Following his graduation from The University of Queensland in 1977, Dr Charles Appleton was employed as a resident medical officer at the Royal Brisbane Hospital (RBH). In 1980, he moved into the role of Registrar in pathology at RBH, becoming an acting Assistant Chemical Pathologist.

Dr Appleton joined QML Pathology in 1985 as Chemical Pathologist and was subsequently appointed Partner in Charge of Biochemistry. In 2003 he was appointed as Pathologist in Charge of Biochemistry.

His special interests include the use of computers in pathology result interpretation and reporting, legal aspects of drug testing, inborn errors of metabolism, and calcium metabolism.