Natalie Cope

I read Biology and Biochemistry at Keele University, earning a BSc (Dual Hons) degree. My PhD research was on detecting genes for Developmental Dyslexia (DD) at Cardiff University and led to publications identifying genes for DD. During my postdoctoral work, I continued my work on the genetic basis of reading, working in the Department of Pediatrics at Yale University. Here, my research focused on the relationships between genetic polymorphisms, behavioural and cognitive phenotype data and neuroimaging data, including fMRI.

After gaining qualified teacher status, I was Deputy Head of the Science Faculty in a high school and worked for AQA as an associate examiner for A level Biology.

I now work in the School of Medicine and am involved with the psychometric analysis of assessment and admissions data, along with conducting research. My research interests lie in the areas of values-based recruitment of medical students, standard setting for examinations, examiner calibration and adjustment, numeracy skill in applicants to, and students of, medicine, and identifying student flight paths through the medicine course. I sit on the Faculty of Health Research Ethics Committee.

I teach on the Master's in Medical Education programme, leading modules on the theoretical aspects of assessment, and designing and delivering assessment in healthcare settings.