Newcastle University

Research Interests

Our primary research interest is the application of epidemiological approaches to improve our understanding of the role that epigenetic patterns may play in health and development.

Ongoing work includes projects focusing on the role of epigenetic variation in obesity, type 2 diabetes and related co-morbidities; the role of epigenetic variation in women's health through the menopause; determinants of DNA methylation variation in infants and children; the identification of epigenetic biomarkers of cognitive function; the role of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of lung cancer; variation in epigenetic signatures during fetal development. Underpinning these projects is the methodological development of epidemiological tools to strengthen casual inference in the context of epigenetic studies.

Key Publications

Johansson M, Relton CL, Ueland PM, Vollset SE, Midtun O, Nygard O, Slimani N, Boffetta P, Jenab M, Clavel-Chapelon C, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fagherazzi G, Kaaks R, Rohrmann S, Boeing H, Weikert C, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Ros MM, van Gils CH, Peeters PHM, Agudo A, Barricarte A, Navarro C, Rodriguez L, Sanchez MJ, Larranage N, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Allen NE, Crowe F, Gallo V, Norat T, Krogh V, Masala G, Panico S, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Trichopoulos A, Lagiou P, Tricholpoulos D, Rasmuson T, Hallmans G, Riboli E, Vineis P, Brennan P. Serum B vitamin levels and risk of lung cancer. JAMA 303(23):2377-85, 2010  

Relton CL, Davey Smith G. Future potential for the application of epigenetics in the prevention and treatment of common complex disease. PLoS Med 7(10):e1000356, 2010    

Mathers, JC, Strathdee G, Relton CL. Induction of epigenetic alterations by dietary and other environmental factors. Adv Genet 71:3-19, 2010.   Groom A, Potter C, Swan DC, Fatemifar G, Evans DM, Ring SM, Turcot V, Pearce MS, Embleton ND, Davey Smith G, Mathers JC, Relton CL. Postnatal growth and DNA methylation are associated with differential gene expression of the TACSTD2 gene and childhood fat mass. Diabetes 2011, In Press 

Co-workers

Alix Groom PhD, Wellcome Trust, Research Associate

Hannah Elliott PhD,  MRC, Research Associate

Kate Potter PhD, NIHR, Research Associate

Rosa Spencer PhD, BBSRC, Research Associate

Eva Morales PhD, CREAL, Barcelona (Visiting Fellow) 

James McConnell, PhD student

Laura Barrett, PhD student, MRC

Jane Ng, PhD student (University of Alberta) 

Julie Coaker, Senior Technician

• Pearce M, Groom A, Relton C, Pollard T, Parker L, Francis R. Associations between sex hormones and bone mineral density and bone resorption in 50 year old men: The Newcastle thousand families study. In: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health: IEA World Congress of Epidemiology. 2011, Edinburgh, UK: BMJ Group.
• Pearce MS, Groom A, Relton CL, Peaston RT, Pollard TM, Francis RM. Birth weight and early socio-economic disadvantage as predictors of sex hormones and sex hormone binding globulin in men at age 49–51 years. American Journal of Human Biology 2011, 23(2), 185-189.
• Parkinson KN, Pearce M, Dale A, Reilly JJ, Drewett RF, Wright CM, Relton CL, McArdle P, Le Couteur AS, Adamson AJ. Cohort Profile: The Gateshead Millennium Study. International Journal of Epidemiology 2011, 40(2), 308-317.
• McKay JA, Ford D, Relton CL, Evelo CT, Adriaens M, Mathers JC. Consequences of Folate Depletion during Development for DNA Methylation and Gene Expression in the Fetal Mouse. In: Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: 7th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011, Portland, Oregon, USA: Cambridge University Press.
• Relton CL, Groom A, St Pourcain B, Sayers AE, Swan DC, Embleton ND, Pearce MS, Ring SM, Northstone K, Tobias JH, Ness AR, Shaheen SO, Smith GD. DNA Methylation Patterns in Cord Blood DNA Predict Body Size in Childhood. In: Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: 7th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011, Portland, Oregon, USA: Cambridge University Press.
• McKay JA, Adriaens M, Xie L, Evelo CT, Relton CL, Ford D, Mathers JC. Folate Depletion during Development Causes Gene Expression Changes in Fetal and Adult Mouse Liver. In: Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: 7th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011, Portland, Oregon, USA: Cambridge University Press.
• McKay JA, Wong YK, Relton CL, Ford D, Mathers JC. Maternal folate supply and sex influence gene-specific DNA methylation in the fetal gut. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 2011, 55(11), 1717-1723.
• Groom A, Potter K, Turcot V, Pearce MS, Embleton ND, Relton CL. Postnatal Growth Is Associated with DNA Methylation and Childhood Adiposity: Using Genetic Variation to Infer the Direction of Causation. In: Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: 7th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011, Portland, Oregon, USA: Cambridge University Press.
• Baltar VT, Xun WW, Chuang SC, Relton C, Ueland PM, Vollset SE, Midttun O, Johansson M, Slimani N, Jenab M, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fagherazzi G, Kaaks R, Rohrmann S, Boeing H, Weikert C, Bueno-De-Mesquita HB, Boshuizen HC, van Gils CH, Peeters PHM, Agudo A, Barricarte A, Navarro C, Rodriguez L, Castano JMH, Larranaga N, Perez MJS, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Allen NE, Crowe F, Gallo V, Norat T, Tagliabue G, Masala G, Panico S, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Bamia C, Rasmuson T, Hallmans G, Roswall N, Tjonneland A, Riboli E, Brennan P, Vineis P. Smoking, Secondhand Smoke, and Cotinine Levels in a Subset of EPIC Cohort. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2011, 20(5), 869-875.
• Groom A, Elliott HR, Embleton ND, Relton CL. Epigenetics and child health: basic principles. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2010, (epub ahead of print).
• Mathers J, Strathdee G, Relton C. Induction of Epigenetic Alterations by Dietary and Other Environmental Factors. In: Herceg, Z., Ushijima, T, ed. Advances in Genetics: Epigenetics and Cancer, Part B. Amsterdam; London: Academic Press, 2010, pp.4-39.
• Johansson M, Relton C, Ueland PM, Vollset SE, Midtun O, Nygard O, Slimani N, Boffetta P, Jenab M, Clavel-Chapelon C, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fagherazzi G, Kaaks R, Rohrmann S, Boeing H, Weikert C, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Ros MM, vanGils CH, Peeters PHM, Agudo A, Barricarte A, Navarro C, Rodriguez L, Sanchez MJ, Larranage N, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Allen NE, Crowe F, Gallo V, Norat T, Krogh V, Masala G, Panico S, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Trichopoulos A, Lagiou P, Tricholpoulos D, Rasmuson T, Hallmans G, Riboli E, Vineis P, Brennan P. Serum B vitamin levels and risk of lung cancer. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association 2010, 303(23), 2377-2385.
• Relton CL, Daniel CP, Fisher A, Chase DS, Burn J, Tawn EJ. Polymorphisms of the DNA repair gene XRCC1 and the frequency of somatic mutations at the glycophorin A locus in newborns. Mutation Research - Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis 2002, 502(1-2), 61-68.
• Relton CL, Daniel CP, Hammal DM, Parker L, Tawn EJ, Burn J. DNA repair gene polymorphisms, pre-natal factors and the frequency of somatic mutations in the glycophorin-A gene among healthy newborns. Mutation Research: Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis 2004, 545(1-2), 49-57.
• Relton CL, Wilding CS, Pearce MS, Laffling AJ, Jonas PA, Lynch SA, Tawn EJ, Burn J. Gene-gene interaction in folate-related genes and risk of neural tube defects in a UK population. Journal of Medical Genetics 2004, 41(4), 256-260.
• Pennell CE, Jacobsson B, Williams SM, Buus RM, Muglia LJ, Dolan SM, Morken N-H, Ozcelik H, Lye SJ, Relton C. Genetic epidemiologic studies of preterm birth: guidelines for research. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2007. , 196(2), 107-118.
• Freathy RM, Weedon MN, Bennett A, Hypponen E, Relton CL, Knight B, Shields B, Parnell KS, Groves CJ, Ring SM, Pembrey ME, Ben-Shlomo Y, Strachan DP, Power C, Jarvelin M-R, McCarthy MI, Smith GD, Hattersley AT, Frayling TM. Type 2 diabetes TCF7L2 risk genotypes alter birth weight: A study of 24,053 individuals. American Journal of Human Genetics 2007, 80(6), 1150-1161.
• Relton CL, Wilding CS, Jonas PA, Lynch SA, Tawn EJ, Burn J. Genetic susceptibility to neural tube defect pregnancy varies with offspring phenotype. Clinical Genetics 2003, 64(5), 424-428.
• Relton CL, Pearce MS, Parker L. The influence of erythrocyte folate and serum vitamin B₁₂ status on birth weight. British Journal of Nutrition 2005, 93(5), 593-599.
• Wilding CS, Relton CL, Rees G, Whitehouse C, Tarone R, Tawn EJ. DNA repair gene polymorphisms in relation to chromosome aberration frequencies in retired radiation workers. Mutation Research - Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis 2006,570 1 137-145.
• Wilding CS, Rees GS, Relton CL, Tawn EJ. Genotype profiles of loci encoding DNA repair enzymes in newborn and elderly populations: No evidence of association with longevity. Biogerontology 2006, 7(1), 35-41.
• Relton CL, Pearce MS, Burn J, Parker L. An investigation of folate-related genetic factors in the determination of birthweight. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2005, 19(5), 360-367.
• Relton CL, Pearce MS, Ness A, Burn J. Folate Status and Genetic Selection. Nature Genetics 2005. .
• Relton CL, Rankin J. Folic acid - the challenge of unplanned pregnancy and social deprivation. BMJ Rapid Responses :BMJ,2005. Available at :http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/330/7491/574.
• Relton CL, Hammal DM, Rankin J, Parker L. Folic acid supplementation and social deprivation. Public Health Nutrition 2005, 8(3), 338-340.
• Pearce M, Unwin N, Relton C, Alberti K, Parker L. Lifecourse determinants of fasting and post-challenge glucose at age 50 years: The Newcastle thousand families study. European Journal of Epidemiology 2005, 20(11), 915-923.
• Relton CL, Wilding CS, Laffling AJ, Jonas PA, Burgess T, Binks K, Tawn EJ, Burn J. Low erythrocyte folate status and polymorphic variation in folate-related genes are associated with risk of neural tube defect pregnancy. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism 2004,81 4 273-281.
• Wilding CS, Relton CL, Sutton MJ, Jonas PA, Lynch S-A, Tawn EJ, Burn J. Thymidylate synthase repeat polymorphisms and risk of neural tube defects in a population from the northern United Kingdom. Birth Defects Research Part A - Clinical and Molecular Teratology 2004,70 7 483-485.
• Relton CL, Jackson A, Burn J. Folic acid - changes in women's knowledge. British Journal of Midwifery 2003, 11(7), 438-441.
• Wilding CS, Cadwell K, Tawn EJ, Relton CL, Taylor GA, Chinnery PF, Turnbull DM. Mitochondrial DNA mutations in individuals occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. Radiation Research 2006, 165(2), 202-207.
• Relton CL, Daniel CP, Fisher A, Chase DS, Burn J, Tawn EJ. Polymorphisms of the DNA repair gene XRCC1 and the frequency of somatic mutations at the glycophorin A locus in newborns. Mutation Research - Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis 2002, 502(1-2), 61-68.
• Turcot V, Groom A, McConnell JC, Pearce MS, Potter C, Embleton ND, Swan DC, Relton CL. Bioinformatic selection of putative epigenetically regulated loci associated with obesity using gene expression data. Gene 2012, 499(1), 99-107.
• Relton CL, Groom A, StPourcain B, Sayers AE, Swan DC, Embleton ND, Pearce MS, Ring SM, Northstone K, Tobias JH, Trakalo J, Ness AR, Shaheen SO, Davey-Smith G. DNA methylation patterns in cord blood DNA and body size in childhood. PLoS One 2012, 7(3), e31821.
• Potter C, Relton CL. Epigenetic Epidemiology. Karin B. Michels (ed). International Journal of Epidemiology 2012, 41(1), 308-309.
• Chinnery PF, Elliott HR, Hudson G, Samuels DC, Relton CL. Epigenetics, epidemiology and mitochondrial DNA diseases. International Journal of Epidemiology 2012, 41(1), 177-187.
• McKay JA, Groom A, Potter C, Coneyworth LJ, Ford D, Mathers JC, Relton CL. Genetic and Non-Genetic Influences during Pregnancy on Infant Global and Site Specific DNA Methylation: Role for Folate Gene Variants and Vitamin B₁₂. PLoS One 2012, 7(3), e33290.
• Pearce MS, McConnell JC, Barrett LM, Mathers JC, Parker L, Relton CL. Global LINE-1 DNA methylation is associated with blood glycaemic and lipid profiles. International Journal of Epidemiology 2012. In Press.
• Relton CL, Davey-Smith G. Is epidemiology ready for epigenetics?. International Journal of Epidemiology 2012, 41(1), 5-9.
• Narisawa A, Komatsuzaki S, Kikuchi A, Niihori T, Aoki Y, Fujiwara K, Tanemura M, Hata A, Suzuki Y, Relton CL, Grinham J, Leung KY, Partridge D, Robinson A, Stone V, Gustavsson P, Stanier P, Copp AJ, Greene ND, Tominaga T, Matsubara Y, Kure S. Mutations in genes encoding the glycine cleavage system predispose to neural tube defects in mice and humans. Human Molecular Genetics 2012, 21(7), 1496-1503.
• Winney B, Boumertit A, Day T, Davison D, Echeta C, Evseeva I, Hutnik K, Leslie S, Nicodemus K, Royrvik EC, Tonks S, Yang XF, Cheshire J, Longley P, Mateos P, Groom A, Relton C, Bishop DT, Black K, Northwood E, Parkinson L, Frayling TM, Steele A, Sampson JR, King T, Dixon R, Middleton D, Jennings B, Bowden R, Donnelly P, Bodmer W. People of the British Isles: preliminary analysis of genotypes and surnames in a UK-control population. European Journal of Human Genetics 2012, 20(2), 203-210.
• Groom A, Potter C, Swan DC, Fatemifar G, Evans DM, Ring SM, Turcot V, Pearce MS, Embleton ND, Smith GD, Mathers JC, Relton CL. Postnatal Growth and DNA Methylation Are Associated With Differential Gene Expression of the TACSTD2 Gene and Childhood Fat Mass. Diabetes 2012, 61(2), 391-400.
• Relton CL, Davey-Smith G. Two-step epigenetic Mendelian randomization: a strategy for establishing the causal role of epigenetic processes in pathways to disease. International Journal of Epidemiology 2012, 41(1), 161-176.
• Timofeeva MN, McKay JD, Smith GD, Johansson M, Byrnes GB, Chabrier A, Relton C, Ueland PM, Vollset SE, Midttun O, Nygard O, Slimani N, Romieu I, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fagherazzi G, Kaaks R, Teucher B, Boeing H, Weikert C, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, van Gils C, Peeters PHM, Agudo A, Barricarte A, Huerta JM, Rodriguez L, Sanchez MJ, Larranaga N, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Allen NE, Travis RC, Gallo V, Norat T, Krogh V, Masala G, Panico S, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Rasmuson T, Hallmans G, Riboli E, Vineis P, Brennan P. Genetic Polymorphisms in 15q25 and 19q13 Loci, Cotinine Levels, and Risk of Lung Cancer in EPIC. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2011, 20(10), 2250-2261.
• Relton CL, Pearce MS, O'Sullivan JJ. The relationship between gestational age and pulse pressure in children. In: Early Human Development: 4th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). 2006, Utrecht, The Netherlands: Elsevier Ireland Ltd.