Diane Lees-Murdock graduated from Ulster University with BSc Hons Biology (1^st Class).  She also completed her PhD at Ulster in Molecular Toxicology where she is currently a Senior Lecturer in Epigenetics. Diane is currently Lead for the Centre for Genomic Medicine where her research is focused on genomic and epigenomic regulation in normal development and disease with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease.

Diane has vast experience of conducting genetic and epigenetic studies, in cellular and animal models as well as human studies.  She has a particular interest in nutriepigenomics, investigating the role of one-carbon metabolism in ensuring the faithful transmission of DNA methylation and how genetic variants in this important metabolic pathway play a role in aberrant methylation in hypertension to provide a greater insight into how nutrition influences the epigenome and cardiovascular risk.

To date Diane has published more than 25 scientific papers in top-ranked journals across several disciplines.  She has attracted significant external funding from government agencies in UK and Ireland, Charities and Industry.  Diane was Chair of the Royal Society of Biology NI Branch from 2017-19.  Diane has over 20 years of teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level.  She founded the PgDip Stem Cell Biology, lead BSc Hons Biology as Course Director (2014-2020) and is currently Academic Division Head for Bio & Healthcare Sciences at Ulster.