Main research areas:

Intragenic CpG islands and imprinted retrogenes as models to study gene expression

Molecular genetics of neuroendocrine tumours including pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas

Epigenetic factors in heart valve development

DNA carries heritable information and genes guide development to adulthood. Epigenetic factors influence gene expression through modifications to DNA. We are interested in studying epigenetic factors genomewide in order to understand mechanisms of gene regulation. A class of genes known as imprinted genes provide an excellent model system for studying epigenetic mechanisms. These genes are expressed in a parent of origin specific way, in other words one parental allele is active and one is silenced in the same cell. The group has used bioinformatics tools for the analysis of genomic sequence and epigenetic features genomewide to identify a group of genes known as imprinted retrogenes. We have shown using these model loci that intragenic promoters and epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation can direct alternative mRNA processing including alternative polyadenylation. This has implications for transcriptome diversity and tissue specific gene regulation.

We undertake research in cancer genetics and epigenetic, specifically on tumour metabolism in neuroendocrine cancers. We are investigating pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas using genomic and epigenomic methodologies to study metastatic behaviour. We are developing computational methods to predict metastasis in these rare inherited tumours.

We are delineating epigenetic regulators in the developing heart, particulalry in endocardial cell specification that distinguish this cell population from other somatic endothelial cells genomewide. Identifying factors that specifiy heart valves will inform on developmental defects as well as regenerative strategies.

For details of post-doctoral and PhD student lab members working on these projects please click on our laboratory web page link:

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/epigenetics-group

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/rebecca-oakey

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/epigenetics-group

Epigenetics; polyadenylation; imprinting; bioinformatics;transcriptomics, epigenomics; human imprinted diseases; rare diseases; endocardial cells and valve development; epigenomics of cancer, host epigenetics in infection

Dean for Doctoral Studies, King's College London, Jan 2018-Dec 2026

GSTT Boimedical Research Centre Training Lead 2018-2022

Innovation Scholars Lead: Data Science Training in Health & Bioscience (DaSH), 'Enabling the big data revolution through skills training' 2021-2024

KHP Digital Health Hub Training Lead 2023-2026.