Dr Shelly Coe

Senior Lecturer in Nutrition

School of Sport, Nutrition and Allied Health Professions

Shelly Coe

Role

I am a Senior Lecturer in Nutrition Science and am actively engaged in diet and health research (see below for details).

I received a first class BSc honours degree in Nutrition from Oxford Brookes and have completed my PhD entitled 'The role of polyphenols on sugar release from carbohydrate rich foods, and the consequent impact on metabolic risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.'

Areas of expertise

Nutrition in vulnerable groups, including neurological and autoimmune conditions, flavonoids, polyphenols, cognitive function, nutrition in children and young people, large nutrition cohorts.

Teaching and supervision

Courses

Modules taught

I am teaching on a number of modules on the Nutrition BSc and MSc courses. I am currently supervising BSc dissertation students, MSc students during their summer research projects and multiple PhD students.

Supervision

I am currently on the supervisory team for 6 PhD students, and I have had 4 students complete their PhD successfully to date. I am available to receive applications to supervise relevant self-funded or externally funded PhD studentships. Some of the PhD projects currently on-going are under the 'projects' section below.

Research Students

Name Thesis title Completed
Francesca Tabacchi Nutritional support in cancer patients during treatment. Active
Matt Poulter Diet, Nutrition, and Health in UK prisons 2024

Research

I am interested in how the diet quality of people with neurological conditions can influence the severity of disease associated symptoms.

I have been involved in many clinical trials to date and have worked with large cohorts including collaboration with the MRC and Multiple Sclerosis Register UK. One of my current interests includes the role of flavonoid rich sources for fatigue management in people with Multiple Sclerosis and Cancer. 

I am currently working on projects looking at diet quality and/ or metabolic parameters in vulnerable groups such as those with Parkinson's, Cerebral Palsy, UK Prisoners, and paediatric patients with neurological and autoimmune conditions.

Research impact

Centres and institutes

Groups

Projects

  • Association of diet and other lifestyle factors on non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s
  • Exploration of lifestyle including dietary patterns on later life quality of movement
  • Flavonoid-rich pure cocoa to reduce fatigue in people with Multiple Sclerosis
  • Nutrient intake and association with symptom severity in a Multiple Sclerosis Registry cohort

Projects as Principal Investigator, or Lead Academic if project is led by another Institution

  • Banking on Health: a co-created nutrition cooking workshop initiative for young people in Oxfordshire. (01/05/2024 - 30/04/2025), funded by: Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), funding amount received by Brookes: £14,769
  • Exploring the prospective relationships of Dietary Inflammatory Index scores on clinical progression in people with multiple sclerosis. (09/05/2023 - 31/07/2024), funded by: Multiple Sclerosis Society, funding amount received by Brookes: £47,870
  • Exploring the prospective relationships of diet pattern and diet index scores on health outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis (led by The University of Melbourne) (01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025), funded by: Multiple Sclerosis Australia (MS Australia), funding amount received by Brookes: £3,002

Projects as Co-investigator

  • KTP with the Institute for Food, Brain and Behaviour(29/01/2024 - 28/09/2026), funded by: Technology Strategy Board (Innovate UK), funding amount received by Brookes: £309,913, funded by: Technology Strategy Board (Innovate UK)
  • A lifestyle weight management program for paediatric patients with demyelinating conditions(01/07/2020 - 30/08/2024), funded by: Great Ormond Street Hospital Childrens Charity, funding amount received by Brookes: £92,409, funded by: Great Ormond Street Hospital Childrens Charity

Publications

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Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

  • Registered Nutritionist of the Association for Nutrition
  • Member of the Nutrition Society