Epidemiology & Public Health
The Epidemiology and Public Health Group examines upstream and downstream determinants of the health of the public i.e. those acting at the level of society and those relating to individuals. Strengths of the group are in cardiovascular disease and diabetes epidemiology, the social determinants of public health including physical health and mental health, administrative data research, rare diseases, the development and translation of public health interventions and increasingly in complex methodologies such as Causal Inference and Agent Based Modelling.
The group has a wide network of international collaborations. Our researchers are members of the management committees of large consortia for the study of cardiovascular disease in large cohorts across Europe (“MORGAM”). The PRIME Study, a prospective study of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in middle-aged men has been active since 1980. An underlying theme which has emerged strongly in the recent years has been research on ageing with our own new large cohort study, the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) funded by OFMDFM, UKCRC, ESRC and Atlantic Philanthropies; and a Europe wide intervention addressing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in older adults ("SITLESS"). Our researchers also contribute to CPIT III, a multi-centre phase III randomised controlled trial, which will compare smoking cessation rates in late pregnancy and 6 months post-partum between women offered routine NHS stop smoking support and those offered the same NHS support plus additional financial incentives.
The Centre is a member of HEPA Europe, a European network of experts on physical activity for health, which works closely with the European section of the World Health Organisation.
Methodological research in the group has been strengthened through the recent award by the ESRC of the Administrative Data Research Centre for Northern Ireland – a collaboration of both Universities and the Northern Ireland Statistics Research Agency.
Professor Amy Jayne McKnight
Epidemiology and Public Health Research Group Co-Lead
Professor Ruth Hunter
Epidemiology and Public Health Research Group Co-Lead
The current academic staff members of the Epidemiology and Public Health Research Group are outlined below:
Academic Staff
Professor AJ McKnight (Research Group Co-Lead)
Professor Ruth Hunter (Research Group Co-Lead)
Postdoctoral Research Fellows:
Dr Emma Cassinelli
Students
Ghada Abozaid: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Towards Accessibility for Rare Diseases RD(s) Therapies in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Nawab Ali: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Developing Patient Registers and Mapping Genetic Disorders in Northern Ireland: Integrating Electronic Health Records, Genetic Testing and Role of Artificial Intelligence
Noura Almoither: Principal Supervisor: Dr Joe Kane
PhD Title: The incidence and risk factors of common mental health problems among women in Saudi Arabia
Samuel Bell: Principal Supervisor: Dr Gareth McKay
PhD Title: Why do some kidney diseases recur following kidney transplantation? A review of glomerulonephritis in Northern Ireland (NI) and assessment of the implications for recurrent glomerulonephritis in kidney transplant recipients.
Helena Brown: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: To maximise participation of paediatric patients with rare kidney conditions in clinical trials
Sarah Brown: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Innovative Multiomic Approaches to Improve Early Detection and Diagnosis of Rare Kidney Conditions: A Transdisciplinary Approach
Rabia Butt: Principal Supervisor: Dr Leandro Garcia
PhD Title: Reducing Health Inequalities and Improving Care Pathways for Head and Neck Cancer in Northern Ireland: A Mixed-method, Systems-based Approach
Sinead Donnelly: Principal Supervisor: Professor Peter Passmore
PhD Title: Which symptoms matter most to people affected by dementia with Lewy bodies?
Michael Corr: Principal Supervisor: Dr Gareth McKay
PhD Title: Why Do Kidney Transplants Fail So Early in Young People?
Rebecca Egerton: Principal Supervisor: Dr Emma Cunningham
PhD Title: Predictors of cognitive resilience in longitudinal cohort studies
Ruth Fergie: Principal Supervisor: Dr Emma Cunningham
PhD Title: Frailty: Why does it matter in Kidney Transplantation?
Gemma Ferguson: Principal Supervisor: Dr Fionnuala Mone
PhD Title: Establishing an optimal first trimester aneuploidy screening approach – a mixed methods implementation science study
Sophie Glover: Principal Supervisor: Dr Emma Cunningham
PhD Title: Molecular profiling of urban environmental impacts: understanding the biology underlying environmental stress and identifying biomarkers of resilience to non-communicable diseases
Kelly Gow: Principal Supervisor: Dr Aideen Maguire
PhD Title: Understanding self-harm and suicide in Northern Ireland: a quantitative data linkage approach
Lucy Hickson: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Data-driven Discoveries to Support Diagnosis and Treatment of Rare Diseases
Jacob Illyuk: Principle Supervisor: Professor Ruth Hunter
PhD Title: Understanding the Molecular Biology Underlying Environmental Exposure and Identifying Biomarkers of Resilience to Non-communicable Diseases
Turlough Maguire: Principal Supervisor: Dr Bernadette McGuinness
PhD Title: A mixed methods project exploring the use and risks associated with overactive bladder (OAB) medication in adult women in Northern Ireland
Callum Mitchell: Principal Supervisor: Dr Lynsey Patterson
PhD Title: Using data science to understand childhood vaccine uptake and inform interventions in Northern Ireland
Claire Potter: Principal Supervisor: Dr Bernadette McGuinness
PhD Title: The ELECTRA Study: Early Life strEss, CogniTive Resilience and Ageing
Mariam Prasad: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Ethical, legal, social considerations for genetic testing and treatment of rare diseases
Katie Quinn: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Exploring the impact of Fragile X Syndrome
Carys Räsänen-Young: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Molecular profiling and social circumstances: promoting health across three countries
Kelly Reilly: Principal Supervisor: Dr Fionnuala Mone
PhD Title: Assessment of cardiovascular biomarkers in the maternal and fetal circulation in cardiac disease & pre-eclampsia – a cohort study
Louis Simon: Principal Supervisor: Professor Ruth Hunter
PhD Title: Understanding invasive species and risks to human health as the environment and climate changes
Sarah Sonner: Principal Supervisor: Dr Fionnuala Mone
PhD Title: Obtaining a genetic Diagnostic Yield via assessment of in-utero Scan findings prior to the introduction of SEquencing retrospectivelY (ODYSSEY) – a cohort study
May Surridge-Smith: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Multiomic signatures associated with healthy ageing and age-related conditions
Shea Walsh: Principal Supervisor: Professor Ruth Hunter
PhD Title: Exploring the impact of biodiversity actions on human health in our cities
Christopher Wooster: Principal Supervisor: Professor AJ McKnight
PhD Title: Exploring Incidence, Prevalence, and Molecular Risk Factors for Rare Kidney Diseases
Georgia Williams: Principal Supervisor: Professor Ruth Hunter
PhD Title: Buzz Off! Understanding Public Perceptions of Vector Borne Disease and Control in the UK to Inform Public Health Interventions
Ebru Yilmaz: Principal Supervisor: Dr David Wright
PhD Title: Using Data Science and Systems Engineering to Plan Patient-centred Outpatient Healthcare Services