Kate Sykes

Kate Sykes is an Assistant Professor in Community Wellbeing at Northumbria University's Department of Social Work, Education & Community Wellbeing. She specializes in health inequalities with a focus on cancer prevention and screening for marginalized groups, particularly individuals with learning disabilities or severe mental illness. Her research emphasizes equitable access to healthcare services and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Education:

• Health Studies MSc (2016)
• Psychology BSc (Hons) (2015)
• Health PhD

Research Interests: Her work addresses systemic barriers to healthcare access, including policy reform, preventive care disparities, and cross-sector collaboration. Notable projects include the international CUPID initiative to improve cancer prevention for people with intellectual disabilities and evaluations of care home safety protocols.

Current Projects:

• CUPID (2022–2026): Improving cancer prevention for people with intellectual disabilities
• LEAN Intervention (2025): Lifestyle interventions for individuals with learning disabilities
• Show Me How and Where You Belong (2024–2026): Addressing health disparities in marginalized communities

Affiliations:

• Fuse - Centre for Translational Research in Public Health
• Tees Valley Health Inequalities in Cancer Steering Group
• UK Society for Behavioural Medicine Cancer Prevention and Screening Special Interest Group

Grants & Leadership: Kate leads working groups on cancer prevention equity and co-produces interventions with stakeholders. She has secured funding from EU COST, NIHR Team Science, and the NIHR School for Public Health Research.