Maria Alejandra “Alex” Ruani is a leading authority in nutrition science education and a prominent researcher in diet and nutrition misinformation. As a doctoral researcher at University College London, her work focuses on misinformation’s impact on dietary behaviours, trust in sources, and decision-making, alongside developing inoculation tools to mitigate the risk of health harm.
Since 2012, Alex has been Chief Science Educator at The Health Sciences Academy, transforming professional nutrition education and leading the creation of 20+ professional certifications, 70+ continuing education courses, and 50+ reports that challenge misinformed beliefs about diet and health. Her efforts have enabled over 100,000 nutrition professionals worldwide to provide client-centred, evidence-based care.
An NBHWC Credentialed Coach trainer, Alex leads the Applied Behavioural Coaching Skills Program, equipping practitioners with the coaching gold standards set by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching. A member of the Royal Society of Medicine and a regular chair at Food Matters Live, she also teaches nutrition misinformation (detection, debiasing, mitigation) to medical and allied health professionals at leading universities and CPD events.
Alex’s work and commentaries are frequently featured in major media outlets such as The Times, BBC, and The Telegraph. An active member of the World Health Organization’s Fides initiative, she contributes to global efforts to combat nutrition-health misinformation. Through her pioneering research and pedagogical leadership, Alex continues to shape the future of nutrition science education, empowering practitioners and advancing efforts to tackle health misinformation worldwide.