About
Dr Timothy Barrow is a Lecturer in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Essex, specialising in cancer epigenetics. Since January 2023 he has led research programmes focused on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and other malignancies, building on prior appointments as Senior Lecturer in Genomics at the University of Sunderland and post-doctoral positions at Newcastle University and the University Medical Center Freiburg.
Education
- PhD, University of Cambridge, 2010
- MBiochem (Hons), University of Bath, 2005
Research Interests
Dr Barrow’s work centres on the epigenetic underpinnings of cancer, identifying early DNA-methylation changes that precede clinical diagnosis and modulate therapeutic response. His laboratory investigates:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia biology and biomarker discovery
- Environmental influences on the epigenome, including smoking and pollution
- Epigenetic ageing signatures and their modulation by diet and exposure
- RNA m6A methylation dynamics in response to toxicants
Cross-disciplinary collaborations integrate multi-omics datasets to uncover subtype-specific vulnerabilities across haematological and solid tumours, with the ultimate goal of translating findings into clinical tests and precision therapies.
Recent Publication Trends
Between 2017 and 2025 Dr Barrow has authored more than twenty-five peer-reviewed articles. The work clusters into three thematic arcs: (i) discovery and validation of methylation biomarkers in CLL, lung and breast cancer; (ii) environmental epigenomics linking air pollution, noise, stress and diet to DNA/RNA modifications; and (iii) methodological advances in DNMT inhibition, epigenetic clocks and integrative bioinformatics to prioritise therapeutic targets.
Scientific Awards & Funding
Research is currently supported by:
- British Society for Haematology – HOXA genes and venetoclax resistance in CLL
- Leukemia Research Foundation – Minimal residual disease markers in CLL
- University of Essex BBSRC IAA – Novel clinical test for treatment response in leukaemia
Teaching & Supervision
Dr Barrow contributes to eleven undergraduate and postgraduate modules including Medical Genetics, Molecular Basis of Cancer and Research Project supervision across Biomedical Science and Life Sciences programmes. He is actively recruiting PhD students in cancer epigenetics and environmental toxicomethylomics.
Laboratory & Collaborations
He leads an epigenetics research group within the School of Life Sciences, maintains collaborations with the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, and participates in international consortia such as Project ELEFANT and the ColoCare Study.
