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  • Postgraduate Research
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  • Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research
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  • Meet our Researchers
  • Find a PhD Supervisor

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  • School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
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  • Find a PhD Supervisor

Find a PhD Supervisor

Dr Helen Coleman

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Helen Coleman

Dr Helen Coleman

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

Professor Coleman's research mostly focuses on the epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers and pre-malignant conditions, with particular strengths in Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer. She has specialist training in molecular pathology epidemiology and nutritional epidemiology.

Her research mostly incorporates data analysis from population-based registers, existing cohort and case-control studies, and systematic reviews of these study designs, as well as applying community-based interventions to address underlying risk factors.

Contact info

  • View Academic Profile
  • [email protected]
  • +44 (0)28 9097 8953, 02890635049
  • @HelenColemanQUB

Research Interests

Open to PhD applications in the field of

  • Data analysis
  • Epidemiology projects related to risk, prevention, early detection and survival of cancers of the digestive tract, particularly oesophageal, pancreatic, liver or colorectal cancer, and associated pre-malignant conditions

Make a PhD enquiry


Public outreach & key achievements

  • World Cancer Research Day, February 2022, highlighting Queen’s University’s impact on cancer research in Mongolia and Vietnam
  • World Cancer Research Fund ‘Meet the Scientist’ feature, June 2020
  • Research on coffee drinking and liver cancer, November 2019; Reach of 150+ news outlets
  • Coverage of Cancer Research UK Career Establishment Award for World Cancer Day, February 2019:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOl-nCSbH24 
    https://planetradio.co.uk/downtown/local/news/oesophageal-cancer-on-the-rise-in-ni/ 
    http://www.irishnews.com/news/healthcarenews/2019/02/04/news/queen-s-university-scientist-wins-cancer-research-award-1543101/ 
    https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2019-02-04/ni-scientist-wins-grant-for-oesophageal-cancer-research/ 
    https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/northern-ireland-scientist-gets-855k-for-her-cancer-research-37778583.html 
  • Article on lifestyle factors in relation to serrated colorectal polyps
  • Discussion on new guidelines for Vitamin D supplementation
  • Barrett’s patients who smoke are twice as likely to develop esophageal cancer, Health AM, 30 January 2012

Research students

Erin McGrattan
PhD title: Identifying characteristics of asymptomatic oesophageal cancer and Barrett’s oesophagus patients to inform novel prevention and early detection opportunities.
2022-2025
Country UK

Dr Ashleigh Hamilton
PhD title: The molecular epidemiology, survival and treatment experiences of patients with early onset colorectal cancer.
2019-2023
Country UK

Yasemin Adali
PhD title: Lifestyle factors, medications and colon cancer survival stratified by biomarkers: a molecular cancer epidemiology approach.
2018-2022
Country Turkey


Alumni: Where are they now

Dr Haydee Jordao
PhD Title The association between oral health, related bacteria and gastrointestinal cancer risk and progression
2017-2020
Country Angola
Current Position Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UK

Mr Ronan Gray
PhD Title The role of aspirin and statins in colorectal cancer survival
2014-2017
Country UK
Current Position Surgical Consultant

Dr Omolara Sanni
PhD Title The epidemiology of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer progression
2014-2017
Country Nigeria
Current Position Postdoctoral research fellow, Canada


Discover More

  • Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
  • School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
  • Centre for Public Health
  • Cancer Epidemiology research group

Postgraduate research
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97 Lisburn Road,
Belfast, BT9 7BL

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