Our experienced team of Scientists, Registered Nutritionists and Lifestyle Medicine Practitioners.
The Saint James Gut Restore Programme
Meet The Team
Professor. Godfrey Grech
PhD Molecular Oncology (Erasmus MC)
Following a Science degree at the University of Malta in 1994, I pursued my studies at a Masters level in the Faculty of Medicine specializing in Molecular Genetics. In 2002, I started my doctorate studies at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands for 4 years, studying the Molecular Control of Leukemia. I published in high impact journals and presented in International conferences such as the American Society of Hematology and the European Haematology Association.
Currently, I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Pathology, in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Malta. The academic responsibilities include the coordination of an MSc in Biomedical Sciences, and principle investigator of a research group studying the molecular mechanisms of haematopoietic malignancies and solid tumours. Clinical translation of research outcomes is possible through joint ventures with Commercial partners that license in the use of Intellectual Properties (IP).
I am a member of the International groups including the International Scientific Council of the European Group for Molecular Pathology (EMP), member of Scientific committee at European Medical Association (EMA), member of the European Lifestyle medicine Organisation (ELMO) and a member of the European Association for Predictive, Preventive & Personalised medicine (EPMA), with the aim to formulate educational programs in Molecular Pathology, harmonise molecular protocols, organise quality control programs, define organizational rules for tissue banking and establish a bioethical platform in Molecular Pathology.
Claudine Grech Spiteri
Exercise and Nutrition Scientist, B. Ed (Hons) MSc (Exercise & Nutrition Science) Reg Nutr (EU)
I am an Exercise and Nutrition Scientist with a specialisation in elite swimming. My profession consists of analysing the athlete’s behaviour, actions and reactions for better performance during and after training sessions and competitions/ competitive games. I do this by analysing through physics principles of body movement and gravity, body chemical reactions and processes during and after exercise and body physiology. I give support and help in what the coaches are aiming for their athletes. My clients vary from football players, water polo players, ironman (triathlon) athletes and ultra-athletes, dancers, cyclists and swimmers, and clients with medical conditions, diet related disorders or other health issues including auto immune diseases, PCOS, anxiety and IBS conditions using nutrition as a functional medicine. I am a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences department at UOM where my research focuses on nutritive strategies for the prevention of colorectal cancer. I am also the co-founder of a biomedical technology R&D company where we specialise in the optimisation of multiplex assay techniques in liquid biopsies in the identification of solid tumours in plasma.
I come from a varied work background. I started at the Central Bank of Malta where I gained 10 years of banking experience covering from daily banking operations to money and capital markets dealing in Malta Government Stocks, Shares, Treasury Bills and Bonds at the Malta Stock Exchange. I moved onto another sector and completed a degree in Education where I taught Form 4 and Form 5 students at a Church school for the next 11 years. Besides teaching I directed the school Form 5 Graduations and School Christmas Soirees and organised and co-ordinated the main School fund raising activities. During that same time, I was engaged by the Malta National Examination Board fulfilling the post of Chairperson of the national examination board for one particular subject at various levels. I read for an MSc in Exercise and Nutrition Science at the University of Chester, Faculty of Medicine and Clinical Sciences, UK in 2016-17 and was approved as an EU Registered Nutritionist in 2018. All these experiences gave me the necessary skills to take over the responsibilities of CEO at a start-up biotechnology company and later start my own medical technologies company where I am always on the lookout for emerging technologies whilst developing our own. My main interest is cancer tests for early detection where we work with multiplexing technology on exosomes in serum samples.
A new project was always at the back of my mind and decided to embark on it during the last part of the year 2021. I decided to accept the position of lecturer with private academies which give health and nutrition courses in relation to nutrition, exercise prescription, fitness and sports. I am also a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta. Lecturing gave way for me to embark on a project even closer to my heart being setting up the first national fully licenced health, sports and nutrition institute for further education studies and designing accredited courses within my line of specialisation including first national diplomas, under and post graduate degrees within this specialisation.
I am a mother to a teenaged daughter who fills most of the rest of my days. My love for all animals keeps the little free time I have busy where I volunteer in sanctuaries, feed the strays and enjoy my pets at home.
Dr. Pankay Pandya
MD MSc DCH IBLM Dip
Dr Pandya is an experienced General Practitioner specializing in the field of Lifestyle Medicine and Microbiome (gut health), focusing on the prevention, management, and potential reversal of chronic non-communicable diseases. Dr Pandya graduated from the distinguished Malta Medical School in 1982, following prior academic achievements in Physiology and Biochemistry at the esteemed Universities of Sheffield and Malta. Complemented medical education with a diploma in Child Health from Dublin, Ireland.
With a professional journey spanning decades, Dr Pandya returned to the UK in 2005, building upon a foundation of healthcare service at St Luke’s hospital in Malta. Subsequently, he contributed significantly to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) as a dedicated General Practitioner. During his tenure, Dr Pandya actively engaged with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, further enriching his expertise.
Having continued to evolve and broaden his medical horizons, Dr Pandya returned to Malta in 2020, dedicating himself to the advancement of Lifestyle Medicine—a well-established, evidence-based medical approach encompassing pivotal elements such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and the profound impact of social interactions on overall health. Concurrently, his exploration of the Microbiome (gut health) science persists. Recognizing its substantial role in contributing to 70-80% of chronic diseases and longevity, Dr Pandya remains committed to uncovering its intricacies.
In essence, his professional journey has been characterized by an unyielding commitment to medical excellence, with a focus on cutting-edge domains that hold the potential to reshape how we approach and address chronic health challenges.