Staff Profile
Dr Fiona Malcomson
Research Associate
- Email: fiona.malcomson@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0191 2081141
- Personal Website: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/population-health/
- Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
(Human Nutrition Research Centre)
William Leech Building
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Newcastle University
Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4HH
UK
Background
I am particularly interested in individual lifestyle factors with a link to bowel cancer risk, such as dietary fibre and red meat intake, as well as physical activity, adiposity and sedentary behaviour. I am also taking a more holistic approach to investigate the effects of dietary patterns or adherence to the WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations on markers of bowel cancer risk.
I am a Research Associate working within the Human Nutrition Research centre in the group of Professor John Mathers. I completed my undergraduate degree in Pharmacology (BSc) at Newcastle University in 2010, followed by a Masters in Research (MRes) in 2011. I graduated from my PhD in 2015, investigating the effects of a dietary intervention supplementing healthy participants with dietary fibre (non-digestible cabohydrates) on markers of large bowel health and bowel cancer in rectal mucosal biopsies. In particular, I am interested in the role of WNT signalling in colorectal carcinogenesis and bowel cancer risk and how this is modulated by lifestyle factors, particularly diet. I am also interested in the role of epigenetics in bowel cancer e.g. microRNA expression and DNA methylation, the epigenetic regulation of the WNT signalling pathway, and the modulation of bowel cancer risk via epigenetic mechanisms.
Following on from my PhD, I am continuing investigations into the role of lifestyle factors, particularly diet, physical activity, adiposity and sedentary behaviour, on markers of bowel cancer risk and healthy ageing. I am managing the Biomarkers Of Risk of Colorectal Cancer (BORICC) Follow-Up (BFU) Study- the first longitudinal study to investigate the effects of 12 years of ageing and lifestyle factors on markers of bowel cancer risk and healthy ageing (e.g. musculoskeletal function).
I am particularly interested in individual lifestyle factors with a link to bowel cancer risk, such as dietary fibre and red meat intake, as well as physical activity, adiposity and sedentary behaviour. I am also taking a more holistic approach to investigate the effects of dietary patterns or adherence to the WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations on markers of bowel cancer risk.
Google Scholar: Click here.
Publications
- Afshar S, Malcomson F, Kelly SB, Seymour K, Woodcock S, Mathers JC. Biomarkers of Colorectal Cancer Risk Decrease 6 months After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery. Obesity Surgery 2018, 28(4), 945-954.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Ibero-Baraibar I, Leung WC, Kelly S, Bradburn DM, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Effects of supplementation with nondigestible carbohydrates on fecal calprotectin and on epigenetic regulation of SFRP1 expression in the large-bowel mucosa of healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2017, 105(2), 400-410.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Lagerwaard B, Kelly S, Bradburn M, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Non-digestible carbohydrates supplementation increases miR-32 expression in the healthy human colorectal epithelium: a randomized controlled trial. Molecular Carcinogenesis 2017, 56(9), 2104-2111.
- Malcomson FC, Mathers JC. Nutrition, epigenetics and health through life. Nutrition Bulletin 2017, 42(3), 254-265.
- Malcomson FC, Breininger SP, ElGendy K, Joel A, Ranathunga T, Hill TR, Bradburn DM, Turnbull DM, Greaves LC, Mathers JC. Design and baseline characteristics of the Biomarkers Of Risk In Colorectal Cancer (BORICC) Follow-Up study: A 12+ years follow-up. Nutrition and Health 2019, 25(3), 231-238.
- Breininger SP, Malcomson FC, Afshar S, Turnbull DM, Greaves L, Mathers JC. Effects of obesity and weight loss on mitochondrial structure and function and implications for colorectal cancer risk. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2019, 78(3), 426-437.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Kelly S, Bradburn DM, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research cancer prevention recommendations and WNT-pathway-related markers of bowel cancer risk. British Journal of Nutrition 2019, 122(5), 509-517.
- Elgendy K, Malcomson FC, Lara JG, Bradburn DM, Mathers JC. Effects of dietary interventions on DNA methylation in adult humans: Systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition 2018, 120(9), 961-976.
- Malcomson FC. Mechanisms underlying the effects of nutrition, adiposity and physical activity on colorectal cancer risk. Nutrition Bulletin 2018, 43(4), 400-415.
- Malcomson FC, Mathers JC. Nutrition and Ageing. In: J. Robin Harris and Viktor I. Korolchuk, ed. Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Ageing: Part I Biomedical Science. Singapore: Springer, 2018, pp.373-424.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Shivappa N, Wirth M, Hebert J, Kocaadam B, Ozturan A, Kelly S, Bradburn DM, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Relationships between Dietary Inflammatory Index score and markers of inflammation and WNT signalling in the healthy colorectal mucosa. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2020, 79(OCE1).
- ElGendy K, Malcomson FC, Bradburn DM, Mathers JC. Effects of bariatric surgery on DNA methylation in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 2020, 16(1), 128-136.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Ouwehand AC, Stowell JD, Kelly S, Bradburn DM, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Resistant starch supplementation increases crypt cell proliferative state in the rectal mucosa of older healthy participants. British Journal of Nutrition 2020, 124(4), 374-385.
- Afshar S, Kelly SB, Seymour K, Woodcock S, Werner A, Malcomson F, Mathers JC. MicroRNA expression in the rectal mucosa: response to bariatric surgery and implications for colorectal cancer risk. (ISRCTN95459522). In: Society of Academic and Research Surgery Meeting. 2016, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Bradburn M, Kelly S, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Differences in the expression of microRNAs implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis and involved in the WNT signalling pathway in the macroscopically-normal mucosa of people at higher-risk of bowel cancer. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2015, 74(OCE1), E46.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, Mathers JC. Is resistant starch protective against colorectal cancer via modulation of the WNT signalling pathway?. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2015, 1-10.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Leung W, Kelly SB, Bradburn M, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Anti-neoplastic effects of non-digestible carbohydrates on WNT signalling gene expression and crypt cell proliferation in the large bowel: a randomised controlled dietary intervention. In: UK Molecular Epidemiology Group (MEG) Winter Meeting on The Future of Epidemiology: Biomarkers meet Populations. 2014, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Oxford University Press.
- Malcomson F, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Leung W, Bradburn M, Kelly S, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Anti-neoplastic effects of non-digestible carbohydrates on WNT signalling pathway gene expression and its functional outcomes in the large bowel: a human dietary intervention study. In: Nutrition Society Winter Meeting 2013: Diet, Gut Microbiology and Human Health. 2014, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Malcomson F, Willis N, McCallum I, Xie L, Leung W, Kelly S, Bradburn M, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Anti-neoplastic effects of non-digestible carbohydrates on WNT signalling in the bowel: a randomised controlled dietary intervention. In: Nutrition Society Annual Summer Meeting. 2013, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Malcomson F, Willis N, McCallum I, Xie L, Leung W, Kelly S, Bradburn M, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Anti-neoplastic effects of non-digestible carbohydrates on WNT signalling in the bowel: a randomised controlled dietary intervention. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2013, 72(OCE4), E225-E225.
- Malcomson F, Portilla M, Willis N, McCallum I, Xie L, Kelly S, Bradburn M, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. MicroRNA expression in the macroscopically-normal epithelium of people at differential risk of colorectal cancer. In: Nutrition Society Annual Summer Meeting. 2013, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Malcomson F, Portilla M, Willis N, McCallum I, Xie L, Kelly S, Bradburn M, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. MicroRNA expression in the macroscopically-normal epithelium of people at differential risk of colorectal cancer. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2013, 72(OCE4), E224-E224.
- Tudhope SJ, Wang CC, Petrie JL, Potts L, Malcomson F, Kieswich J, Yaqoob MM, Arden C, Hampson LJ, Agius L. A Novel Mechanism for Regulating Hepatic Glycogen Synthesis Involving Serotonin and Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-5. Diabetes 2012, 61(1), 49-60.
- Nolan R, Shannon OM, Robinson N, Joel A, Houghton D, Malcomson FC. It’s no has bean: A review of the effects of white kidney bean extract on body composition and metabolic health. Nutrients 2020, 12(5), 1398.
- Malcomson FC, Willis ND, McCallum I, Xie L, Shivappa N, Wirth MD, Hébert JR, Kocaadam-Bozkurt B, Özturan-Sirin A, Kelly SB, Bradburn DM, Belshaw NJ, Johnson IT, Mathers JC. Diet-associated inflammation modulates inflammation and WNT signaling in the rectal mucosa, and the response to supplementation with dietary fibre. Cancer Prevention Research 2021, 14(3), 337-346.
- Breininger SP, Sabater L, Malcomson FC, Afshar S, Mann J, Mathers JC. Obesity and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass drive changes in miR-31 and miR-215 expression in the human rectal mucosa. International Journal of Obesity 2022, 46, 333-341.