About
Dr Helena Fisk is a research fellow whose research focusses on diet and its links to inflammation and immune function across the lifecourse with particular interest in obesity and ageing.
Dr Fisk teaches on the BM6/5/EU medicine course.
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Research
Research interests
- Human nutrition, inflammation and disease across the lifecourse
- Obesity associated inflammation in subcutaneous white adipose tissue
- Bioactive lipids and their role in organ crosstalk
- Immunomodulatory actions of nutrients including omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty, probiotics and vitamin D
Current research
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Research interests
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Current research
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Research projects
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Publications
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Supervision
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Teaching
Undergraduate teaching across BM5/BM6/EU medicine programmes
Deputy Module Lead, BM5 AK4
Project supverision of undergraduate and postgraduate students
Laboratory training and teaching of staff
Former Deputy Assessment lead for MSc Allergy programme
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External roles and responsibilities
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Biography
Dr Helena Fisk is a Lecturer of Nutritional Science.
Dr Fisk completed an Undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Brighton which established an interest in human nutrition and health. As a research technician at the University of Southampton working on several projects in the theme of human nutrition, inflammation and disease with focus on omega-3 lipids, publishing over 20 peer-reviewed research papers in this area. Dr Fisk completed her PhD at the University of Southampton investigating obesity associated inflammation in subcutaneous white adipose tissue and responses to marine derived long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Dr Fisk went on to investigate the role of probiotics and gut health in inflammation and ageing, and was awarded a NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre Bridging Fellowship in 2024.
Her research focusses on inflammation across the life course with particular interest in obesity and ageing, and the immunomodulatory actions of nutrients including omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty, probiotics and vitamin D. Her research has shown novel changes to inflammatory lipid signalling and metabolism in obesity, and disparities in the regulation of lipid signalling molecules and gene expression by omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in obesity. She is now interested in gut-adipose communication and the role of bioactive lipids in regulating inflammation via this axis.
Dr Fisk teaches on the undergraduate medicine programme (across BM5/6/EU programmes) and is deputy module lead for AK4. She supervises research projects of University of Southampton and international students.
Outside of academia, Dr Fisk is the chair or the SCI Lipids group, is an Associate Editor of Nutrition Journal and Review Editor for Frontiers in Nutrition. She also leads KEE activities, promoting public engagement in human nutrition and health, and building indsutry-academia collaborations.
Prizes
- Young Lipid Scientist of the Year (2020)
- New Investigator Award (2021)
- Early Career Researcher Award (2022)
- Nutrition Society Theme Highlight (2021)
- Iain Cameron Prize (2023)
- ISSFAL New Investigator award (2023)
- BRC Bridging Fellowship (2023)
- Drummond Early Career Scientist Award (2023)
- STEM4Britain Nutrition Society Prize (2024)
- Ambiotis 9th European Workshop on Lipid Mediators research prize (2024)
- Young Lipid Scientist of the Year (2020)
- New Investigator Award (2021)
- Early Career Researcher Award (2022)
- Nutrition Society Theme Highlight (2021)
- Iain Cameron Prize (2023)
- ISSFAL New Investigator award (2023)
- BRC Bridging Fellowship (2023)
- Drummond Early Career Scientist Award (2023)
- STEM4Britain Nutrition Society Prize (2024)
- Ambiotis 9th European Workshop on Lipid Mediators research prize (2024)
- Faculty of Medicine Dean's Award for Enterprise (2024)
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Prizes
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