Role
Keeley Brookes is a Lecturer in the School of Science & Technology, with expertise in genetics and genomics of complex disease. She is the lead of the Brains for Dementia Research (BDR, https://bdr.alzheimersresearchuk.org/) project DNA bank and genetic analyses, with emphasis on polygenic risk score creation for the early prediction of those at high risk of developing dementia. Genetic data for this cohort is available via the Dementia Platform UK.
Keeley teaches on a number of modules in relation to genetics of human disease, including Genetics & Immunology, Molecular Genetics of Human disease and Developmental and Evolutionary Genetics. She is also module lead of the first year module Living Systems.
Career overview
Keeley began her career with a BSc (Hons) degree in Genetics from the University of Leicester. This was followed with a MSc in Gene and Environment Interplay and PhD in the Molecular Genetic of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder from Kings College London, graduating in 2006.
As a postdoctoral researcher Keeley worked at the Universities of St Andrews, Manchester and Nottingham over the last decade investigating a variety of complex diseases including Autism, Cleft Palate and Alzheimer's Disease using a range of methodologies.
Research areas
Keeley's research direction is now focused on neurodegeneration and assigning functional consequences to the polymorphisms associated with disease, bridging the gap between genetic risk and phenotypes, and generating a polygenic risk score to predict those at high risk from developing dementia.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2427-2513
External activity
- Genetics & Omics Working Group: ARUK Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network (2020- )
- Alzheimer’s Research UK – Midlands Network Committee member (Nottingham Trent University representative, 2019- )