Emma Walker
Graduate Research Assistant and PhD Student
Overview
Emma is a PhD candidate and bioinformatics graduate research assistant with the Complex Disease Epigenetics Group at the University of Exeter Medical School. She graduated with a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Exeter after studying an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Brighton. During her degree she discovered a passion for bioinformatics and statistical modelling, and a fascination for how these can be combined with genomic data to tackle cutting edge questions in science. Her current work focuses on the regulatory genomic signatures of human brain development within the context of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Qualifications
BSc (First Class Hons) Biological Sciences, University of Exeter.
Publications
Journal articles
Álvarez HA, Walker E, Mingarro M, Ursul G, Cancela JP, Bassett L, Wilson RJ (2024). Heterogeneity in habitat and microclimate delay butterfly community tracking of climate change over an elevation gradient. Biological Conservation, 289, 110389-110389.
Hannon E, Mill J, Dempster E, Walker E, Franklin A, Chioza B, Commins G, Davies J, Burrage J (2024). Quantifying the proportion of different cell types in the human cortex using DNA methylation profiles. BMC Biology
Davies J, Franklin A, Walker E, Owens N, Bray N, Bamford RA, Commin G, Chioza B, Burrage J, Dempster E, et al (2022). 1. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF DNA METHYLATION IN NEURAL CELL POPULATIONS IN HUMAN CORTEX AND LINKS TO NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 63
Bamford R, Jeffries AR, Walker E, Leung SK, Commin G, Davies JP, Dempster E, Hannon E, Mill J (2022). 67. LONG READ TRANSCRIPTOME SEQUENCING REVEALS ISOFORM DIVERSITY ACROSS HUMAN NEURODEVELOPMENT. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 63, e81-e82.
Hop PJ, Zwamborn RAJ, Hannon E, Shireby GL, Nabais MF, Walker EM, van Rheenen W, van Vugt JJFA, Dekker AM, Westeneng H-J, et al (2022). Genome-wide study of DNA methylation shows alterations in metabolic, inflammatory, and cholesterol pathways in ALS. Science Translational Medicine, 14(633). Abstract.
Hannon E, Mansell G, Walker E, Nabais MF, Burrage J, Kepa A, Best-Lane J, Rose A, Heck S, Moffitt TE, et al (2021). Assessing the co-variability of DNA methylation across peripheral cells and tissues: Implications for the interpretation of findings in epigenetic epidemiology. PLoS Genet, 17(3). Abstract. Author URL.
Hop PJ, Zwamborn RAJ, Hannon E, Shireby GL, Nabais MF, Walker EM, van Rheenen W, van Vugt JJFA, Dekker AM, Westeneng H-J, et al (2021). Genome-wide study of DNA methylation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis identifies differentially methylated loci and implicates metabolic, inflammatory and cholesterol pathways. Abstract.
Steg LC, Shireby GL, Imm J, Davies JP, Franklin A, Flynn R, Namboori SC, Bhinge A, Jeffries AR, Burrage J, et al (2021). Novel epigenetic clock for fetal brain development predicts prenatal age for cellular stem cell models and derived neurons. Mol Brain, 14(1). Abstract. Author URL.
Hannon E, Shireby G, Brookes KJ, Neilson G, Dahir A, Walker E, Lunnon K, Love S, Thomas AJ, Morgan K, et al (2020). An integrated epigenetic‐genetic study of neuropathology in the Brains for Dementia Research cohort. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 16(S2).
Hop PJ, Zwamborn RAJ, Hannon EJ, Dekker AM, van Eijk KR, Walker EM, Iacoangeli A, Jones AR, Shatunov A, Khleifat AA, et al (2020). Cross-reactive probes on Illumina DNA methylation arrays: a large study on ALS shows that a cautionary approach is warranted in interpreting epigenome-wide association studies. NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics, 2(4). Abstract.
Steg LC, Shireby GL, Imm J, Davies JP, Franklin A, Flynn R, Namboori SC, Bhinge A, Jeffries AR, Burrage J, et al (2020). Novel epigenetic clock for fetal brain development predicts prenatal age for cellular stem cell models and derived neurons. Abstract.
Shireby GL, Davies JP, Francis PT, Burrage J, Walker EM, Neilson GWA, Dahir A, Thomas AJ, Love S, Smith RG, et al (2020). Recalibrating the Epigenetic Clock: Implications for Assessing Biological Age in the Human Cortex. Abstract.
Shireby GL, Davies JP, Francis PT, Burrage J, Walker EM, Neilson GWA, Dahir A, Thomas AJ, Love S, Smith RG, et al (2020). Recalibrating the epigenetic clock: implications for assessing biological age in the human cortex. Brain, 143(12), 3763-3775. Abstract. Author URL.
Castanho I, Murray TK, Hannon E, Jeffries A, Walker E, Laing E, Baulf H, Harvey J, Bradshaw L, Randall A, et al (2020). Transcriptional Signatures of Tau and Amyloid Neuropathology. Cell Rep, 30(6), 2040-2054.e5. Abstract. Author URL.
Castanho I, Murray T, Hannon E, Jeffries A, Walker E, Laing E, Baulf H, Harvey J, Randall A, Moore K, et al (2019). Transcriptional Signatures of Progressive Neuropathology in Transgenic Models of Tau and Amyloid Pathology.
Conferences
Davies J, Franklin A, Commin G, Walker E, Policicchio S, Jeffries A, Burrage J, Chioza B, Liu J, Bray N, et al (2021). CELL-TYPE-SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF DNA METHYLATION IN THE DEVELOPING HUMAN BRAIN. Author URL.
MacCalman A, De Franco E, Jeffries AR, Burrage J, Walker EM, Franklin A, Owens NDL, Hattersley AT, Mill J (2021). Methylomic trajectories in the human pancreas: from fetal development to adulthood. Author URL.
Shireby G, Hannon E, Dempster E, Francis P, Lunnon K, Walker E, Mill J (2019). METHYLOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF POLYGENIC BURDEN FOR NEUROPSYCHIATRIC, NEURODEGENERATIVE AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. Author URL.
Shireby G, Hannon E, Francis P, Lunnon K, Dempster E, Walker E, Mill J (2019). RECALIBRATING THE EPIGENETIC CLOCK: APPLICATIONS FOR ASSESSING BIOLOGICAL AGEING IN THE HUMAN BRAIN. Author URL.
