Staff Profile

Introduction:

I am a senior innovation associate at the National Innovation centre for Ageing working on the delivery of the Innovation Stream component of the UK-China Healthy Ageing Flagship Challenge – a joint UK-China initiative. 

Background:

I have recently passed my PhD VIVA with minor corrections. My project investigates the impact of sleep duration and fragmentation on both physical and mental health. I have a keen interest in research, especially in the area of ageing and health.

Qualifications:

Bsc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences (Newcastle University)

MRes Medical Sciences (Newcastle University)

PhD Sleep Science (Newcastle University)

Publications:

1. Zhu G, Cassidy S, Hiden H, Woodman S, Trenell M, Gunn DA, Catt M, Birch-Machin M, Anderson KN. Exploration of Sleep as a Specific Risk Factor for Poor Metabolic and Mental Health: A UK Biobank Study of 84,404 Participants. Nat Sci Sleep. 2021; 13:1903-1912.
2. Ruddy E, Zhu G, Idowu O, Birch-Machin MA. Chapter 9 - Skin aging and mitochondria. In: de Oliveira MR, editor. Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Nanotherapeutics: Academic Press; 2021. p. 237-59.
3. Zhu G, Catt M, Cassidy S, Birch-Machin M, Trenell M, et al. (2019) Objective sleep assessment in >80,000 UK mid-life adults: Associations with sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity and caffeine. PLOS ONE 14(12): e0226220.
4. Zhu G, Catt M, Anderson K, Gunn D, Birch-Machin M. P069 Investigating the impact of insulin resistance on ageing and wellbeing using sleep as a model system 2019. A44.1-A p.
5. Zhu G, Anderson K. Does insomnia worsen cardiometabolic health? ACNR 2018;18(2):20-22.

Previous research:

Investigates the impact of sleep on cardiometabolic and mental health (PhD)

Current research:

Focuses on the delivery of the Innovation Stream component of the UK-China Healthy Ageing Flagship Challenge – a joint UK-China initiative (NICA)