
During his residency, Burch became interested in the treatment of spine disease and bone tumors that had metastasized (led to cancer elsewhere in the body). He identified the difficulty with current methods of managing metastatic bone disease and conceived the idea of treating these disorders with photodynamic therapy, which targets cancer using drugs that make cells sensitive to light combined with lasers or other sources of light. He has subsequently collaborated on specialized research with the University of Toronto and the Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis. In addition, he is investigating the role of vascular mechanisms in the development of scoliosis.
Burch earned his medical degree and completed a residency in orthopedics at the University of Toronto. He completed a spine fellowship at UCSF.
Burch is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.