
Profiles
Professor Mary Hickson
Professor in Dietetics
School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health)
- Experimental methods
- Observational methods
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- Randomised controlled trials
- Surveys
- Systematic reviews
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
Highlights
My role is to lead the development and implementation of research within the Dietetic Team, and support research within the School and Faculty, by coordinating and undertaking research activity, encouraging collaborative working, securing research funding and building the Faculty’s reputation internationally.
I am also a Co-Director of the SW Clinical Schools and the Torbay and South Devon Clinical School. This is an initiative to partner with our colleagues in health and social care organisations in Devon , Cornwall and Somerset. I work to lead the Clinical Schools to ensure a consistent and coordinated approach and to build on local successful initiatives, and work closely with the leadership at Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust to increase research capacity and capability. More information can be found here http://https//www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/clinical-schools
Qualifications
- 2002 PhD Nutrition, Imperial College London
- 1997 Certificate in Adult Education, Kingston College
- 1989 State Registration as Dietitian, University of Surrey
- 1989 BSc Hons Nutrition and Dietetics (2.1), University of Surrey
Professional membership
- Member of the British Dietetic Association
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC): DT04924
Roles on external bodies
- Adjunct Professor, Imperial College London
- Honorary Research Dietitian, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- Member of the Faculty of Mentors of Health Research Mentors
- Member of the editorial board for the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
- Judging panel for HEE/NIHR Internship awards
Previously:
- Member of the judging panel for the NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic awards.
- Member of the Clinical Academic Roles Implementation Network (CARIN)
- Member of the NIHR judging panel for RfPB SW region
- NIHR Clinical Training Advocate for Dietetics
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
My teaching activities are to support the undergraduate dietetic degree program, particularly the project development module, project supervision, as well as delivering lectures in the field of nutrition, dietetics and ageing.
I also support the Masters programs within the School through supervision of project work and teaching research skills and knowledge.
I have a lead role in the Systematic Reviewing module (MCR706) and also teach on the Frailty Module (ADV758/608).
Research
Research
Research interests
My research interests fall under two broad fields:
- Nutrition & Ageing
- Dietetic Practice
- Exploration of factors contributing to the development of sarcopenia (using Biobank data)
- Improving nutritional care at the interface between acute and community healthcare (With Anna Julian, PhD student, ICL)
- Nutritional Care of people with dementia and their carers (With Louise Wilkinson, PenCLAHRC PhD student)
- Effects of nitrate and nitrite on health (With Raul Bescos, Ann Ashworth, PhD student and Craig Cutler, PhD student)
- Examining the evidence for first contact dietetic roles within primary care
- The links between covid-19 infection and nutrition (lead for the Covid-19 and Nutrition Knowledge Hub)
- Understanding the dietetic workforce of the future
- Prioritisation of referrals for dietetic assessment in acute adult services
- Estimating ascitic fluid weight and its impact on nutritional assessment in liver patients
- Nutritional care in ICU
- Improving hospital food provision
- Iron requirements for those with excess losses
- Probiotic use
- Renal nutrition
- Dysphagia and laryngectomy with Speech and Language Therapists
- Medication harm with Pharmacists and infection control specialists
- Physical activity with Physiotherapists and Sport Science experts
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
PhD students supervised:
Hannah Gardiner - Exploring the impact of community food researcher model for food system transformation. Start Jan 2022
Lisa Du Toit - The relationship between the oral microbiome and cardiovascular health. Start Oct 2021
Jill Venables - Meeting nutritive obligations for nutritionally vulnerable patients within a hospital setting. Start Jan 2019
Alex Pinto - Factors affecting metabolism and metabolic control in phenylketonuria. Start Oct 2017
Jennifer Carroll - A mixed methods study to establish core outcomes for refactory childhood epilpsy treated with ketogenic diet therapy. Start Apr 2018
Craig Culter - The effect of diet and physical activity on the oral nutrate/nitrite pathway and its impact on vascular control. Start Oct 2017
Julia Eisenblaetter - Dietary counselling of children with food allergy. Start Oct 2016
Louise Mole - Improving nutritional care for people living at home with Dementia. Awarded 2021
Anna Julian – Improving nutritional care at the interface between acute and community healthcare. Awarded 2019
Ann Ashworth – Effects of dietary nitrate from vegetables on blood pressure in healthy humans: Awarded 2019
Nurhafzan Anis Ismail – The role of glycaemic index in preventing obesity. Awarded 2014
Liesl Wandrag – An investigation into inflammatory and nutritional markers during critical illness to identify an indicator of anabolism and to explore a method of attenuating muscle mass loss.Awarded 2013
Margaret Coffey – An examination of the clinical utility of fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing as an evaluation tool in laryngectomy and an investigation of the effect of different voice prostheses on swallow, voice function and quality of life after laryngectomy. Awarded 2013
Norlida Mat Daud – The effects of propionate on appetite and gut hormones. Awarded 2013
Charlotte Moss – Comparison of gut hormones in healthy older and young adults. Awarded 2013
Lina Johansson – Broadening Options for Long-term Dialysis in the Elderly. Awarded 2012
Elena Philippou – Dietary carbohydrate manipulation and its effect on coronary heart disease risk factors and body weight maintenance. Awarded 2008
Grants & contracts
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
JournalsPersonal
Personal
Additional information
Awards
2022: Elizabeth Washington Award for best educational work relating to nutrition (Covid-Knowledge Hub). British Dietetic Association.
2021: Roll of Honour: Our Covid-19 Community Heroes. British Dietetic Association
2018 Rose Simmons Award for best publication by a dietitian, British Dietetic Association
2016: Roll of Honour for contributions Research, British Dietetic Association
2015: Roll of Honour for contributions BDA Research symposium, British Dietetic Association
2012: Elizabeth Washington Award for best educational work relating to nutrition, British Dietetic Association
2010: Best Presentation Award, British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Annual Conference
2009: Roll of Honour for contributions to the BDA Research Committee, British Dietetic Association
2008: Rose Simmonds Award for best publication by a dietitian, British Dietetic Association
2008: Award for Teaching Excellence, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London
Links
Nutrition and Covid-19 Recovery Knowledge Hub: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/dietetics-and-health/covid-knowledge-hub