MRC Epidemiology UnitUKRI Future Leaders Fellow
Behavioural Epidemiology and Interventions in Young People
Qualifications
- 2014: PhD Epidemiology (Cambridge)
- 2010: MPhil Epidemiology (Distinction, Cambridge)
- 2009: MSc Health Psychology (Merit, UCL)
- 2005: MA Psychology and Physiology (PPP) (First Class, Oxford)
Background and experience
Kathryn is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow in Behavioural Epidemiology. Her work has a strong Maternal and Child Health focus, and aims to promote physical activity in families with young children.
Kathryn completed her MPhil and PhD in Epidemiology at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and CEDAR, University of Cambridge. She then joined UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH) as a Research Associate, leading a project to explore clustering of health conditions and health behaviours using data from the Millennium Cohort Study. She was awarded a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2015, working as a Senior Research Associate at UCL GOS ICH and subsequently moving back the MRC Epidemiology Unit in 2021. Kathryn’s work has allowed her to collaborate widely, working with colleagues at UNC, Chapel Hill (USA); Johns Hopkins University (USA); University of Alberta (Canada); and Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Manchester and Strathclyde Universities (UK).
Work and interests
Transition to Parenthood
Kathryn’s UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship will provide vital information about physical activity in women during the transition to motherhood, both in the UK and internationally. Using state-of-the-art methods and bringing together expertise in epidemiology, behavioural science, and public health, her work aims to:
- Better understand how active pregnant women are across pregnancy.
- Explore the link between maternal movement behaviours and maternal-child health.
- Understand how we can better support women and promote physical activity during preconception, pregnancy and postpartum.
Early Years (0-5 years)
Kathryn is also an expert in movement behaviours (i.e. physical activity and sedentary behaviour) in children aged 0-5, where her interests include:
- Establishing what factors drive change in movement behaviours during the preschool period.
- The complex link between parent-child movement behaviours in early childhood.
- How movement behaviours influences children’s development and wellbeing.
- Understanding the role of play (including active and adventurous play) in young children’s movement behaviours.
Involvement, Engagement and Impact
Kathryn is passionate about ensuring her work has real-world relevance, and engages widely with women, their partners and young children; policy and practice partners; and healthcare professionals to co-produce her research and contribute to UK policy and healthcare practice.
Teaching
Aside from research, Kathryn enjoys teaching and lectures/ supervises at undergraduate and graduate level. She is currently supervising two PhD students and welcomes enquiries about supervision of MPhil and PhD projects in the fields of preschooler/ parental movement behaviours and active/ adventurous play in preschool-aged children.
Professional memberships and roles
- Co-Chair – Scientific Advisory Board, Active Pregnancy Foundation
- Co-Chair – Preconception EMCR Network
- Associate Editor – JSAMS
- Associate Editor – JPAH
- Editorial Board Member – IJBNPA
- Expert Working Group – UK CMOs’ Physical Activity Guidelines (under 5s) 2019
- CMOs’ Physical Activity Surveillance Committee
- Member of the British Psychological Society (Health Psychology Subdivision)
Publications
Current and previous grants
- UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship – Physical Activity in Pregnancy: Generating big data to advance promotion efforts (2024; PI)
- SPHR Accelerator Award – Promoting healthy behaviours in preschoolers through collaboration with policy and practice partners (2022; £23,500; PI)
- Borysiewicz Interdisciplinary Fellowship (2021-2022; £30,256; PI)
- Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015-2022; £310,000; PI)
External links