NED Science Forum 2026

Justin is a Professor of Nutritional Physiology applied to exercise and functional health within the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. He is a longstanding BANT Registered Nutritionist, current Editor-in-Chief for the Nutrition Evidence Database (NED), and Chair of the Nutritional Therapy Education Commission (NTEC). He is also the current Senior Team Lead for Muscle, Performance and Recovery research within Medical and Nutritional Sciences for Danone Global Research & Innovation, Netherlands.

Yiannis Mavrommatis completed his PhD in molecular nutrition, developing an expertise in -omics technologies (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics). He is a Registered Nutritionist, a Registered Dietitian and a Senior Fellow to the UK Higher Education Academy. He also holds an MSc in Blockchain Technology and Digital Currencies. Yiannis has extensive research experience precision nutrition and has supervised many MSc and PhD students.  In 2015 he developed the pioneering course MSc Nutrition and Genetics at St Mary´s University in London. He joined the Precision Nutrition Group at the Lake Lucerne Institute in Switzerland in 2024 and he is also a scientific advisor for the healthcare company Nudge Care.

Dawn Waldron has spent thirty years working as a Nutritional Therapist with the aim of transforming breast cancer outcomes following her own diagnosis in 1997. After two decades of clinical practice, she now focusses on educating integrative oncology practitioners and 'expert patients' through her speaking and teaching engagements and her weekly Fluxable Substack—exploring the metabolism and epigenetics of cancer from a survivor perspective.

Recently honoured with the Yes to Life Holistic Cancer Care Innovator Award (2025), Dawn’s work bridges the gap between conventional medicine and integrative healing. Her message: "Don't let the complexity of cancer blind you to the simplicity of healing.”

Natalie Louise Burrows is a registered Nutrition Practitioner, Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, and Clinic Director of Integral Wellness, an evidence-led personalised nutrition clinic specialising in cardio-metabolic health, where she leads a team of registered Nutritional Therapists.

Driven by both professional expertise and personal experience, Natalie is deeply committed to changing the trajectory of preventable chronic disease. With a family predisposition to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease - and her own experience of poor metabolic health during a high-pressure corporate career - she understands how nutrition, sleep, stress, and lifestyle shape long-term health outcomes.

Natalie supports clients across the full spectrum of cardio-metabolic health, including those using medications such as GLP-1 therapies, focusing on sustainable habits that improve metabolic markers, restore energy, and, where possible, place conditions into remission.

Alongside her clinical leadership, Natalie operates at the forefront of nutrition innovation. As Head of Nutrition for Tonic Health, she leads evidence-based education and helps shape the brand’s nutrition strategy. She also delivers clinical education for Lingo, an Abbott company, equipping healthcare practitioners to apply continuous glucose monitoring within preventive care models.

A recognised educator, Natalie lectures for academic institutions and speaks at professional conferences, contributing to the dialogue shaping the future of chronic disease prevention. A sought-after media voice, she is also a passionate advocate for regenerative farming and a vocal challenger of ultra-processed food culture.

Natalie is redefining proactive healthcare by helping people take earlier, more informed control of their long-term health.

Claire Sambolino is a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and part-time Communications Manager for the British Association of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), with over 20 years’ marketing experience. She blends nutritional therapy and health coaching in her clinical work and continues to provide corporate nutrition consultancy. In her BANT role, Claire is passionate about changing the nutritional landscape and promoting the profession; lobbying for nutrition practitioners to be recognised within the NHS. 

Claire works online in her specialised field of metabolic health and cancer. She has an MSc in personalised nutrition and holds additional qualifications as a Metabolic Balance Coach ®, Dietary Educator, NLP coach, and Systems Approach to Cancer® Programme enhanced cancer nutrition practitioner. Claire integrates a food-first philosophy with nutritional science and behavioural change techniques to help clients make healthier choices for their health and wellbeing.

Clare manages the BANT science and education member services. This includes the management of the Nutrition Evidence Database (NED), production of webinars and other educational resources for the member Learning Zone and the quality assurance of BANT member CPD. As the NED Managing Editor and as part of the NED Editorial Board, Clare is involved with database development, value-added resource production and regular dissemination of evidence-based material to BANT members and NED subscribers. This includes the content for the NED Journal and NED Infobites. She manages the NED Expert Review panel and a team of NED indexers, as well as leading the volunteer CPD committee and webinar team.

Clare is now devoting time to a research study to assess the impact of the practice of personalised nutrition by BANT NTPs on functional bowel disorders. Clare brings skills in project management developed over 20 years and experience of critical appraisal of nutrition research. She holds an MSc in Nutritional Therapy and as a CNHC Registered Nutritional Therapist, has practices in Scotland and Cambridge, focusing on inflammatory arthritis and chronic pain. Previously, she worked in banking and finance in the UK before receiving an MSc in international development, and working in southern Africa managing rural finance schemes. Clare joined the BANT team in 2017 as Science and Education Manager.

Dr Jessica Rigutto is specialized in micronutrient nutrition and nutrition methodology meta-research. With a focus on vulnerable groups including children and women, Jessica uses individual- and population-level data to construct evidence-based nutrient profiles that inform intervention design and advise public health policy. Jessica also leads international initiatives to support and promote standards in the science of nutrition for improved translation of nutrition research findings. She teaches across diverse topics in human nutrition at under- and graduate level, as well as on nutrition research procedures and scientific integrity, and is a sought-after speaker on these subjects externally. She has contributed to policy guidance for WHO, UNICEF and the OECD and is widely published in the peer-reviewed, scientific press. Alumnus of the European Nutrition Leadership Platform, she is the current director of the Advanced Seminar. Jessica holds a Doctor of Science in human nutrition from ETH Zürich, Switzerland, as well as master’s degrees in international public health and pharmacy. She is a registered nutritionist with BANT and a Kharrazian Institute Certified Functional Medicine Health ConsultantTM.

Dr. Michelle Barrow is the Academic Team Director and Clinical Director at CNELM. Michelle also supervises PhD students at the University of Central Lancaster, Middlesex University and the University of West London. Michelle completed a Doctorate in Professional Studies (DProf) in 2019, titled "Leading transformation in Personalised Nutrition Practice". Her doctoral research included the construction of clinical tools to enable the development of a new evidence base for personalised nutrition practice in obesity management. She strives to develop the evidence base to support personalised nutrition practice through her academic work, research supervision, post-doctoral research, and publication. She is published in many scientific journals, including Autoimmunity Reviews, Nutrition Reviews and Current Research in Food and Nutrition.

Ben is founder and director of the Nutritional Medicine Institute, an educational, advocacy and research group committed to advancing the science and practice of nutritional medicine. An internationally acclaimed lecturer, Ben is host of Positive Health Podcast, a guest lecturer on Nutritional Therapy, and regularly speaks at major educational institutions and international conferences for health professionals.

Ben is a consultant for Pure Encapsulations. He is editor of the Nutritional Medicine Journal, contributing editor of Integrative Healthcare and Applied Nutrition Magazine, author of The Digestive Health Solution, has contributed textbook chapters, and had research published in journals including Gastrointestinal Disorders, Alternative Therapies Health and Medicine, Nutrients, and Nutrition Reviews.

Dr Lawrence is a Senior Lecturer in psychology at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Kate’s research specialises in nutritional psychology and neurodiversity, with a particular focus on dietary and microbiome influences on mental health and cognitive function. She is published in many scientific journals, including Frontiers in Psychology, Neuropsychology, Neuropsychologia, and BMJ Open.