Dr Timothy Barrow
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Email
timothy.barrow@essex.ac.uk -
Location
3SW.4.32, Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
My main research interests are within the field of cancer epigenetics. Much of my ongoing work examines genetic and epigenetic changes in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), and how we can use this knowledge to better understand the development of malignancies and to develop clinical biomarkers that will benefit patients. My work on CLL has identified early epigenetic changes that are detectable years before diagnosis in some individuals, and changes in patients undergoing treatment that affect their sensitivity to frontline therapies. I have been part of collaborative projects that identified genetic variants associated with progressive CLL and developed bioinformatics-based methods for identifying subtype-specific vulnerability genes across a range of malignancies. My research has also incorporated the examination of epigenetic changes in solid tumours, revealing loss of genomic imprinting in breast cancer, and smoking-associated hypermethylation of the APC tumour suppressor gene in colorectal cancer. In parallel to this, I maintain an active interest in fundamental epigenetic processes and epigenetic changes in response to environmental exposures. My collaborative work has included examining the genomic targets and inhibition of DNMT isoforms, the impact of morphine exposure on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA methylation in different regions of the brain, and the first study to report an impact of environmental exposures upon RNA m6A methylation. My research has been supported by funding from Bright Red, the Leukemia Research Foundation, and the British Society for Haematology.
Qualifications
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PhD University of Cambridge, (2010)
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MBiochem (Hons) University of Bath, (2005)
Appointments
黑料网
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Lecturer, 黑料网 (1/1/2023 - present)
Other academic
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Senior Lecturer in Genomics, University of Sunderland (1/8/2017 - 31/12/2022)
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Research Associate, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University (24/11/2014 - 31/7/2017)
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Postdoctoral researcher, University Medical Center Freiburg (1/3/2011 - 31/8/2014)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Cancer epigenetics
Colorectal cancer
Environmental epigenetics
Epigenetic ageing
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Employability Skills for the Biosciences (BS211)
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Biomedical Science: Practice and Employability (BS214)
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Medical Genetics (BS220)
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Cell Biology (BS225)
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Cell Biology and Cellular Pathology (BS238)
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Biology of Disease (BS309)
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Human Molecular Genetics (BS320)
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Molecular Basis of Cancer (BS349)
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Molecular Mechanisms of Disease (BS938)
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Research Project (MSci Biomedical Science) (BS980)
Publications
Journal articles (27)
Chitta, P., Barrow, TM., Dawangpa, A., Christiani, DC., Poungvarin, N. and Sae-Lee, C., (2025). . Heliyon. 11 (4), e42581-e42581
Chitta, P., Barrow, TM., Pratumvinit, B., Dawangpa, A., Kaewboonruang, W., Khamrangsee, S., Korolchuk, VI. and Sae-Lee, C., (2025). . Scientific Reports. 15 (1), 28043-
Jim茅nez-Garza, O., Ghosh, M., Barrow, TM. and Godderis, L., (2023). . Frontiers in Public Health. 11, 1073658-
Sae-Lee, C., Barrow, TM., Colicino, E., Choi, SH., Rabanal-Ruiz, Y., Green, D., Korolchuk, VI., Mathers, JC. and Byun, H-M., (2022). . Clinical Epigenetics. 14 (1), 103-
Li, Y., Byun, H-M., Barrow, TM. and Zhang, Q., (2021). . Frontiers in Genetics. 12, 694288-
Lin, W-Y., Fordham, SE., Sunter, N., Elstob, C., Rahman, T., Willmore, E., Shepherd, C., Strathdee, G., Mainou-Fowler, T., Piddock, R., Mearns, H., Barrow, T., Houlston, RS., Marr, H., Wallis, J., Summerfield, G., Marshall, S., Pettitt, A., Pepper, C., Fegan, C., Forconi, F., Dyer, MJS., Jayne, S., Sellors, A., Schuh, A., Robbe, P., Oscier, D., Bailey, J., Rais, S., Bentley, A., Cawkwell, L., Evans, P., Hillmen, P., Pratt, G., Allsup, DJ. and Allan, JM., (2021). . Nature communications. 12 (1), 665-
Schwalbe, EC., H, L., Lafta, F., Barrow, TM. and Strathdee, G., (2021). . Oncogene. 40 (33), 5213-5223
Barrow, TM., Nakjang, S., Lafta, F., Bilotkach, K., Woodhouse, L., Junge, G., Tudhope, SJ., Wallis, JP., Marr, H., Marshall, S., Bown, N., Willmore, E. and Strathdee, G., (2021). . British Journal of Cancer. 124 (2), 474-483
Barrow, TM., Wong Doo, N., Milne, RL., Giles, GG., Willmore, E., Strathdee, G. and Byun, H-M., (2021). . Haematologica. 106 (1), 98-110
Sae-Lee, C., Biasi, JD., Robinson, N., Barrow, TM., Mathers, JC., Koutsidis, G. and Byun, H-M., (2020). . PLOS ONE. 15 (6), e0234578-e0234578
Cayir, A., Byun, H-M. and Barrow, TM., (2020). . Environmental Research. 189, 109885-109885
Fang, J., Kang, C-M., Osorio-Y谩帽ez, C., Barrow, TM., Zhang, R., Zhang, Y., Li, C., Liu, H., Li, P-H., Guo, L. and Byun, H-M., (2020). . Environmental Research. 191, 110232-110232
Cayir, A., Barrow, TM., Guo, L. and Byun, H-M., (2019). . Environmental Research. 175, 228-234
Barrow, TM., Peng, C., Wilson, A., Wang, H., Liu, H., Shen, L., Tang, N-J., Sae-Lee, C., Li, P-H., Guo, L. and Byun, H-M., (2019). Psychosocial stress is associated with benign breast disease in young Chinese women: results from Project ELEFANT. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 173 (1), 217-224
Cayir, A., Barrow, TM., Wang, H., Liu, H., Li, C., Ding, N., Li, Y., Kang, C-M., Guo, L., Li, P-H. and Byun, H-M., (2018). Occupational noise exposure is associated with hypertension in China: Results from project ELEFANT. PLOS ONE. 13 (12), e0209041-e0209041
Sae鈥怢ee, C., Corsi, S., Barrow, TM., Kuhnle, GGC., Bollati, V., Mathers, JC. and Byun, H., (2018). . Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. 62 (23), e1800092-
Xu, H., Li, P-H., Barrow, TM., Colicino, E., Li, C., Song, R., Liu, H., Tang, N-J., Liu, S., Guo, L. and Byun, H-M., (2018). Obesity as an effect modifier of the association between menstrual abnormalities and hypertension in young adult women: Results from Project ELEFANT. PLOS ONE. 13 (11), e0207929-e0207929
Guo, L., Peng, C., Xu, H., Wilson, A., Li, P-H., Wang, H., Liu, H., Shen, L., Chen, X., Qi, X., Tang, N-J., Barrow, TM. and Byun, H-M., (2018). . BMC Women's Health. 18 (1), 182-
Barrow, TM., Byun, H-M., Li, X., Smart, C., Wang, Y-X., Zhang, Y., Baccarelli, AA. and Guo, L., (2017). The effect of morphine upon DNA methylation in ten regions of the rat brain. Epigenetics. 12 (12), 1038-1047
Guo, L., Li, P-H., Li, H., Colicino, E., Colicino, S., Wen, Y., Zhang, R., Feng, X., Barrow, TM., Cayir, A., Baccarelli, AA. and Byun, H-M., (2017). Effects of environmental noise exposure on DNA methylation in the brain and metabolic health. Environmental Research. 153, 73-82
Barrow, TM., Klett, H., Toth, R., B枚hm, J., Gigic, B., Habermann, N., Scherer, D., Schrotz鈥怟ing, P., Skender, S., Abbenhardt鈥怣artin, C., Zielske, L., Schneider, M., Ulrich, A., Schirmacher, P., Herpel, E., Brenner, H., Busch, H., Boerries, M., Ulrich, CM. and Michels, KB., (2017). Smoking is associated with hypermethylation of the APC 1A promoter in colorectal cancer: the ColoCare Study. The Journal of Pathology. 243 (3), 366-375
Barrow, TM., Barault, L., Ellsworth, RE., Harris, HR., Binder, AM., Valente, AL., Shriver, CD. and Michels, KB., (2015). Aberrant methylation of imprinted genes is associated with negative hormone receptor status in invasive breast cancer. International Journal of Cancer. 137 (3), 537-547
Byun, H-M. and Barrow, TM., (2015). Analysis of Pollutant-Induced Changes in Mitochondrial DNA Methylation. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 1265, 271-283
Tabish, AM., Baccarelli, AA., Godderis, L., Barrow, TM., Hoet, P. and Byun, H-M., (2015). Assessment of Changes in Global DNA Methylation Levels by Pyrosequencing庐 of Repetitive Elements. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 1315, 201-207
Barrow, TM. and Michels, KB., (2014). Epigenetic epidemiology of cancer. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 455 (1-2), 70-83
Barrow, TM. and Byun, H-M., (2014). Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms on DNA Methylation Microarrays: precautions Against Confounding. Epigenomics. 6 (6), 577-579
Joosen, AMCP., Kuhnle, GGC., Aspinall, SM., Barrow, TM., Lecommandeur, E., Azqueta, A., Collins, AR. and Bingham, SA., (2009). Effect of processed and red meat on endogenous nitrosation and DNA damage. Carcinogenesis. 30 (8), 1402-1407
Book chapters (1)
Barrow, TM., (2018). Epigenetic Epidemiology for Cancer Risk. In: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Cancer. Elsevier. 195- 222. 9780128095522
Conferences (5)
Richards, A., Jean-Baptiste, E., Barrow, T., Hardikar, S., Gigic, B., Figueiredo, J., Li, C., Shibata, D., Toriola, A., Byrd, D., Ulrich, C., Stewart, P., Siegel, E. and Kresovich, J., Abstract 3600: Methylation-based biological age and risk of colorectal cancer recurrence: Findings from the ColoCare Study
Richards, A., Jean-Baptiste, E., Barrow, T., Hardikar, S., Gigic, B., Figueiredo, J., Li, C., Shibata, D., Toriola, A., Byrd, D., Ulrich, C., Stewart, P., Siegel, E. and Kresovich, J., Abstract 1009: DNA methylation-predicted plasma proteins and risk of colorectal cancer recurrence: Findings from the ColoCare Study
Richards, A., Jean-Baptiste, E., Barrow, T., Hardikar, S., Gigic, B., Figueiredo, J., Li, C., Shibata, D., Toriola, A., Byrd, D., Ulrich, C., Stewart, P., Siegel, E. and Kresovich, J., Abstract 4937: Circulating leukocyte composition and risk of colorectal cancer recurrence: Findings from the ColoCare Study
Barrow, T., Wallis, J., Marr, H., Marshall, S., Willmore, E. and Strathdee, G., (2025). Epigenetic Dysregulation of HOXA Cluster Genes in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia
Byun, H-M., Willmore, E., Wallis, J., Marr, H., Marshall, S., Strathdee, G., Skinner, B. and Barrow, T., (2025). EACR25-1097 Epigenetic changes on the X chromosome in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Grants and funding
2024
A Novel Clinical Test for Measuring Treatment Response in Leukaemia Patients
黑料网 (BBSRC IAA)
HOXA genes as drivers of venetoclax resistance in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
British Society for Haematology
EPF Funded Market Research - Novel Clinical Test for Measuring Treatment Response in Leukaemia Patients
黑料网
2023
Developing novel markers of minimal residual disease for chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Leukemia Research Foundation