Professor Anne Kiltie

Biography

I qualified in medicine from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and trained in Clinical Oncology at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, and Cookridge Hospital, Leeds. I undertook my DM at the Paterson Institute, University of Manchester and was a Clinical Research Fellow at ICRF Clare Hall before taking up a Senior Lecturer/Honorary Consultant Clinical Oncologist appointment at the University of Leeds in 2001. I moved to the Department of Oncology, University of Oxford in 2009, and obtained my DSc and personal chair in 2016.

I took up my appointment as Friends of ANCHOR Clinical Chair of Oncology at the University of Aberdeen in June 2021.

My research focusses on exploiting dietary fibre manipulation and its effects on the gut microbiome as an ‘endogenous’ means of radiosensitising tumours without increasing radiation toxicity to the surrounding normal tissues including the intestines.

Prizes and Awards

Development Trust Award for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, The Principal’s Prizes for Research and Engagement, University of Aberdeen Excellence Awards, Apr 2024

Research Overview

Tumours in the pelvis, including bladder, prostate and colorectal cancer and gynaecological cancers may be treated by surgical removal or organ-preserving radiotherapy-based treatments. Current organ-preservation standard of care for most tumour sites includes addition of radiosensitising chemotherapy to improve tumour control. However, this often comes at the expense of increased radiotherapy-induced side effects to the surrounding normal tissues, including the intestines. Furthermore, such combined treatments are often not tolerated by elderly patients. With the proportion of over 75-year olds set to double by 2050, there is an urgent need to find alternative approaches to radiosensitisation.

Having worked on histone deacetylase inhibitors, which we showed to be effective tumour radiosensitisers without additional acute and late small intestinal toxicity in in vivo models, we are now working to exploit dietary fibre manipulation and the gut microbiota as an ‘endogenous’ means of radiosensitising tumours without increasing radiation toxicity to the surrounding normal tissues including the intestines.

Funding and Grants

1. Exploiting human microbiota-associated in vivo models for mechanistic studies to understand the benefits of dietary fibre supplementation in patients with prostate cancer. NHS Grampian Charity (£92,422.14) Kiltie AE, 15 Nov 2024 – 31 Oct 2025.
2. The role of intestinal dendritic cells in mediating tumour and normal tissue responses to dietary fibre manipulation. Friends of ANCHOR Pilot Research Funding (£14,345) AE Kiltie, co-applicants: A Moomin, H Wilson, J Coombes, 1 Aug 2024-31 Jul 2025. RG17583.
3. Role of intestinal macrophages in the protective effects of dietary fibre supplementation during radiotherapy. Medical Research Scotland PhD Studentship (£126,565.82) AE Kiltie, co-applicants: H Wilson, J Coombes, 1 Oct 2024 – 30 Sept 2028. RG17405.
4. In gut health not all dietary fibres are equal: diet meets artificial intelligence. RESAS PhD studentship (Anam Wajid; £133,446), J Kyle, AE Kiltie (joint lead supervisors), K Scott, A Ayesh, 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Mar 2027.
5. Dietary fibre supplementation to delay disease progression in early prostate cancer: preparatory work to develop a feasibility study (DEFINITE study) Friends of ANCHOR (£22,000) AE Kiltie, co-applicants: J Royle, J Kyle, S MacLennan, 1 Oct 2023 – 31 Dec 2024. RG17168.
6. Feasibility of using National Bowel Screening Programme surplus qFIT samples to investigate the gut microbiota FUTURISTIC study). NHS Grampian Charity (£11,269.44), AE Kiltie, co-applicants: F Din, S McSorley, 1 Oct 2023 – 31 Mar 2025. GCA23249.
7. Exploiting the gut microbiota and its metabolites in pelvic cancer to improve patient outcomes (PELICAN-23). NHS Grampian Endowment Fund (£130,505.37 plus £30,897.41 = £161,402.78) AE Kiltie, G Ramsay (Co-PI), co-applicants: J Royle, K Dimitropoulos, J Grant, G Horgan, G MacDonald, R McMenimen, M Gurumurthy, L Samuel, 1 Sept 2022 – 30 Sept 2025. ES900/EA4021.
8. A human volunteer study of the effects of psyllium and inulin on the gut microbiome and metabolites: can we identify responders and non-responders to optimise outcomes for pelvic radiotherapy patients (PIGMent study)? Friends of ANCHOR /University of Aberdeen Development Trust PhD studentship (£168,500) AE Kiltie, co-applicants: A Johnstone, K Scott, A Walker, G Horgan, 1 Oct 2022 – 30 Sept 2026.

Teaching Responsibilities

ME3013 MBChB SSC2: supervisor

BM4501 BSc Honours project: supervisor

RN5504 Nutrition and Health through the Life Stages: lecture

RN5505 Clinical Nutrition: lecture and seminar

RN5503 Clinical Nutrition for Disease Prevention: lecture

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

I am a Regent for the MB ChB Regent Scheme.