Rate My Professor Niamh Fanning

Dr. Niamh Fanning is a Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. She holds a PhD and conducts research primarily in rheumatology, focusing on gout pathogenesis, treatment responses, and related biomarkers. Her work explores genetic variants, lifestyle factors such as smoking, and patient-centered education for managing gout, particularly in diverse populations including Māori people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Fanning collaborates with leading researchers like Lisa K. Stamp and Tony R. Merriman on studies examining metabolic pathways, inflammatory markers, and therapeutic outcomes in rheumatic diseases. Her career includes prior involvement with the University of Edinburgh's School of Population Health Sciences.

Key publications include 'An association of smoking with serum urate and gout: a health paradox' (Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2018), which investigates the counterintuitive relationship between smoking history and urate levels, earning 49 citations. Other significant contributions are 'Association of rare and common genetic variants in MOCOS with inadequate response to allopurinol' (Rheumatology, 2024), 'Association of past smoking status with gout in Māori people in Aotearoa New Zealand' (Journal of Rheumatology, 2025), and 'Plasma interleukin-23 and circulating IL-17A+IFNγ+ ex-Th17 cells predict opposing outcomes of anti-TNF therapy in rheumatoid arthritis' (Arthritis Research & Therapy, 2022). She has also published on gout education preferences across indigenous and non-indigenous groups ('Arthritis Care & Research, 2018'), fructose malabsorption in gout ('Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2017'), and prescribing practices for pancreatic enzyme therapy in pancreatic cancer ('Pancreatology, 2024'). Additionally, Fanning contributes to systematic reviews on nutritional interventions in cancer care and behaviour change techniques. With approximately 14 research works and over 95 citations, her studies advance personalized treatment strategies and address health disparities in rheumatology.