Dr Jill McKay

Associate Professor

Department: Applied Sciences

After completing her first degree in Medical Microbiology at Newcastle University, Jill joined the Human Nutrition Research Centre at Newcastle to undertake a PhD in Molecular Nutrition under the supervision of Prof. John Mathers. Jill continued her career at Newcastle University as a post-doctoral researcher and subsequently Lecturer in Molecular Epidemiology before joining Northumbria University as Senior Lecturer in 2018.

As a PhD student and post-doctoral researcher, Jill’s research interests focused on the developmental origins of health and disease. In this area she had a specific focus towards understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying associations observed between sub-optimum nutrition during early development and adverse adult health. During her early career, she utilised animal models and human cohorts to investigate these associations, using a range of molecular techniques including gene expression analysis (candidate specific and transcriptomic approaches), epigenetic analysis (DNA methylation assessment at the candidate and methylomic level) and genotyping.

In her role as lecturer, Jill’s portfolio expanded to include interests in the developmental origins of childhood cancer (with specific interests in leukaemia) and obesity. More recently she has begun to develop mechanistic and long term outcome studies to help understand the underlying mechanisms and risk factors associated with treatment related toxicities and long term adverse effects for childhood cancer survivors.

Campus Address

447 Northumberland Building

Email Jill

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Folate, folic acid, and chemotherapy-induced toxicities: A systematic literature review, Zwart, N., Franken, M., Tissing, W., Lubberman, F., McKay, J., Kampman, E., Kok, D. 1 Aug 2023, In: Critical reviews in oncology/hematology
Anti-cancer therapy is associated with long-term epigenomic changes in childhood cancer survivors, Robinson, N., Casement, J., Gunter, M., Huybrechts, I., Agudo, A., Barranco, M., Eichelmann, F., Johnson, T., Kaaks, R., Pala, V., Panico, S., Sandanger, T., Schultze, M., Travis, R., Tumino, R., Vineis, P., Weiderpass, E., Skinner, R., Sharp, L., McKay, J., Strathdee, G. 20 Jul 2022, In: British Journal of Cancer
Impact of in Utero Folate Exposure on Dna Methylation and Its Potential Relevance for Later‐Life Health – Evidence from Mouse Models Translated to Human Cohorts, Kok, D., Richmond, R., Adriaens, M., Evelo, C., Ford, D., Mathers, J., Robinson, N., McKay, J. 1 Feb 2022, In: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
Childhood DNA methylation as a marker of early life rapid weight gain and subsequent overweight, Robinson, N., Brown, H., Antoun, E., Godfrey, K., Hanson, M., Lillycrop, K., Crozier, S., Murray, R., Pearce, M., Relton, C., Albani, V., McKay, J. 1 Dec 2021, In: Clinical Epigenetics
The Biological and Social Determinants of Childhood Obesity: Comparison of 2 Cohorts 50 Years Apart: comparison of two cohorts 50 years apart, Robinson, N., McKay, J., Pearce, M., Albani, V., Wright, C., Adamson, A., Brown, H. 1 Jan 2021, In: The Journal of Pediatrics
DNA methylation and the hygiene hypothesis: connecting respiratory allergy and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Langie, S., Timms, J., De Boever, P., McKay, J. 1 Oct 2019, In: Epigenomics
Exploring a potential mechanistic role of DNA methylation in the relationship between in utero and post-natal environmental exposures and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Timms, J., Relton, C., Sharp, G., Rankin, J., Strathdee, G., McKay, J. 1 Dec 2019, In: International Journal of Cancer
Folate and epigenetics: why we should not forget bacterial biosynthesis, Kok, D., Steegenga, W., McKay, J. Sep 2018, In: Epigenomics
Maternal Red Blood Cell Folate and Infant Vitamin B₁₂ Status Influence Methylation of Genes Associated with Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Potter, C., Moorman, A., Relton, C., Ford, D., Mathers, J., Strathdee, G., McKay, J. 1 Nov 2018, In: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research

PGR Supervision

Jessica Saville Environmental determinants of chromosomal translocations and DNA methylation: towards identifying and understanding modifiable risk factors of childhood leukaemia Start Date: 01/10/2018 End Date: 23/06/2023

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