The Synthesis Clinic team was buzzing for weeks after an incredible weekend spent with our European, Middle Eastern and global colleagues at the SIO Europe 2025 conference in Oxford where our Director, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, was one of the Co-Presidents. The passion for integrative oncology and the spirit of multidisciplinary collaboration, contribution and compassion were so strong across both days, as well as the impact of voices of people with lived experience.

All our integrative oncology doctors presented their work, from integrative immuno-oncology and mistletoe sessions with Dr Nina to an ovarian cancer grand round with Dr Shira and a workshop on integrative oncology around surgery with Dr Emma. Our nursing, nutrition and physiotherapy colleagues also gave some amazing presentations, highlighting the crucial impact of our team from rehabilitation to emotional and psychospiritual wellbeing support. Valuable collaborations were created that are going to pave the way for further research and clinical practice projects, which our team is really excited about.

Our Director, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, has recently co-authored a review paper with Dr Jonathan Krell, consultant medical oncologist at Imperial College London and HCA, on ‘Integrative Oncology Approaches to Supporting Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment of Solid Tumours’. In this blog Dr Nina summarises the paper, including some key actions people treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors can take to support their treatment and wellbeing.

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel reflects on 2023, including her work as the Director and Head of Integrative Cancer Care at Synthesis Clinic, the launch of the Oncio app, events, lectures, two new postgraduate degrees and integrative oncology publications.

Find out more about how health coaching can be transformative for women going through perimenopause, in menopause and beyond. Learn more from Dr Jen Cooney PhD, a Health Physiologist and Women’s Health Coach at Synthesis Clinic, who has a special interest in supporting women from peri to post-menopause to make lasting lifestyle changes for optimal health and wellbeing.

Learn about Dr Nina’s journey to becoming a Precision Health and Integrative Medicine doctor, starting with her frustration at the ‘pill for each ill’ approach to chronic disease management that does not truly acknowledge or tackle the underlying causes in the person’s life and disempowers the individual. Dr Fuller-Shavel’s breast cancer diagnosis galvanised change in her professional life, leading her to set up Synthesis Clinic where integration and personalised care are at the core of the service.