Professor Michael Angus Crawford is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction at Imperial College London and has spent much of his career investigating the relationship between nutrition, essential fatty acids, brain development and mental health. His work has been recognised internationally through numerous honours and awards, including the Alexander Leaf Distinguished Scientist Award for Lifetime Achievement.

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Michael has published more than 300 scientific papers and several books. His most recent book, The Shrinking Brain and the Global Mental Health Crisis: Two Problems, One Solution, co-authored with evolutionary historian David E. Marsh, explores the relationship between modern nutrition and the increasing burden of brain and mental health disorders. His experimental research at Nuffield Hospital in the 1970s contributed to our understanding of the critical role of docosahexaenoic acid, DHA, in brain function and development. Michael is fondly referred to by many of us as the “grandfather of omega-3 research” because of his decades of pioneering work in this field. His primary objective today is to raise awareness of the growing burden of brain disorders and their links with poor nutrition, food insecurity and child poverty.

Dr Robert Lustig is Professor Emeritus of Paediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, and a member of the Institute for Health Policy Studies. A neuroendocrinologist with expertise in metabolism, obesity and nutrition, he has become internationally recognised for his work examining the effects of sugar, fructose and ultra-processed foods on metabolic health. 

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Robert graduated from MIT before receiving his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College. His clinical and research career has focused on childhood obesity, insulin regulation, metabolic dysfunction and the wider influence of the modern food environment on health. He has been a prominent scientific voice calling for improvements to the food supply and greater public understanding of the metabolic consequences of highly processed diets.

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​He is the author of several popular books, including Fat Chance, The Hacking of the American Mind and Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine. His work brings together endocrinology, neuroscience, nutrition and public health, with a particular focus on how changes to our food environment could reduce chronic disease and improve long-term health.

Professor John Stein, FMedSci, is Emeritus Professor of Physiology at the University of Oxford and an Emeritus Fellow of Magdalen College. A clinical neurologist and neuroscientist, his research has explored the neural mechanisms underlying vision, movement, attention and reading, with a particular focus on dyslexia and the role of the brain’s magnocellular systems. He is also Chair of the Dyslexia Research Trust and has been closely involved in research examining the relationship between nutrition, brain function and behaviour. 

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John’s work has included research into visual dyslexia, eye-movement control, deep brain stimulation and the potential importance of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids for optimal brain function. His research with colleagues has investigated whether nutritional interventions may benefit attention, behaviour and reading in some children with dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. 

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A couple of fun facts about John: he is the brother of celebrity seafood chef Rick Stein and cousin of DJ Judge Jules. He was also my external PhD examiner at King’s College London, so I can personally thank him for passing me! Rick cooks the fish, John studies what omega-3 does to the brain — which seems like a rather perfect family combination.

Dr Alex Richardson is an internationally recognised researcher, educator, author and Founder Trustee and Scientific Director of Food and Behaviour Research. Having spent around 30 years at the University of Oxford, she is now also a Visiting Research Fellow at Bournemouth University. Her research focuses on the role of nutrition in brain development and function, particularly how fatty acids and other dietary factors can influence behaviour, learning, cognition and mood. 

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Alex is particularly well known for her pioneering research into omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, depression and schizophrenia. Her work includes controlled supplementation trials alongside research examining epidemiology, genetics, brain imaging, physiology and psychological functioning. She has always focused on translating science into practical approaches that may benefit children, families, educators and health professionals.​​ Alex also helped to establish the Dyslexia Research Trust and has worked closely with numerous charities and professional organisations. She is the author of They Are What You Feed Them, which explains the science linking children’s diets with behaviour, learning and mood and translates complex nutritional research into practical, evidence-based guidance for parents and professionals.