Melissa Barlow

Melissa is a final-year PhD student and Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Exeter. Her PhD research evaluated the diagnostic value of pre-diagnostic thrombocytosis for lung cancer detection in primary care and has explored the underlying in-vitro molecular mechanisms driving this relationship. She is supervised by Associate Professor Sarah Bailey, Professor Willie Hamilton, Professor Chris Scotton and Dr Giordano Pula, and is due to submit her thesis in February 2026.

As a Graduate Research Assistant, Melissa has contributed to multiple projects assessing the performance of primary care tests perform in detecting cancer across different demographic groups. Her current research interests include improving the use of FIT for early-onset colorectal cancer detection in primary care, an underserved group in FIT research with associated poorer outcomes.

Research Skills

• Management, preparation and analysis of large healthcare datasets including CPRD, HES APC, NCRAS and the UK Biobank
• Diagnositc accuracy studies
• Regression modelling
• Systematic reviews and meta-analysis
• Proficient in Stata coding
• In-vitro cell culture

Qualifications:

• BSc (Hons) Medical Science (Pharmacology & Therapeutics) – University of Exeter