Staff Profile
Dr Alasdair Blain
Epidemiologist/Biostatistician
- Email: alasdair.blain@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0191 208 5663
- Address: Mitochondrial Research Group,
Translational and Clinical Research Institute,
Faculty of Medical Sciences,
Newcastle University,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE2 4HH
Background
I am an epidemiologist within the Mitochondrial Research Group in the Institure of Neuroscience. I have a special interest in Bayesian hierarchical & spatio-temporal methods and their applications in epidemiology. Previous work has involved GLMMs, dealing with censored data, quality control methods, Markov Chain methods and a variety of multivariate techniques.
Area of expertise: Statistical Modelling, Bayesian Analysis, Epidemiology
Google Scholar: Click here.
Research
My main role is to study the temporal evolution of mitochondrial disease and understand how factors shape its progression using the Mitochondrial Disease Patient Cohort. Using various information from patients within the cohort (such as genotype, clinical features, physical function, cognition, quality of life and sociodemographics) we aim to gain greater understanding of how mitochondrial disease progresses and how this progression is shaped by various factors. Outcomes of this work will shape existing, and develop new clinical guidelines to improve the lives of people with mitochondrial disease.
Alongside this work, I also provide support and assistance within the group on a variety of projects and statistical issues.
Publications
- Pickett SJ, Blain A, Ng YS, Wilson IJ, Taylor RW, McFarland R, Turnbull DM, Gorman GS. Mitochondrial donation - Which women could benefit?. New England Journal of Medicine 2019, 380(20), 1971-1972.
- Ng YS, Martikainen MH, Gorman GS, Blain A, Bugiardini E, Bunting A, Schaefer AM, Alston CL, Blakely EL, Sharma S, Hughes I, Lim A, de Goede C, McEntagart M, Spinty S, Horrocks I, Roberts M, Woodward CE, Chinnery PF, Horvath R, Nesbitt V, Fratter C, Poulton J, Hanna MG, Pitceathly RDS, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, McFarland R. Pathogenic variants in MT-ATP6: A United Kingdom–based mitochondrial disease cohort study. Annals of Neurology 2019, 86(2), 310-315.
- Moore HL, Kelly T, Bright A, Field RH, Schaefer AM, Blain AP, Taylor RW, McFarland R, Turnbull DM, Gorman GS. Cognitive deficits in adult m.3243A>G- and m.8344A>G-related mitochondrial disease: Importance of correcting for baseline intellectual ability. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology 2019, 6(5), 826-836.
- Rushton SP, Sanderson RA, Diggle PJ, Shirley MDF, Blain AP, Lake I, Maas JA, Reid WDK, Hardstaff J, Williams N, Jones NR, Rigby D, Stachan NJC, Forbes KJ, Hunter PR, Humphrey TJ, O'Brien SJ. Climate, human behaviour or environment: individual-based modelling of Campylobacter seasonality and strategies to reduce disease burden. Journal of Translational Medicine 2019, 17, 34.
- Manning WA, Blain A, Longstaff L, Deehan DJ. A load-measuring device can achieve fine-tuning of mediolateral load at knee arthroplasty but may lead to a more lax knee state. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 2019, 27(7), 2238-2250.
- Manning WA, Ghosh KM, Blain A, Longstaff L, Rushton SP, Deehan DJ. Internal femoral component rotation adversely influences load transfer in total knee arthroplasty: a cadaveric navigated study using the Verasense device. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 2018, 26(5), 1577-1585.
- Deehan DJ, Ghosh KM, Blain A, Longstaff L, Rushton S. Sagittal flexion arc evaluation for a modern generation single-radius femoral component design. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine 2018, 232(4), 412-417.
- Sanderson RA, Maas JA, Blain AP, Gorton R, Ward J, O'Brien SJ, Hunter PR, Rushton SP. Spatio-temporal models to determine association between Campylobacter cases and environment. International Journal of Epidemiology 2018, 47(1), 202-216.
- Manning WA, Ghosh KM, Blain AP, Longstaff LM, Rushton SP, Deehan DJ. Does Maximal External Tibial Component Rotation Influence Tibiofemoral Load Distribution in the Primary Knee Arthroplasty Setting: A Comparison of Neutral vs Maximal Anatomical External Rotatory States. Journal of Arthroplasty 2017, 32(6), 2005-2011.
- Ghosh KM, Manning WA, Blain AP, Rushton SP, Longstaff LM, Amiss AA, Deehan DJ. Influence of increasing construct constraint in the presence of posterolateral deficiency at knee replacement: A biomechanical study. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 2015, 34(3), 427-434.
- Ghosh KM, Hunt N, Blain A, Athwal KK, Longstaff L, Amis AA, Rushton S, Deehan DJ. Isolated popliteus tendon injury does not lead to abnormal laxity in posterior-stabilised total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 2015, 23(6), 1763-1769.
- Hunt NC, Ghosh KM, Blain AP, Rushton SP, Longstaff LM, Deehan DJ. No statistically significant kinematic difference found between a cruciate-retaining and posterior-stabilised Triathlon knee arthroplasty: A laboratory study involving eight cadavers examining soft-tissue laxity. Bone & Joint Journal 2015, 97B(5), 642-648.
- Elemraid MA, Thomas MF, Blain AP, Rushton SP, Spencer DA, Gennery AR, Clark JE, North East England Pediat Resp. Risk Factors for the Development of Pleural Empyema in Children. Pediatric Pulmonology 2015, 50(7), 721-726.
- Ghosh KM, Blain AP, Longstaff L, Rushton S, Amis AA, Deehan DJ. Can we define envelope of laxity during navigated knee arthroplasty?. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 2014, 22(8), 1736-1743.
- Hunt NC, Ghosh KM, Blain AP, Athwal KK, Rushton SP, Amis AA, Longstaff LM, Deehan DJ. How Does Laxity After Single Radius Total Knee Arthroplasty Compare With the Native Knee?. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 2014, 32(9), 1208-1213.
- Blain AP, Thomas MF, Shirley MDF, Simmister C, Elemraid MA, Gorton R, Pearce MS, Clark JE, Rushton SP, Spencer DA. Spatial variation in the risk of hospitalization with childhood pneumonia and empyema in the North of England. Epidemiology and Infection 2014, 142(2), 388-398.
- Ghosh M, Blain A, Longstaff l, Rushton S, Deehan D. The effect of total knee replacement on the envelope of laxity of the knee. In: 15th European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy Congress. 2012, Geneva.
- Thomas MF, Blain AP, Shirley MDF, Simmister C, Elemraid MA, Gorton R, Pearce MS, Clark JE, Rushton SP, Spencer DA. Geographical variation in the risk of childhood pneumonia and relationships to socio-economic and health deprivation. In: European Respiratory Society Annual Congress. 2011, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Davidson N, Blain A, McKean M, O'Brien C, Moss S, Spencer D. Airway microbiology in children presenting with chronic respiratory symptoms. In: European Respiratory Society Annual Congress. 2010, Barcelona, Spain: ERS Journals Ltd.
- Davidson N, Blain A, McKean M, O'Brien C, Moss S, Spencer D. Aspergillus is now the dominant organism isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage in children with CF Children in north east England. In: European Respiratory Society Annual Congress. 2010, Barcelona, Spain: ERS Journals Ltd.
- Firbank LG, Petit S, Smart S, Blain AP, Fuller RJ. Assessing the impacts of agricultural intensification on biodiversity: a British perspective. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 2008, 363(1492), 777-787.
- Blain AP, Firbank LG, Smart S, Rushton S. Modelling vegetation change in the British countryside. In: 7th IALE World Congress. 2007, Wageningen, The Netherlands: IALE.
- Heap RE, Segarra-Fas A, Blain AP, Findlay GM, Trost M. Profiling embryonic stem cell differentiation by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry: Development of a reproducible and robust sample preparation workflow. Analyst 2019, 144(21), 6371-6381.
- Moore HL, Blain AP, Turnbull DM, Gorman GS. Systematic review of cognitive deficits in adult mitochondrial disease. European Journal of Neurology 2020, 27(1), 3-17.
- Smith ALM, Whitehall JC, Bradshaw C, Gay D, Robertson F, Blain AP, Hudson G, Pyle A, Houghton D, Hunt M, Sampson JN, Stamp C, Mallett G, Amarnath S, Leslie J, Oakley F, Wilson L, Baker A, Russell OM, Johnson R, Richardson CA, Gupta B, McCallum I, McDonald SAC, Kelly S, Mathers JC, Heer R, Taylor RW, Perkins ND, Turnbull DM, Sansom OJ, Greaves LC. Age-associated mitochondrial DNA mutations cause metabolic remodeling that contributes to accelerated intestinal tumorigenesis. Nature Cancer 2020, 1, 976-989.
- Hatton C, Reeve A, Lax NZ, Blain A, Ng YS, El-Agnaf O, Attems J, Taylor JP, Turnbull D, Erskine D. Complex I reductions in the nucleus basalis of Meynert in Lewy body dementia: the role of Lewy bodies. Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2020, (8), 103.
- Chen C, Vincent AE, Blain AP, Smith AL, Turnbull DM, Reeve AK. Investigation of mitochondrial biogenesis defects in single substantia nigra neurons using post-mortem human tissues. Neurobiology of Disease 2020, 134, 104631.
- Stefanetti RJ, Blain A, Jimenez-Moreno C, Errington L, Ng YS, McFarland R, Turnbull DM, Newman J, Gorman GS. Measuring the effects of exercise in neuromuscular disorders: A systematic review and meta-analyses [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research 2020, 5(84).
- Goffe L, Uwamahoro NS, Dixon CJ, Blain AP, Danielsen J, Kirk D, Adamson AJ. Supporting a healthier takeaway meal choice: creating a universal Health Rating for online takeaway fast-food outlets. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9260.
- Capper TE, Houghton D, Stewart CJ, Blain AP, McMahon N, Siervo M, West DJ, Stevenson EJ. Whole beetroot consumption reduces systolic blood pressure and modulates diversity and composition of the gut microbiota in older participants. NFS Journal 2020, 21, 28-37.
- Feeney CL, Lim AZ, Fagan E, Blain A, Bright A, Maddison J, Devine H, Stewart J, Taylor RW, Gorman GS, Turnbull DM, Nesbitt V, McFarland R. A case‐comparison study of pregnant women with mitochondrial disease – what to expect?. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2019, 126(11), 1380-1389.
- Jimenez-Moreno AC, Nikolenko N, Kierkegaard M, Blaine AP, Newman J, Massey C, Moat D, Sodhi J, Atalaia A, Gorman G, Turner C, Lochmuller H. Analysis of the functional capacity outcome measures for myotonic dystrophy. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology 2019, 6(8), 1487-1497.
- Manning WA, Ghosh K, Blain A, Longstaff L, Deehan DJ. Tibiofemoral forces for the native and post-arthroplasty knee: relationship to maximal laxity through a functional arc of motion. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 2017, 25(6), 1669-1677.