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Katherine Brain

Professor Katherine Brain

(she/her)

Teams and roles for Katherine Brain

Overview

I hold a Personal Chair in Health Psychology and lead a programme of cancer early detection behavioural research within the Division of Population Medicine. My research interests revolve around understanding the influences on cancer symptom help-seeking behaviour and screening participation, developing and testing behavioural interventions to address these influences, with a particular focus on reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes.

Since 2015, I have led the strategic direction of cancer behavioural science research in Wales, with infrastructure funding spanning the Wales Cancer Research Centre and Primary and Emergency Care Research Centre, funded by Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales. My research portfolio includes international studies of cancer awareness, understanding and addressing socioeconomic disparities in cancer help-seeking, lung cancer screening and smoking cessation among high-risk populations, and the impact of the pandemic on cancer attitudes and behaviours. 

 

My research, teaching and leadership responsibilities are underpinned by my core values of inclusivity, integrity and collaboration.

Publication

2025

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1999

Articles

Book sections

  • Brain, K. E. 2010. Screening and prevention. In: French, D. et al. eds. Health psychology. 2nd ed.. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, pp. 220-232.

Conferences

Research

Current research projects and collaborations:

PRIME Centre Wales. This is a cross-Wales research infrastructure collaboration focusing on primary and emergency care, funded by Health and Care Research Wales . 

Wales Cancer Research Centre. Funded by Health and Care Research Wales, we work with cancer patients and other partners to develop and deliver research excellence across Wales.

Supporting smokers attending for lung cancer screening in YORkshire to QUIT (YORQUIT). This is a cross-institution trial funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and led by Nottingham University to test alternative ways of supporting smoking cessation among people taking part in lung cancer screening. Cardiff’s role in YORQUIT is to lead an embedded qualitative process evaluation study.

ThinkCancer! This is a cluster randomised controlled trial of a primary care intervention to support timely cancer diagnosis, led by the University of Bangor and funded by Cancer Research Wales.

PREPARE study. This is a CRUK-funded collaboration between researchers at Cardiff University, Queen Mary University of London, University of Southern Denmark and lay representatives exploring the communication and information needs of the public, patients, healthcare providers and policy makers regarding multi-cancer early detection (MCED) blood tests.

Teaching

I am responsible for delivering undergraduate medical education including MBBCh Case Based Learning, Personal Tutoring, Evidence Based Medicine tutorials, intercalated and Student Selected Component project supervision and assessment. I also deliver Masters in Public Health supervision and assessment.

 

Biography

I am experienced in leading and managing research teams, including screening, prevention and early diagnosis research spanning the Wales Cancer Research Centre and Primary and Emergency Care Research Centre. I chaired the Division’s EDI and Athena SWAN self-assessment team from 2017-20 and was Associate Director of the College of Biomedical and Life Science Population Health Research theme from 2020-23. Other senior roles include Cancer Research Strategy for Wales theme lead and Cardiff University Senate professorial membership (2021-25).

Committee and review work includes:

·         Cancer Research UK Early Detection and Diagnosis Research Committee member since 2020

·         UK Chair of the US/UK Multi-Cancer Early Detection Consortium Health Equity workgroup (2022-2025)

·         European Code Against Cancer expert working group on Communication and Health Literacy, International Agency for Research in Cancer/World Health Organisation (2023-2024)

·         Cancer Research Strategy for Wales theme lead

·         NHS England Targeted Lung Health Check Programme Expert Advisory Group

·         French National Cancer Institute Scientific Committee member

 

Professional memberships

  • Full member of the British Psychological Society
  • Chartered Health Psychologist and registered practitioner
  • Qualification in Health Psychology (QHP) Stage II registered supervisor