Course Director and Head of the GRiT (Growth and Resilience in Trauma) Centre

Nazanin Derakhshan moved to the NCIO from her position as a Professor of Experimental Psychopathology in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at The University of Reading, UK. At NCIO she continues as the Founder and Director of The BRiC Centre (Building Resilience in Breast Cancer). Prior to joining Reading University in 2022, she spent 18 years in The Department of Psychological Sciences at Birkbeck University of London, UK, where she was promoted to Full Professor in 2012. Bringing her unique perspective as a breast cancer survivor, she was voted a key transformational figure in 'Birkbeck Inspires, 200th anniversary', for transforming the lives of thousands of people through the research she conducts at BRiC, in 2022.

Nazanin has conducted extensive research into the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying anxiety and depressive vulnerability, as well as developing and applying neurocognitive interventions designed at reducing vulnerability and promoting resilience, especially in vulnerable populations. Naz has been the holder of prestigious fellowships such as The Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship, as well as at The University of Oxford and St John's College Oxford. She was elected a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science in 2016.

CEO of the NCIO (National Centre for for Integrative Oncology) and award-winning integrative oncology physician

MB BChir (Medicine) and MA Hons Natural Sciences (Cambridge) 

MSc Precision Cancer Medicine and PG Dip Health Research with Distinction (Oxford)

FBANT FRSA IFMCP DipIM DipAc DipCHM PGCert DipION RYT200

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an award-winning Oxbridge-trained integrative medicine physician scientist and educator with over a decade’s experience in integrative healthcare. Dr Fuller-Shavel is a Fellow of the College of Medicine, the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel has co-chaired the BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology) over 2021-2023 and is the SIO (Society for Integrative Oncology) Global Ambassador to the UK and Chair of the SIO Global Committee, actively contributing to several SIO committees. Alongside her extensive scientific and medical training, Dr Fuller-Shavel holds multiple qualifications in nutrition, integrative medicine, health coaching, herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other therapeutic approaches. Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel has co-authored the book ‘Integrative Oncology in Breast Cancer Care’ with Dr Penny Kechagioglou published by Springer in March 2024. 

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is the founder and Director of Synthesis Clinic, an innovative multidisciplinary practice in Hampshire, specialising in women’s health and integrative cancer care (integrative oncology). Alongside her clinical work, Dr Fuller-Shavel is a guest lecturer in integrative medicine for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and delivers independent educational courses for medical and nutrition professionals, including her Systems Approach to Cancer Programme. Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel participates in research in integrative oncology and precision health, is an expert integrative and supportive oncology abstract reviewer for international conferences and journals, and contributes to journal editorial boards (NMJ and IJIO) and guideline development panels nationally and internationally. Finally, Dr Fuller-Shavel holds two integrative oncology non-profit roles as the CEO of the UK NCIO (National Centre for Integrative Oncology) charity and the Co-Founder and Director of Oncio CIC, supporting access to services and best clinical practice and research in integrative oncology. 

Clinical Psychologist specialising in psycho-oncology care across the age spectrum

Dr Amy Savage obtained a First Class Honours degree in Psychology from Cardiff University in 2003 and subsequently completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton, working with people across the lifespan and completing her final specialist placement in Salisbury hospital. This experience inspired Amy to work with children, young people and families facing acute and chronic illness, as she was deeply moved by the resilience and determination her patients demonstrated in the face of significant challenges.

For the past 18 years, Amy has worked at the Children’s Hospital in Southampton, providing specialist psychological support to the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology team. Recognising that serious illness affects the whole family, Amy values working creatively with children and young people to understand their strengths, explore what matters most to them, and help them build skills to navigate their experiences, alongside working with parents and carers to enable them to support their child while undergoing treatment and into survivorship.

Amy understands that the impact of cancer extends far beyond the physical. She is experienced in helping people of all ages process the emotional complexities of diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer, using an integrative approach that includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Systemic Therapy, and Narrative approaches. Amy is passionate about helping people impacted by cancer and their families find ways to live well, maintain their sense of identity, and achieve meaningful goals despite the difficulties they face.

Alongside her clinical work, Amy is committed to professional development and learning. She teaches on the Doctoral training program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton, sharing her experience and enthusiasm for working in oncology with future clinicians. Amy is also dedicated to advancing the evidence base for interventions and improving outcomes for patients of all ages. She actively participates in and supervises psychology research projects in healthcare to contribute to the growing knowledge in the field.

Senior nurse with a background in cancer education and oncology CNS roles, health and emotional wellbeing coach and clinical EFT practitioner

Aga deeply believes in human’s inherent abilities to move through life’s adversities, heal, grow and thrive in spite of the challenges life can throw at us. As a cancer coach, educator and now an integrative oncology nurse, Aga supports individuals who have experienced serious life challenges and other long-term health conditions.

Aga draws from her lifetime experience as a nurse and combines her oncology nursing experience with multiple techniques including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Matrix Reprinting Technique (MRT) and NLP.