Media & Press
With over a decade of experience in integrative and personalised healthcare and a passion for integrative oncology, I have made it my mission to truly transform cancer care in the UK.
Hi, I’m Dr Nina
DOCTOR – SCIENTIST – EDUCATOR
I believe healthcare – and particularly cancer care – is in urgent need of a paradigm shift. The standard “pill for every ill” approach is not working for doctors and definitely is not working for patients.
Our healthcare system, while often life-saving, is not life-optimising, and is rarely able to deliver whole person care for the prevention and management of complex, chronic diseases like cancer.
I am an award-winning Oxbridge-trained integrative medicine doctor, scientist and educator with over a decade’s experience in integrative healthcare and extensive education in nutrition, functional and integrative medicine, herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine, yoga and mindfulness.
I am also the Director of Synthesis Clinic, a multidisciplinary integrative medicine practice specialising in women’s health and integrative cancer care, and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology).
As a doctor providing integrative, personalised care to support people with cancer, I see the transformative impact of this approach on our patients’ personal resilience, quality of life and clinical outcomes.
That’s why I have made it my mission to make integrative oncology the standard of cancer care in the UK. Cancer care should always be about the person, not just their cancer, and should draw on the widest evidence-informed toolkit available, seeking to empower and support people during the toughest times in their lives.
This is what integrative oncology offers. Together, we can change the way cancer is treated.
Article in the Independent Doctors Federation Journal 2023 - ‘Integrative Oncology: Whole Person Care for Optimising Patient Resilience and Clinical Outcomes’
“Dr Fuller-Shavel is pioneering whole-person, systems biology-based, personalised medicine by translating the best scientific evidence to clinical practice, and, as if that were not enough, eloquently teaching and empowering others. The Nutritional Medicine Institute are honoured to have had her speak at our conferences to our global community of health professionals.”
– BENJAMIN BROWN, DIRECTOR, NUTRITIONAL MEDICINE INSTITUTE
Looking for an introduction to integrative oncology?
‘Integrative Oncology in Breast Cancer Care’ co-authored with Dr Penny Kechagioglou, consultant clinical oncologist, provides a robust introduction to integrative oncology and a practical toolkit for clinicians working with breast cancer patients.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women globally with growing incidence, and breast cancer patients are the most frequent users of integrative oncology practices. This book addresses the whole person journey from prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. The approaches and tools discussed can help guide clinicians on how to support better quality of life, improve patient resilience, minimise the side effects of treatment and optimise clinical outcomes for people impacted by breast cancer.
Healthcare professionals are asking for further education on integrative oncology, as evidenced by the BSIO survey results, webinars and conference engagements.
This book is written by clinicians for clinicians as a practical introduction to integrative oncology in breast cancer care.
PAST COLLABORATIONS
2023 Conference Appearances
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Co-creation of an Integrative Oncology App - Empowerment and Engagement in Practice
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, will present a poster on the Oncio app at the 2nd World Congress for Integrative Medicine at Health in Rome.
SEPTEMBER 2023
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Co-creation of an Integrative Oncology app - Building Together from Lived Experience to Address Unmet Support Needs
Dr Nina will present a poster at the SIO 20th International Conference in Canada, on initial results of the Oncio survey of people with lived experience, which clearly highlight unmet needs that Oncio aims to address
SEPTEMBER 2023
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Helixor® mistletoe therapy - professional and patient perspectives
Besides the professional perspective on Helixor® mistletoe therapy brought to you by Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel in this workshop on 29th June, we will also bring in the patient’s perspective. Case studies presented by Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel will highlight her experience on the administration of Helixor® mistletoe therapy while the patient’s perspective will give you an insight on how Helixor® mistletoe therapy actually supports you throughout the cancer treatment.
JUNE 2022
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Oncio app launch - Integrative Oncology in Action workshop
Oncio is the first integrative oncology app of its kind created by Oncio CIC co-founded by Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel and Dr Penny Kechagioglou with an incredible team of advisers and content contributors.
This session on 30th June at 1.15pm serves as the launch of the Oncio app, which will be freely available to all NHS patients, supporting both them and their clinicians in providing more integrative care with the aim of supporting whole person resilience.
JUNE 2022
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Integrative Oncology - Supporting Living Well with Cancer
On Thursday 29th at the IPM Congress 2023 Dr Nina and Dr Deepak Ravindran will discuss how integrative oncology (IO) approaches can transform support for those living with advanced and metastatic cancer, shifting from pure symptom management to optimising whole person resilience, minimising side effects of ongoing treatment and promoting better quality of life at any stage.
JUNE 2022
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Double trouble - managing menopausal symptoms secondary to the treatment of breast cancer in midlife
Dr Nina will share a presentation on 10th June to the IDF’s community of doctors.
JUNE 2023
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Multidisciplinary integration in practice - dynamic alignment for better outcomes
In this BANT AGM & Conference on 20th May, Dr Nina will present an overview of international and UK models of IO practice, from the perspective of both an integrative medicine clinician and the Director of an award-winning multidisciplinary integrative cancer care practice.
MAY 2022
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British Society for Integrative Oncology annual conference
Dr Nina was co-chair and speaker at the BSIO annual conference focussing on focus will be on the multidisciplinary approach to integration with the aim of improving clinical outcomes.
MARCH 2023
PAST COLLABORATIONS
2022 Conference Appearances
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Non-pharmacological Interventions in Cancer Care
During this featured session at the British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) 2022 – 25th Annual Symposium, Dr Nina presented on the various evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions being utilised in cancer care.
OCTOBER 2022
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Case Studies in Precision and Integrative Oncology
In this workshop at Integrative Oncology UK, Dr Nina and her oncology colleagues discussed the intersection between precision oncology and integrative oncology and therapeutic implications for the personalisation of treatment to the individual.
MAY 2022
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Precision Health and Integrative Medicine Approaches to Supporting Trauma Recovery
Dr Nina presented at the BANT & AGM Conference 2022, where she discussed precision and integrative medicine approaches to supporting patients through trauma recovery.
MAY 2022
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A Systems Approach to Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
In this session at IPM Congress 2022, Dr Nina presented on the systems approach to managing autoimmune thyroiditis and touched on the impact of the gut-immune axis in multi-system autoimmunity.
JUNE 2022
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Cancer and Menopause Support
During BANT’s Optimising Women’s Health in Menopause and Beyond event, Dr Nina discussed important evidence and practical strategies nutritional therapists can use to support people going through menopause during and after cancer treatment.
OCTOBER 2022
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The Integrative Approach to Menopause Health
Featured presenter at the VERVE Festival, Dr Nina discussed the key challenges and changes women face through perimenopause and menopause, and how integrative and personalised medicine can transform women’s wellbeing.
SEPTEMBER 2022
Kind Words
PAST COLLABORATIONS
Recent Podcast Appearances
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Integrative Cancer Support, Women’s Health and Research Woes
Join Dr Nina and Ben Atkinson as they talk about integrative approaches to cancer and women’s health, the need to change medical education and keeping up with the latest research.
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Thyroid Health and a Personalised Medicine Approach
Dr Nina joined Dr Rupy’s podcast to discuss how she approaches thyroid health using precision medicine and how you can start engaging in your own healthcare right at home.
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Patient Centred Integrated Oncology
PRECISION MEDICINE FORUM PODCAST
In this episode, Dr Nina describes how integrative oncology can be used to support the whole individual across the cancer care spectrum, as well as the mission of BSIO and its role in providing an objective lens for complementary therapies.
MY EXPERTISE
Integrative Oncology
Creating a paradigm shift in cancer care
Women’s health - complex multisystem cases
Nutrition
Integrative Medicine
Functional Medicine
Lifestyle Medicine
Health coaching
Herbal Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Yoga
Mindfulness
Trauma-informed care
Considering a Collaboration?
As an Oxbridge-trained scientist and award-winning medical doctor, I bring depth of scientific understanding and the latest research to all of my speaking appearances. I continue to evolve my knowledge base, currently undergoing an MSc in Precision Cancer Medicine and a PG Dip in Health Research at the University of Oxford.
I am the founder and Director of my own award-winning integrative and personalised medicine practice, Synthesis Clinic. At Synthesis, we specialise in integrative oncology, women’s health and complex multisystem illness using a whole person, precision approach to care. This experience ensures we are on the cutting edge of both research and practical patient care.
With extensive education in functional and integrative medicine, nutrition, Traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, yoga and mindfulness, I bring extensive expertise in an integrative, whole person approach to cancer care and complex multisystem cases in women’s health. I seamlessly weave the best of conventional care and the emerging field of precision medicine with the broad toolkit of integrative medicine.
I am the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology) and Fellow of College of Medicine and BANT. Highly respected amongst my colleagues for both my educational qualifications and my practical clinical experience, I am able to speak on a broad range of current healthcare topics with clarity and connection.
