My major research interest is in determining the genetic and epigenetic contribution to non-pathological age-related cognitive decline. I am interested in determining the type, number and specific genetic variants and proteins involved. I am also investigating genetic and epigenetic influences on the life-long trait of cognitive ability and personality traits and the influence of telomere length change, gene expression levels, protein levels and metabolites on cognitive and physical ageing. These studies are being performed using genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, cognitive, physical and personality data from surviving members of the Scottish Mental Surveys of 1932 and 1947, on whom there are mental ability scores available at the age of 11 years, and extensive, cognitive, personality, physical, social and biochemical data available from later life. I am also involved with several national and international collaborations, giving me access to data from numerous other cohorts with similar data including CHARGE and UK Biobank. My main skills are in the identification of genes and biological pathways based on experimental biology and bioinformatics, genotyping methodologies, and omic-phenotype statistical modelling, using software such as R, SPSS, PLINK and Mach2qtl.

MSc in Quantitative Genetics and Genome Analysis

1999 PhD (Expression and functional analysis of DMAHP/SIX5) University of Glasgow.

1994  BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Genetics) IIi, University of Leicester.

I am responsible for maintaining the genetic information in the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1921 and the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936 databases. I coordinate genetic studies within the Lothian Birth Cohorts group. I am responsible for all biological samples relating to the Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1921 and 1936.