Staff profile: Mariza Louw

Mariza Louw gained extensive experience as a clinical medical nutrition practitioner and registered dietitian before coming to Warwick. She now uses her real-world experience to inform her teaching.

What was your background before coming to Warwick?

Before joining Warwick, I acquired extensive experience as a clinical medical nutrition practitioner and registered dietitian, working in various national and international settings. I have focused on integrating targeted nutrition strategies, personalised biochemical assessments, and nutrigenomics to prevent and treat complex health issues.

Before arriving in the UK in 2020, I worked as a consultant dietitian collaborating with industry leaders in institutional food, premium food retail, and medical insurance. Throughout my career, I assessed development guidelines, strategies, and commercial innovations, engaging in media and educational initiatives to promote public nutrition knowledge. My practice in the UK included serving as a diabetes specialist dietitian within the NHS.

How does your clinical work impact your teaching?

I split my time between teaching and clinical practice, ensuring that my real-world experience informs my teaching. Working with complex patients allows me to bring practical insights into the classroom. It is critical to find the interface between current research and real-life situations and continuously consider honing one’s skills to initiate change that will positively influence each patient’s life.

What do you teach on our IDC course?

In the IDC course, I focus on integrating advanced nutrition principles, particularly in diabetes care, with evidence-based approaches that include the scope of nutrition therapy approaches, biochemical diagnostics, and targeted interventions for managing diabetes and associated risks and conditions.

Why should professionals join the IDC course at Warwick?

Diabetes education is critical in improving patient outcomes, and the IDC course offers a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the overall care process and specific interventions, including nutrition-based strategies. Care for the patient with diabetes is not limited to intervention but also prevention. The program equips professionals with cutting-edge knowledge, considering all aspects of diabetes care, including current and targeted nutrition. This will help participants make a meaningful impact in primary care clinical settings.

What do you most enjoy about teaching at Warwick?

Teaching at Warwick is immensely rewarding, thanks to its dynamic academic environment. I enjoy sharing practical applications of medical nutrition therapy, guiding students as they bridge theory and practice meaningfully.