Dr. Emre Deniz
Biography
Dr Emre
Deniz is an Assistant Professor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. His
research is dedicated to improving the quality of life and long-term outcomes
of children and young people, with a particular emphasis on the interplay
between genetic predispositions, environmental risk and protective factors, and
the effectiveness of interventions across different contexts.
Prior to
his current role, Dr Deniz was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of
York, where he focused on transdiagnostic approaches to understanding
cognitive, social, emotional, and mental health difficulties across childhood
and adolescence. During his time at York, he was awarded a Visiting Researcher
Fellowship at the Institut national d’études démographiques (INED) in Paris,
France. At INED, he collaborated with leading international researchers on the
ELFE cohort, applying advanced psychometric network modelling to explore the
interconnections between cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Before
joining the University of York, Dr Deniz worked at the University of Manchester
and the Anna Freud Research Centre in London, where he contributed to England’s
largest school-based mental health trials (including Education for Wellbeing
and HeadStart). In these projects, his work centred on the design, evaluation,
and implementation of interventions aimed at improving the mental health and
wellbeing of children and young people at scale.
Dr Deniz’s
research spans several complementary areas. He is particularly interested in:
• Environmental risk and protective
factors, such as family, school, and community influences, that shape child and
adolescent mental health.
• Intervention research, including both
universal and targeted approaches, delivered in educational settings (e.g.,
schools) as well as naturalistic contexts (e.g., home and community). His work
includes interventions tailored to specific groups, such as children with ADHD
and those facing heightened vulnerability.
• Genetic and epigenetic contributions
to child and adolescent mental health. He has a special interest in polygenic
scores, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and epigenome-wide association
studies (EWAS), and how these can be integrated with rich cohort data to
clarify the role of environmental influences.
As an
advanced quantitative researcher, Dr Deniz’s day-to-day work involves the
integration of large-scale population data, cohort and biobank studies, and
complex statistical modelling approaches. He is experienced in statistical
genetics, causal modelling, and psychometric network modelling, and has a
growing interest in emerging modelling frameworks that bridge disciplines to
better understand developmental pathways of mental health. His research agenda
is inherently interdisciplinary, combining psychology, genetics, education, and
public health to address pressing challenges in youth mental health both in the
UK and internationally.
Dr Deniz
is also a co-investigator on the Mental Health Leaders Award (NIHR, £2.5
million) at the University of Bradford. This major initiative aims to build
research capacity in child and adolescent mental health, strengthen regional
practices, reduce health inequalities, and alleviate the burden on NHS services
by developing evidence-based, early-life prevention strategies.
Through
this work, Dr Deniz seeks not only to advance scientific understanding but also
to inform policy, practice, and early intervention strategies that can reduce
inequalities, improve outcomes, and enhance wellbeing across the life course.
Research
Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing, Genome Wide Association Studies, Epigenome-wide Association Studies, Psychometrics, Psychometric Network Modelling, Time Series Modelling, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Randomised Controlled Trials, Evaluation of Interventions for Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, Childhood Adversity, Early Home Environment, Real-World Health and Education Outcomes.