Dr Brownlee is a consultant neurologist and clinical Lead for the multiple sclerosis service at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, and honorary associate professor at UCL Institute of Neurology.

He completed undergraduate and postgraduate training in Auckland, New Zealand before moving to London to undertake PhD studies. His thesis focused on the use of MRI to improve the diagnosis of MS, and the identification of prognostic markers on MRI to better understand long-term outcomes in people with MS.