Group members

Dr Raha Pazoki Raha Pazok MD PhD FHEA is a medical doctor and an epidemiologist. She studied Epidemiology at the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES) and in the University of Amsterdam. She worked with various cohort and case control studies such as the Arrhythmia Genetics in the Netherlands (AGNES), the Rotterdam Study, the Airwave Health Monitoring Study and the UK Bio bank. In 2016, she joined the Department of Epidemiology and Bio-statistics at Imperial College London as a Research Associate. In 2020, she started a Teaching & Research academic position at Brunel University London. Dr Pazoki specializes in the field of health data research, with a primary focus on the epidemiology of cardiometabolic diseases. She holds a particular interest in exploring causal inference and precision medicine by leveraging genomics and extensive health data sets with sample sizes exceeding 500,000 individuals. Her expertise spans various domains, including precision medicine, global health, interventions, and the application of artificial intelligence for predicting health outcomes. She harbors a keen interest in identification of the relationship between circulating molecules and biomarkers, nutrition, lifestyle choices, genetic factors, and their collective contribution to the modulation of health risk factors and outcomes. She was the first to identify 517 novel genetic loci associated with liver enzymes and the first to show the causal effect of liver dysfunction on cardiovascular diseases. In addition, she is the first to show the effect of the alcohol consumption WDPCP gene in lipid metabolism, and liver cirrhosis. (Genetic) Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases Big Data Genome-wide Association Studies Genetic risk scores Mendelian Randomization Machine Learning Dr Paozki is a founder and director of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Group hosting researchers and academics across Brunel university with direct or indirect research interest involving cardiometabolic aetiology, prevention, and health. We work in various areas to identify causes of cardiometabolic diseases (environmental, lifestyle, molecular, and clinical) and provide insight into how they interplay. We use the information for better prevention of cardiometabolic diseases in the community. If you are a MSc graduates (with upper second class degree or higher) in the relevant field to the above research area, please contact Dr Raha Pazoki (raha.pazoki@brunel.ac.uk). Postgraduate fees and funding | Brunel University London or Scholarships and Bursaries | Brunel University London and Other funding | Brunel University London Dr. Raha Pazoki's research is centered around health data science, with a strong emphasis on cardiometabolic diseases. 🔬 Key Research Themes Cardiometabolic Epidemiology Investigating the genetic and environmental determinants of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Studying conditions like hypertension, diabetes, liver dysfunction, and lipid metabolism. Genomics and Precision Medicine Utilizing large-scale genomic data (e.g., UK Biobank) to identify genetic loci associated with disease. She was the first to identify 517 novel genetic loci linked to liver enzymes and demonstrated their causal role in cardiovascular disease. Causal Inference in Epidemiology Applying Mendelian randomization and other causal inference techniques to understand the relationships between biomarkers, lifestyle factors, and disease outcomes. Lifestyle, Nutrition, and Biomarkers Exploring how diet, alcohol consumption, and other lifestyle factors interact with genetic predispositions to influence health. Artificial Intelligence in Health Prediction Leveraging AI and machine learning to predict health outcomes using large datasets. Global Health and Interventions Engaging in research that informs public health interventions and policies, especially in the context of global health disparities. Dr. Raha Pazoki is addressing several critical problems in public health and biomedical science, particularly in the context of cardiometabolic diseases. Here's a breakdown of the problems she's tackling and why they matter: 🧩 Problems She’s Solving Understanding Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors Problem: Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (like heart disease, diabetes, and liver dysfunction) are influenced by a complex interplay of genetic and lifestyle factors. Her Work: She identifies both genetic variants and non-genetic contributors (e.g., diet, alcohol, physical activity) that increase disease risk. Causal Inference in Epidemiology Problem: Observational studies often show associations, but not causation. Her Work: She uses Mendelian randomization to determine whether certain biomarkers or behaviors cause disease, rather than just correlate with it. Improving Disease Prediction and Prevention Problem: Current risk prediction models often lack precision, especially across diverse populations. Her Work: By integrating genomic data with clinical and lifestyle information, she helps build more accurate, personalized prediction tools. Bridging the Gap Between Big Data and Clinical Practice Problem: Despite the explosion of health data, translating it into actionable insights remains a challenge. Her Work: She applies AI and machine learning to large datasets (e.g., UK Biobank) to uncover patterns that can inform public health interventions and clinical guidelines. 🌍 Why It Matters Public Health Impact: Cardiometabolic diseases are leading causes of death globally. Understanding their root causes can lead to better prevention strategies and reduced healthcare costs. Equity in Healthcare: Her work helps ensure that genetic research benefits diverse populations. Scientific Rigor: By focusing on causal relationships, her research improves the reliability of health recommendations. Policy and Practice: Her findings can inform national health policies, especially around lifestyle interventions and early screening. Dr. Raha Pazoki’s research has significant clinical and societal applications, particularly in the prevention, early detection, and personalized treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. Here's how her work translates into real-world impact: 🏥 Clinical Applications Personalized Risk Prediction By integrating genetic data with lifestyle factors, her research helps develop precision medicine tools that can predict an individual’s risk for conditions like hypertension, liver disease, and cardiovascular disease. Example: Her work on genetic liabilities and hypertension using machine learning improves how clinicians classify and manage high blood pressure. Causal Insights for Treatment Using Mendelian randomization, she identifies causal relationships between biomarkers (like liver enzymes or alcohol-related genes) and diseases. This helps clinicians target the right pathways for intervention. Improved Screening and Diagnostics Her findings on gene-diet interactions and biomarker profiles can inform screening guidelines, especially for at-risk populations, enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses . 🌍 Societal Applications Public Health Policy Her research supports evidence-based policies on alcohol consumption, nutrition, and physical activity by showing how these factors interact with genetics to influence disease risk. Health Equity By analyzing large, diverse datasets like the UK Biobank, she contributes to more inclusive health research, ensuring that findings are applicable across different ethnic and socioeconomic groups. AI in Healthcare Her use of artificial intelligence to analyze complex health data helps automate and scale health risk assessments, making them more accessible in both high- and low-resource settings . Education and Capacity Building As a senior lecturer and research leader, she trains the next generation of scientists in data-driven, ethical, and impactful health research. Dr. Raha Pazoki’s research is already showing real-world outcomes and holds strong near-future potential in both clinical and public health domains. ✅ Real-World Outcomes Stroke Risk Prediction Using Genetics and AI In a recent study, Dr. Pazoki and her team demonstrated that incorporating genetic liability scores into machine learning models significantly improves the prediction of stroke risk. This model, using UK Biobank data, showed that individuals with higher genetic risk had a 14% increased risk of stroke. The best-performing model achieved an AUC of 69.5, indicating strong predictive power. Discovery of Genetic Loci for Liver Enzymes She was the first to identify 517 novel genetic loci associated with liver enzymes, and showed their causal role in cardiovascular disease .This discovery is already influencing how researchers and clinicians understand liver function as a predictive biomarker for heart disease. Alcohol-Related Genetic Insights Her work on the WDPCP gene revealed its role in alcohol metabolism and its link to liver cirrhosis and lipid disorders, which could inform personalized lifestyle recommendations and early intervention. 🔮 Near-Future Potential Precision Medicine Tools Her research is paving the way for genetically-informed clinical decision-making, where a patient’s genetic profile could guide personalized prevention and treatment plans for cardiometabolic diseases. AI-Driven Health Risk Platforms By combining AI with genomics, her models could be integrated into clinical software to help GPs and specialists identify high-risk patients earlier, especially for stroke, liver disease, and hypertension. Public Health Interventions Her findings on the interaction between lifestyle and genetic risk can inform targeted public health campaigns, especially in populations with high genetic susceptibility to certain diseases. Global Health Equity Her use of large, diverse datasets ensures that these tools and insights are applicable across ethnicities, helping reduce health disparities in genomic medicine. Dr. Raha Pazoki’s work significantly advances our understanding of health, ageing, and wellbeing, particularly through the lens of genomics, lifestyle, and precision medicine. Here's how her research contributes to these areas: 🧠 Improving Understanding Genetic and Lifestyle Interactions Her studies reveal how genetic predispositions interact with lifestyle factors like physical activity, diet, and alcohol consumption to influence ageing-related conditions such as hypertension, liver dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease . Causal Pathways in Ageing Diseases By applying Mendelian randomization, she identifies causal relationships between biomarkers (e.g., liver enzymes, lipid levels) and age-related diseases, helping to clarify which factors are true drivers of decline in health . 🩺 Enhancing Treatment and Prevention Precision Medicine for Ageing Populations Her work supports the development of personalized treatment strategies by integrating genetic risk scores with clinical and lifestyle data. This is especially valuable for older adults, who often have complex, multi-factorial health profiles. Early Detection of Age-Related Conditions Her research on biomarkers and genetic loci enables earlier identification of individuals at risk for diseases like stroke, liver cirrhosis, and metabolic syndrome—conditions that become more prevalent with age . Lifestyle-Based Interventions She has shown that physical activity can mitigate genetic risk for conditions like hypertension, offering actionable insights for public health and individual prevention strategies . 🌍 Promoting Wellbeing and Healthy Ageing Data-Driven Public Health Her findings inform public health campaigns that promote healthy behaviours tailored to genetic risk, supporting longer, healthier lives. Reducing Health Inequities By using large, diverse datasets, her work ensures that genomic insights are inclusive, helping to close gaps in health outcomes across different populations. AI for Ageing Research She applies machine learning to predict health outcomes in ageing populations, enabling scalable, cost-effective tools for monitoring and intervention

Professor Christina Victor Christina joined Brunel in October 2009. She is Professor of Gerontology and Public Health in the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences and Associate PVC-Research Culture and Governance. She is also Chair of the University Research Ethics Committee. Christina started her academic career as a geographer with a particular interest in the spatial distribution of health and illness and access to, and provision of, health and social care. She has a BA in Geography from Swansea University and an M Phil in medical geography from Nottingham. It was whilst working at the Medical School in Cardiff that she developed her interests in gerontology and her PhD investigated outcome after discharge for older people in Wales and she now focuses her interests in public health/population medicine on to the experiences of old age and later life. She has a special interest in researching loneliness and isolation. Christina’s initial research interests were focussed upon health and health inequalities and the evaluation of services for older people. More recently she developed a keen interest in loneliness and isolation; the benefits of exercise and activity in later life and the experiences of old age and later life amongst minority communities and the experience of ageing for people with intellectual disabilities. She has received funding for her research from a range of funders including ESRC, NIHR, Dunhill Medical Trust, Leverhulme and the British Academy. Christina has written over 400 peer reviewed articles and published 8 books in the field of gerontology. She is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences. In 2017 Christina was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award of the British Society of Gerontology and awarded Fellowship of the Gerontological Society of America. Her work has been cited 27,000 times and her H idex is 83. She has 3 articles in the list of the 100 most cited articles in the field of loneliness and is ranked as one of the top 100 social science and humanities researchers in the UK. Qualifications: PhD, M Phil, BA Ageing and later life Wellbeing across the lifecourse Loneliness and isolation My principal research interests are focussed around understanding the social context of ageing and later life. More specifically I have specialist interests around loneliness and social isolation in later life; care and caring; growing old amongst minority communities; physical activity, exercise and later life and the use of secondary data analysis in gerontological research. I also am active in the broad areas of service evaluation, health inequalities and public health aspects of old age and population ageing, especially in the developing world. Teaching Responsibilities: Contributor to research methods and evidence based public health modules Contribute to modules focusing upon older people MSc Dissertation supervisor

Professor Louise Mansfield Career History Louise Mansfield is Professor of Sport, Health and Social Sciences and Vice Dean for Research in the College of Health Medicine and Life Sciences. She is Director of the Centre for Health and Wellbeing across the Lifecourse. Her research focuses on the relationship between sport, physical activity and public health and wellbeing. Louise's expertise are in partnership and community approaches in sport and physical activity and issues of health, wellbeing, inequality and diversity. She has led research projects for the Department of Health, Youth Sport Trust, sportscotland, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, Macmillan Cancer Support, Public Health England and Sport England. She sits on the editorial boards for Leisure Studies, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health and the International Review for the Sociology of Sport and is Managing Editor of Annals of Leisure Research. Louise is known for developing evidence to inform policy and practice. Community approaches to sport, public health and wellbeing Sociology of sport; gender and feminist theories, social inequalities, public health and wellbeing, coproduction and partnership Qualitative research methods and process evaluations Intervention and evaluation strategies in community sport research Evidence reviews for research, policy and practice including focus on qualitative synthesis Translation, dissemination and mobilisation of evidence strategies and practices for UK and international sport and culture sector audiences in policy and practice and both academic and non-academic organisations. Community sport, physical activity and public health and wellbeing. Sociology of sport and social inequalities. Participatory and coproduction strategies and methods in developing evidence to inform policy and practice in the culture and sports sectors. I am a Fellow of the HE Academy. I embrace a research led teaching approach. My teaching skills have been established in both further and higher education and I hold postgraduate teaching qualifications. I advocate a teaching philosophy that embraces a mix of styles from the traditional large lecture to more interactive student-led approaches using new technology. I have designed and delivered a range of modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level that draw from across theoretical and methodological perspectives in the social sciences to understand sport, physical activity, health and well-being and I continue to engage in on-going curriculum developments in those fields.

Dr Daniel Bailey Dr Daniel Bailey is a Reader in Sedentary Behaviour and Health in the Division of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Department of Life Sciences. He is Director of the Centre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease after previously establishing and leading the Sedentary Behaviour, Health and Disease Research Group. Dr Bailey's research investigates the relationship between sedentary behaviour and chronic health conditions, with a particular focus on non-communicable disease. This research includes the epidemiology of sedentary behaviour and associations with non-communicable disease risks, controlled laboratory studies examining the acute effects of breaking up prolonged sitting on cardiometabolic biomarkers, and the development and evaluation of interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity in a range of population groups and long-term conditions including Type 2 diabetes, office workers, spinal cord injury, and frailty. Dr Bailey has been awarded multiple research grants from funding bodies and industry partners to support his research and has published a large number of research articles in his field of research. He has delivered multiple conference presentations and invited talks across the UK and Europe and was Technical Advisor for the Qatar National Physical Activity Guidelines 2nd edition, 2021. Dr Bailey is Chair of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Physical Activity for Health Division and was Chair of the BASES 2024 Conference Planning Group. Dr Bailey was also a member of the scientific global leadership committee for the 8th International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) Congress. Dr Bailey has a wealth of experience teaching physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health topics at undergraduate and postgraduate level and uses innovative teaching approaches in his practice including research-informed teaching, bleneded and authentic learning, and flipped classrooms. Dr Bailey's research investigates the relationship between sedentary behaviour and long-term health conditions with examples being cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, sarcopenia and Fabry disease. His research has spanned from the epidemiological analyses of sedentary behaviour and chronic disease risk, laboratory-based studies examining the benefits of breaking up prolonged sitting time on markers of health to provide proof-of-concept, leading to the development and evaluation of interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour. Dr Bailey has established an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional network of collaborators to deliver this programme of research. His research has been conducted in a range of population groups and settings, including young people, workplaces, people with Type 2 diabetes, spinal cord injury, older adults with frailty and sarcopenia, cardiac rehabilitation patients and police officers. This has been facilitated with external partners such as local councils, the NHS, police forces, health charities and community organisations. Dr Bailey’s research has shown that high amounts of daily sitting time are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. He has also published a large number of studies showing that regularly breaking up sitting time with short, frequent bouts of light, moderate or high-intensity physical activity leads to improvements in a range of metabolic biomarkers including blood glucose, lipid levels and blood pressure. His first laboratory based study published in 2014 was the first to show postprandial glucose attenuation in response to breaking up sitting time with light-intensity walking in young healthy adults. This paper has received over 430 citations on google scholar as of May 2024. Dr Bailey has led successful research grant applications to various funding bodies to support his research, such as: MPS Society, Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the enhancement of mental health and quality of life in Fabry disease, £84,007. Diabetes UK, A tailored intervention to reduce sitting behaviour in people with Type 2 Diabetes: A randomised-controlled feasibility study, £137,510. Abbeyfield Research Foundation, Reducing sarcopenia and maintaining independent living in frail older adults via reductions in sitting time: The Frail-LESS (LEss Sitting and Sarcopenia in Frail older adults) intervention, £73,247. Heart Research UK, The benefits of breaking up prolonged sedentary time on cardiovascular disease risk markers in people with spinal cord injury, £86,434. He has also supervised a number of PhD students to completion in addition to supervising current PhD students studying in fields related to physical activity, sedentary behaviour and long-term health conditions.