Dr Kirstie Lawton, PhD

Dr Kirstie Lawton, PhD is a CNHC-registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (mCNHC), a BANT-registered Nutritionist (FBANT) and an AfN-registered Nutritionist (ANutr). She has a PhD in Early Years Nutrition and a BSc in Public Health Nutrition, both from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, and a 3-year DipION from the renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London. She also has a masters degree (MSc) in Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration from the University of Sheffield School of Medicine and Population Health. Kirstie's specialism is adults who have been diagnosed with or are at risk of developing Motor Neurone Disease (MND/ALS). She is an advisor to OPN MND and is a member of the Medical Advisory Committee at Healing ALS. For the last 25 years, she has also worked in the field of child and young adult nutrition, with a focus on gastrointestinal health, neurological health including neurodivergence and mental wellness, and immune health conditions. She has completed several modules on Psychiatry Redefined's Fellowship in Nutritional Psychiatry. In addition to her clinical work, she was integral to the development of the UK's first Graduate Diploma in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, delivered by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION), in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth (UoP). She is also a member of the Editorial Board for the Nutritional Medicine Institute and Journal. Through NMI she recently launched the UK's largest paediatric nutrition practitioner course and will be launching further courses soon. She has a PGCE in Higher Education from the University of London and has taught various nutrition-related topics at several institutes in the UK, including ION/UoP, Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, the University of Worcester and the University of Northampton. She has more recently collaborated with the Nutritional Medicine Institute to deliver a 48 hour training course in paediatric nutrition. ​​​​​ In 2026, Kirstie was awarded the title BANT Fellow, which is the highest level of membership awarded by the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), recognising significant, long-term contributions to the profession. ​