Dr Eirini Dimidi, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Nutritional Sciences, was awarded the prestigious Nutrition Society Cuthbertson Medal 2023 in recognition of excellence in nutrition research she leads.

The Nutrition Society Cuthbertson Medal is awarded to scientists or clinicians at an early stage of their career for excellence in clinical nutrition and/or metabolism research providing an evidence base for clinical practice.

Dr Dimidi is leading research on nutrition-based interventions, including fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, plant foods, and the low FODMAP diet, in gut function and dysfunction (e.g. constipation). She is also investigating the mechanisms through which nutritional interventions affect immune and mental health via the gut microbiome. Other research interests include exploring patients’ experiences and perceptions of gut diseases.

Dr Dimidi received the award during the Nutrition Society Winter Conference in December 2023 at the Royal Society London, she delivered a lecture at the Nutrition Society Winter Conference, highlighting her research and its impact, including:

• New inexpensive assessment methods for gut function.
• Dietary treatments for chronic constipation via randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
• Digital health and the use of mobile apps to provide effective and safe personalised dietary information in people with gut disorders.
• Tackling dietary trends, including fermented foods and plant food diversity.

As part of the award Dr Dimidi has also been invited to prepare a paper for publication in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society