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Professor Tim Spector
Professor Tim Spector

Professor Tim Spector

Professor of Genetic Epidemiology

  • Head of Department, Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology

Contact details

Biography

I use the UK twins registry (TWINSUK) of 10,000 twins to pursue gene discovery in the common complex traits and diseases via genetic epidemiology. I study a wide variety of diseases from back pain to anxiety, snoring to sexuality. Our group focus on age related diseases such as CVD, metabolic traits, locomotor problems such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, cognitive function and eye disorders. We have genomewide scans and expression data on large numbers of the twins.

    News

    Three researchers shortlisted for Cancer Grand Challenges funding

    Professor Tim Spector, Dr Sarah Berry and Dr Sheeba Irshad of King’s have been selected for the final stages of Cancer Grand Challenges as part of teams...

    Cancer globally

    BBC One: King's academics highlight impact of ultra-processed food on health

    Professor Tim Spector and Dr Sarah Berry from the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine have stressed how ultra-processed food can impact on long-term health in...

    Tim-Spector-Award

    Scientists identify potential for lifestyle changes to prevent and treat obesity

    Weight loss surgery can profoundly reduce the levels of bile acid associated with higher appetite, as can taking fibre supplements but to a lesser degree.

    Obesity-day

    Mediterranean diet benefits patients with advanced Melanoma

    Eating a Mediterranean diet, rich in whole grains, nuts, fish and vegetables, is associated with an improved immunotherapy response in patients with melanoma,...

    C0342972-Vegetables-penci

    Long COVID risk less during Omicron compared to Delta

    The Omicron variant is less likely to cause long COVID than the Delta variant, new research has found.

    Long covid

    Minorities bore disproportionate mental health impact of pandemic

    Racial and ethnic minorities had higher rates of depression and anxiety than white people during the COVID-19 pandemic, new research has found.

    Graphic of healthcare workers in protective clothing

    A third COVID-19 vaccine boosts waning immunity

    A third dose of COVID-19 vaccine boosts vaccines effectiveness to levels higher than one month after the second dose in people over 55 and with one or more...

    vaccine-main

    Symptoms of Omicron less severe than the Delta variant

    People infected with Omicron are more likely to have a sore throat and less likely to experience loss of smell compared to Delta, a new study has found.

    Omicron symptoms

    Pfizer vaccine reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection in children

    A single dose of the Pfizer vaccine reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection in children, new research has found. Data also showed a single dose made infection...

    children-covid

    Study finds potential predictor for perimenopause

    A new study has found women ‘age’ significantly faster in the perimenopausal period, based on analysis of the IgG glycome. This finding indicates the...

    780x450 Pills

    Events

    21May780 Tim Spector

    Spoon fed: a webinar with Tim Spector

    Five years after the release of his groundbreaking book, The Diet Myth, Professor Tim Spector forces us to rethink our whole relationship with food. Join...

    Please note: this event has passed.

    Features

    Spotlight on nutrition: Research into the impacts of our diets

    From beans, to berries to new types of bread, our researchers have been doing a range of work to help us better understand how you are what you eat.

    Nutrition 101

    Rosalind Franklin at 100: How her legacy lives on

    This weekend, July 25th, marks 100 years since the birth of Rosalind Franklin, one of history’s leading scientists. While working at King’s, Franklin famously...

    Rosalind franklin_hero

    Why one-size-fits-all diets don't work – new study

    The largest nutritional study of its kind delves deep into why a one-size diet does not fit all

    nutrition-hero

    King's contributes to pandemic response

    Staff and students from across the King’s community are supporting efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

    Coronavirus CDC promo

    Coronavirus: how to keep your gut microbiome healthy to fight COVID-19

    Professor Tim Spector offers advice on some ways you can strengthen your immune system.

    HEALTHY MAIN

    Spotlight

    ZOE COVID Study app: How King's researchers slowed the spread of COVID-19

    On March 24th 2020, the ZOE COVID Symptom Study App was launched. Since then, it has more than 4 million users and is now the world’s largest ongoing study...

    COVID and RBC

    Spotlight on COVID: Tracking the symptoms

    Professor Tim Spector discusses the new COVID Symptom Tracker app

    spotlight-covid-1920

      News

      Three researchers shortlisted for Cancer Grand Challenges funding

      Professor Tim Spector, Dr Sarah Berry and Dr Sheeba Irshad of King’s have been selected for the final stages of Cancer Grand Challenges as part of teams...

      Cancer globally

      BBC One: King's academics highlight impact of ultra-processed food on health

      Professor Tim Spector and Dr Sarah Berry from the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine have stressed how ultra-processed food can impact on long-term health in...

      Tim-Spector-Award

      Scientists identify potential for lifestyle changes to prevent and treat obesity

      Weight loss surgery can profoundly reduce the levels of bile acid associated with higher appetite, as can taking fibre supplements but to a lesser degree.

      Obesity-day

      Mediterranean diet benefits patients with advanced Melanoma

      Eating a Mediterranean diet, rich in whole grains, nuts, fish and vegetables, is associated with an improved immunotherapy response in patients with melanoma,...

      C0342972-Vegetables-penci

      Long COVID risk less during Omicron compared to Delta

      The Omicron variant is less likely to cause long COVID than the Delta variant, new research has found.

      Long covid

      Minorities bore disproportionate mental health impact of pandemic

      Racial and ethnic minorities had higher rates of depression and anxiety than white people during the COVID-19 pandemic, new research has found.

      Graphic of healthcare workers in protective clothing

      A third COVID-19 vaccine boosts waning immunity

      A third dose of COVID-19 vaccine boosts vaccines effectiveness to levels higher than one month after the second dose in people over 55 and with one or more...

      vaccine-main

      Symptoms of Omicron less severe than the Delta variant

      People infected with Omicron are more likely to have a sore throat and less likely to experience loss of smell compared to Delta, a new study has found.

      Omicron symptoms

      Pfizer vaccine reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection in children

      A single dose of the Pfizer vaccine reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection in children, new research has found. Data also showed a single dose made infection...

      children-covid

      Study finds potential predictor for perimenopause

      A new study has found women ‘age’ significantly faster in the perimenopausal period, based on analysis of the IgG glycome. This finding indicates the...

      780x450 Pills

      Events

      21May780 Tim Spector

      Spoon fed: a webinar with Tim Spector

      Five years after the release of his groundbreaking book, The Diet Myth, Professor Tim Spector forces us to rethink our whole relationship with food. Join...

      Please note: this event has passed.

      Features

      Spotlight on nutrition: Research into the impacts of our diets

      From beans, to berries to new types of bread, our researchers have been doing a range of work to help us better understand how you are what you eat.

      Nutrition 101

      Rosalind Franklin at 100: How her legacy lives on

      This weekend, July 25th, marks 100 years since the birth of Rosalind Franklin, one of history’s leading scientists. While working at King’s, Franklin famously...

      Rosalind franklin_hero

      Why one-size-fits-all diets don't work – new study

      The largest nutritional study of its kind delves deep into why a one-size diet does not fit all

      nutrition-hero

      King's contributes to pandemic response

      Staff and students from across the King’s community are supporting efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

      Coronavirus CDC promo

      Coronavirus: how to keep your gut microbiome healthy to fight COVID-19

      Professor Tim Spector offers advice on some ways you can strengthen your immune system.

      HEALTHY MAIN

      Spotlight

      ZOE COVID Study app: How King's researchers slowed the spread of COVID-19

      On March 24th 2020, the ZOE COVID Symptom Study App was launched. Since then, it has more than 4 million users and is now the world’s largest ongoing study...

      COVID and RBC

      Spotlight on COVID: Tracking the symptoms

      Professor Tim Spector discusses the new COVID Symptom Tracker app

      spotlight-covid-1920