Chair / Speaker

Co-chair: Professor Melanie Davies

Consultant Gynaecologist, University College London Hospitals, Professor of Reproductive Medicine, University College London; Member – British Menopause Society medical advisory council Biography

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Professor Melanie Davies

MBBS MA MRCP FRCOG

• Consultant Gynaecologist, University College London Hospitals and Honorary Senior Lecturer, University College London
  Clinical Director, Women’s Health guideline programme, National Guideline Alliance
• Member of NICE guideline development group for Menopause (2013-2014)
  Co-chair of ESHRE guideline development group, Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (2012-2014)
• Service lead for specialist clinics in Menopause at UCLH, with additional regular clinics dedicated to Premature Ovarian Insufficiency, “Late Effects” of cancer therapy, and Turner syndrome
• Invited speaker in national and international meetings on HRT and management of POI (e.g. ESHRE 2013, EuroPAG 2014, ESHRE 2014, BES 2015)
• Member of the BMS medical advisory council

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Co-chair: Dr Olivia Hum

GP, Foundry Healthcare Lewes, Myla Health; Member – British Menopause Society medical advisory council Biography

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Dr Olivia Hum

Dr Olivia Hum has been a GP Partner at Foundry Healthcare Lewes for 16 years, specialising in women’s health and sexual health. She is a GP and BMS Trainer, British Menopause Society Menopause Specialist, and sits on the BMS medical advisory council.

She runs the Circle Room, a sexual health clinic for young people, and is a member of the RCGP Adolescent Health Group. She is the co-director of Myla Health, a company which provides menopause care and works with the NHS, corporate organisations and charities to provide education and workplace menopause services.

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Dr Claudio Soares

Dr Alexandra Taylor

Consultant in Clinical Oncology, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London Biography

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Dr Alexandra Taylor

Dr Alexandra Taylor is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist specialising in the treatment of gynaecological cancers with radiotherapy and systemic therapies. She is co-chair of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society Guidelines group, and member of the ESTRO-ESGO guidelines committees for endometrial cancer and vulval cancer. She is Chair of the Royal College of Radiologists Clinical Oncology Learning Committee and chairs the RCR Clinical Oncology advisory group on Artificial Intelligence.

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Co-chair: Mr Haitham Hamoda

Consultant Gynaecologist, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, King’s College Hospital, London; Trustee – British Menopause Society  Biography

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Mr Haitham Hamoda

Mr Haitham Hamoda is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery. He is the Clinical Lead for the Menopause Service at King’s College Hospital and a Trustee of the British Menopause Society. Mr Hamoda has published widely in his specialised field and is actively involved in ongoing research projects both locally and nationally and teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

He is the first author of The British Menopause Society & Women’s Health Concern 2016 recommendations on hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women and author of the British Menopause Society guideline on the management of women with premature ovarian insufficiency 2017.

Mr Hamoda is a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and was awarded a degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Aberdeen. He obtained his accreditation as a subspecialist in reproductive medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.

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Co-chair: Sara Moger

Chief Executive, British Menopause Society Biography

Dr George Pounis

Postdoctoral Researcher, King’s College, London Biography

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Dr George Pounis

Dr. George Pounis is a dietitian, epidemiologist, and biostatistician with 15 years of experience in public health, chronic disease research, and nutrition. He holds a PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from Maastricht University and an MSc in Biostatistics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Currently, Dr. Pounis is a Postdoctoral Researcher at King’s College London, where he focuses on the interplay of diet, lifestyle, and menopause outcomes.

He has published extensively in high-impact journals, amassing over 2,500 citations (h-index: 30), reflecting the significant impact of his work in public health and nutritional research. He is also the editor of the volume Analysis in Nutrition Research (Elsevier), showcasing his leadership in advancing evidence-based public health nutrition. As an educator, Dr. Pounis has been teaching Biostatistics and Research Methodologies. Alongside his academic and research roles, he has been a practicing dietitian for over a decade, helping individuals improve their health and well-being through tailored dietary and lifestyle interventions.

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Professor Sarah Berry

Professor in Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London; Chief Scientist ZOE Ltd Biography

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Professor Sarah Berry

Sarah Berry is a Professor in Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London and Chief Scientific Officer at ZOE Ltd. Her research interests relate to the influence of dietary components on cardiometabolic disease risk, with particular focus on; personalised nutrition, menopause, postprandial lipid metabolism and food and fat structure. Since commencing her research career at King’s, she has been the academic leader for more than 35 human nutrition studies in cardio-metabolic health.

As Chief Scientist at ZOE Ltd, and part of the original founding team, she leads the ZOE PREDICT programme of research, assessing the genetic, metabolic, metagenomic, and meal-dependent effects on metabolic responses to food. This research is at the forefront of developments in personalised nutrition and is forging a new way forward in the design and implementation of large-scale remote nutrition research studies integrating novel technologies, citizen science and AI. Sarah’s ZOE PREDICT research and its application has significantly contributed to healthcare and research innovation. She was instrumental in the design, implementation and continued progression of three prominent App based research platforms with large and far-reaching study populations; the ZOE Covid Symptom Study App (CSS) (during the pandemic), the ZOE Health Study App (formerly CSS App) and the ZOE Nutrition App. These App’s combine cutting-edge research, remote digital and clinical technologies, AI and ‘user experience’ expertise, enabling the collection and analysis of data beyond what has traditionally been possible within an academic setting.

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Co-chair: Dr Claire Phipps

GP; Member – British Menopause Society medical advisory council Biography

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Dr Claire Phipps

Dr Claire Phipps is a highly dedicated and compassionate GP with many years experience in providing comprehensive healthcare to all ages.

She has a strong commitment to patient-centered care and strives to provide the most holistic care she can, alongside building trusting relationships, ensuring wellbeing and addressing medical concerns. She is known for her excellent communication skills.

Claire graduated from Guy’s, Kings and St Thomas’s medical school and also holds a degree in Human Biology and Genetics. Throughout her career she has gained expertise in treating a wide range of medical conditions, including women’s health.

Dr. Phipps holds the British Menopause Society Advanced Menopause Certificate and is a certified menopause and GP trainer. She is also CBT trained. Claire believes that the perimenopause and menopause are opportunities to take back control of our health.

Claire is deeply committed to advancing access to evidence-based menopause care for underserved and underrepresented populations. Her areas of special interest include providing education around genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) treatment and within this supporting survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM). Ensuring equitable menopause care for individuals who struggle to access affordable, high-quality support forms a large part of her work. Passionate about community and charity-driven initiatives, she focuses on breaking down barriers to healthcare, particularly for ethnically diverse groups, to create a more inclusive and compassionate care system.

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Co-chair: Mr Paul Simpson

Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Member – British Menopause Society medical advisory council Biography

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Mr Paul Simpson

Mr Paul Simpson is an Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. He is the Clinical Lead for the Menopause Service as well as having specialist interests in endometriosis & minimal access surgery. He was awarded his Medical Doctorate (MD) from the University of East Anglia at UEA and continues to take an active interest in research; recruiting for NIHR Portfolio studies and as associate editor for Post Reproductive Health.

He has been a member of the British Menopause Society since 2014 and is currently a member of the BMS medical advisory council.

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Dr Gavin Stewart

British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow, King’s College, London Biography

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Dr Gavin Stewart

Dr Gavin R. Stewart is a British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at King’s College London. His research explores the health, cognition, and experiences of middle-aged and older autistic people. He is also interested in improving the identification and accessibility of autism diagnoses for those who were missed in childhood. Gavin works with a range of longitudinal cohorts, including the AgeWellAutism study and the PROTECT study. These cohorts enable him to explore cross-sectional differences and longitudinal changes in ageing using categorical (i.e., those diagnosed with autism or who self-identify as autistic) and dimensional (i.e., those with autistic traits) approaches.

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Professor Rebecca Charlton

Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London Biography

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Professor Rebecca Charlton

Rebecca Charlton is a Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths University of London. Professor Charlton’s research focuses on changes in middle-age and later-life and the factors that promote healthy ageing. Her research examines the intersection of health, cognition, social-cognition and mood across adulthood. Professor Charlton is particularly interested in how ageing effects autistic and other neurodivergent people in terms of health, cognition and well-being. Her recent work has explored autistic people’s experience of menstruation and menopause, highlighting similar and unique experiences.

Prior to joining Goldsmiths University of London in 2013, she worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago, St George’s University of London, and the Institute of Psychiatry in London. Professor Charlton completed her PhD at St George’s University of London in 2006 on the impact of vascular changes in the brain on cognitive ageing. Prior to that she completed a Master’s degree (Lancaster University) and her undergraduate degree in Applied Psychology (University of Central Lancashire).

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Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Queen Mary University, London Biography

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Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais

Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Queen Mary University London. Her research investigates the developmental course of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the life span. Her current study focuses on ADHD among girls and women, and the role of times of hormonal change, including puberty, the menstrual cycle and the menopausal transition, in functioning among women with ADHD. Dr. Agnew-Blais is trained as an epidemiologist with a focus on psychiatric disorders.

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Co-chair: Dr Juliet Balfour

GP, Somerset NHS Menopause Service; Member – British Menopause Society medical advisory council Biography

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Dr Juliet Balfour

Dr Juliet Balfour has been a GP for over 30 years, specialising in women’s health and sexual health. In 2021 she successfully lobbied for funding for an NHS specialist menopause service for Somerset which she continues to run. She also has a small private menopause clinic.

She is a British Menopause Society registered menopause specialist and trainer and is a member of the BMS medical advisory council. She delivers menopause education to healthcare professionals in Somerset and nationally. She has contributed to articles relating to the menopause in most of the national newspapers and posts evidence-based menopause information on Instagram as @menopausehealth.

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Co-chair: Dr Paula Briggs

Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust; Immediate Past Chair and Trustee – British Menopause Society Biography

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Dr Paula Briggs

Paula Briggs is a Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health based at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust.

She is the Immediate Past Chair of the British Menopause Society.

Paula qualified from University of Glasgow in 1987.

She trained as a GP before moving to Liverpool in 1993 and worked in General Practice and Sexual Health until 2012.

She is now devoted to delivery of women’s health care, research and education. Her main interest is menopause management with a particular interest in urogenital atrophy.

She has co-edited 3 books, co-written an undergraduate textbook in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a revision guide for MFSRH and a book specifically for men about female hormones. She has also written a patient booklet on menopause (second edition).

She is married with four children and enjoys golf, yoga/pilates, reading and cooking.

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Professor Robin Daly

Professor of Exercise and Ageing, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia Biography

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Professor Robin Daly

Professor Robin Daly, PhD, FASMF, FASBMR, holds the position of Chair in Exercise and Ageing and is Head of the Musculoskeletal Health and Mobility group within the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. He has >30 years of experience in conducting clinical, epidemiological and implementation trials to understand how exercise and nutritional approaches can prevent and manage diseases, particularly sarcopenia, osteoporosis, falls and fractures, type 2 diabetes and cognitive related disorders. His work has led to the implementation of evidence‐based, community and telehealth-based exercise programs and nutritional products to optimise musculoskeletal health and body composition during mid-life (including menopause) and into old age. To date, he has been awarded >$24M is research funding and has published (co-edited) three books and 270 peer-reviewed articles. He is a Past President of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ANZSSFR), current co-chair of the European Geriatric Medicine Society sarcopenia special interest group, a member of the medical and scientific advisory committee of Healthy Bones Australia and a Fellow of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

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Lecture abstract

Co-chair: Dr Katie Barber

Co-chair: Professor Nick Panay

Kathy Abernethy

Dr Juliet Balfour

Mr Haitham Hamoda

Dr Kristyn Manley

Dr Katie Barber

Professor Nick Panay