Higher Degree Research with the Centre

Current HDR projects at NCNM

Curious about our HDR courses and what the experience studying with NCNM might look like for you? Click below to explore some of our current HDR students and their projects.

• Kerrie Oakes
  

  Community-supported herbalism

  Kerrie Oakes is undertaking a PhD at the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, supervised by Professor Jon Wardle, Associate Professor Romy Lauche and Dr Joanne Bradbury. Her research examines the concept of community-supported herbalism and cooperative models of healthcare. 

  Kerrie’s interest in community-managed models of herbal healthcare builds on her previous work in community development, consumer voices in Child Protection, community recovery following disasters, and citizen participation in democratic decision-making. As a practitioner of Western Herbal Medicine, she manages the Somerset Community Herb Clinics based in Southeast Queensland, is a coordinator for the Southeast Queensland chapter of Herbalists Without Borders and is a member of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia and Integrated Medicine for the Underserved. 

  There is growing evidence that social determinants of health are poorly addressed in current healthcare systems. In conjunction with a strengths-based community development approach, health care services that are owned, managed and operated by the community may provide an effective solution to this problem. Furthermore, Herbal medicine, with its holistic focus, holds promise for providing ongoing opportunities to address social determinants. However, there has been little research into the effectiveness of models of care used by herbalists, particularly those that encourage broad community involvement in management.
   
  Conducting such research is challenged by the lack of a coherent, widely accepted definition of Community Supported Herbalism or an understanding of the characteristics of community managed herbal healthcare. Kerrie aims to develop a definition of Community Supported Herbalism which can be used to undertake further research into the effectiveness of community managed herbal clinics.

  Support Kerrie's work here.

• Tendayi Roy Chihaka
  

  Traditional and complementary medicines

  Tendayi Roy Chihaka is a third-year PhD candidate under the supervision of Professor Jon Wardle, Dr Peter Bai James, and Professor Ossy Kasilo. Roy’s project aims to develop an appropriate model/framework for regulating Traditional and Complementary Medicines in Medicines Regulatory Agencies (MRAs) in sub-Saharan African countries. Traditional and Complementary Medicines (T&CM), a diverse healthcare system comprising Practices, Practitioners, and Products, has seen increased usage and acceptance in the region under consideration. At the forefront of this recognition drive is the World Health Organisation, which has called for member states to incorporate T&CM into national healthcare systems to attain universal health coverage (UHC). In the WHO Global Report on Traditional Medicines of 2019, member states from the SSA cited a lack of appropriate mechanisms to regulate T&CM practices and practitioners and a lack of expertise within Medicine Regulatory Agencies as barriers to UHC. This phenomenon occurs despite the different strategies and recommendations put forward by the WHO. 

  Roy’s methodological approach would be by use of a mixed-method exploratory sequential study design comprising the following: 

  • First, using document searches for legislation and a scoping review of T&CM-related scholarly work, a T&CM Policy typology for the SSA will be established.
  • Secondly, in-depth interviews will be conducted with stakeholders in SSA to identify the enablers and barriers to T&CM regulation.
  • Thirdly, a novel T&CM analytic tool will be developed and tested to establish the performance of current T&CM policy and regulatory strategies within the region.
  • Lastly, a regulatory model will be proposed and tested using consensus methods with stakeholders in the SSA region.

  
  This research is envisaged to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by providing practical application on the appropriate regulation of T&CM.

• Cathrina Geldard
  

  Biofilms and UTI treatment

  Cathrina Geldard is undertaking a PhD at the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine. Her area of research involves examining biofilms associated with urinary tract infections and their response to herbal medicine interventions. When Cathrina started her Naturopathy degree, she had one goal - to use her clinical knowledge and examine antimicrobial herbal medicine properties under a microscope.

  Cathrina's project focuses on biofilms in one of the leading yet rarely spoken about female conditions - chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are a common problem, with 250,000 diagnosed in Australia each year. UTIs lead to tens of thousands of hospitalisations due to kidney infections, yet evidence for effective interventions is lacking. In addition, antimicrobial resistance is threatening the efficacy of antibiotic drugs, and further treatment options are required. With the knowledge that microbial houses, so-called biofilms, contribute to antimicrobial resistance, Cathrina has turned to plants and traditional knowledge for answers. She is examining potential herbal medicines that can counteract these biofilms in the lab, hoping to contribute to developing effective herbal medicine interventions in the fight against chronic UTIs.

  Cathrina has recently successfully developed a polymicrobial, clinically relevant model of UTIs and has presented some of her work at a recent Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM) symposium.

  Support Cathrina's work here.

• Ilma Imtiaz
  

  Traditional knowledge for cancer management

  Ilma Imtiaz is a current PhD student conducting research on traditional and naturopathic herbal medicine for lung and colorectal cancer under the supervision of Dr Andrea Bugarcic and Dr Janet Schloss. The prevalence and morbidity of lung and colorectal cancers are significant on a global scale, making them a focus of considerable research and medical attention. While chemotherapy has been a mainstay in cancer treatment, it is associated with drawbacks. Traditional knowledge and herbal medicines, utilized by up to 80% of the world’s population, have been at the forefront of novel anticancer drug development. However, there is a gap in clinical translation and emphasis on the extraction of single compounds, neglecting the holistic approach of traditional medicines.

  Ilma’s research aims to examine herbal preparations in pre-clinical studies, acknowledging the traditional utilisation of medicinal plants, with the hope of increasing clinical translation and uncovering novel medicinal plants with potential anti-cancer activities. The project consists of five phases: conducting a scoping review to identify herbal medicines documented in traditional knowledge for cancer management, surveying practising naturopaths to determine the current clinical usage of herbal medicines and uncovering lesser-studied herbal medicines for testing in pre-clinical mammalian cellular models to determine cytotoxicity and their mechanism of action in cancer.

  This research is significant as it seeks to bridge the gap between the misalignment of current research designs and traditional herbal use in the context of cancer management. By integrating data mining of traditional knowledge and the use of herbal medicines in contemporary practice, Ilma’s project aims to screen for potential novel compounds for the management of lung and colorectal cancer. The findings of this study could serve as the basis for future research to uncover novel medicinal plants and their compounds with potential anti-cancer activities, thereby contributing to the development of more effective and holistic approaches to cancer treatment.

• Inna Kurlyandchik
  

  Medicinal cannabis treatment for Fibromyalgia

  Inna Kurlyandchik is completing her PhD at the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine under the supervision of Dr Janet Schloss and Associate Professor Romy Lauche, and Professor Evelin Tiralongo from Griffith University as well as Dr Leon Warne from Little Green Pharma.

  The aim of Inna’s project is to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the influence of the endocannabinoid system and medicinal cannabis on Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). This debilitating disorder, which affects 2.7% of the population across the globe, is characterised by chronic widespread pain, often in combination with fatigue, depression, sleep problems, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. There is no curative treatment, and pharmacological treatments available to those suffering from FMS have limited efficacy and often bothersome side effects. To many, medicinal cannabis is a promising therapeutic option; however, the lack of data limits its use at this stage.

  Inna’s PhD project consists of three components: 

  • Conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore connections between the endocannabinoid system and Fibromyalgia;
  • Assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of oral medicinal cannabis in reducing Fibromyalgia-related pain and other associated symptoms through a pilot clinical trial; and
  • Appraising changes in endocannabinoids and inflammatory cytokines resulting from cannabis administration.

  
  The findings are expected to support further research that may lead to improved understanding and access to an effective, safe treatment option for people living with Fibromyalgia.

• Nicole Hannan
  

  Eosinophilic Oesophagitis

  Nicole Hannan is undertaking a PhD with the Centre and is being supervised by Dr Janet Schloss. Her area of research is eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), an inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder with growing prevalence worldwide. In EoE, white blood cells build up in the lining of the oesophagus (the muscular tube connecting the mouth and stomach), causing damage and inflammation. The condition affects children and adults, and those with EoE have difficulty swallowing or get food stuck in their throat. 

  Very little is known about the management of EoE with complementary medicines. Nicole’s project is the first of its kind examining the potential benefits and risks of using complementary medicines for EoE via a multistage project.

  First, through a survey of adults from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States who have a confirmed diagnosis of EoE, Nicole hopes to identify common management strategies for EoE, including both conventional and complementary medical approaches, and beliefs and attitudes towards these therapies. The project also aims to identify complementary medicine practitioners' clinical experiences with these interventions and their decision-making regarding the management of patients with EoE.

  These first two stages will help identify any complementary medicines that show promise as a treatment for EoE. Nicole will then test the most promising complementary product in a pilot clinical trial, which will provide preliminary evidence of the efficacy and safety of the product. This research is urgently needed given the growing population burdened by EoE.

• Caroline Deen
  

  Food security for First Nations People

  Caroline Deen is a proud Kamilaroi woman completing her PhD at the University of Sydney's POCHE Centre for Indigenous Research and the University Centre for Rural Health. She is supervised by Associate Professor Veronica Matthews, Dr Alana Gall from Southern Cross University, Dr Simone Sherriff, and Professor Julie Brimblecombe.

  Caroline is passionate about achieving health equity for mob by addressing the social and cultural determinants of health, including access to healthy food. She holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Monash University, 2014) and a Master of Public Health (Research) (Monash University, 2018).

  Her PhD research explores how food security is measured for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, aiming to develop a more culturally responsive measurement tool. Existing tools, such as the USDA Household Food Security Measure (HFSM), focus primarily on economic access to food and often overlook the broader, culturally specific experiences of Indigenous peoples—such as cultural food sharing and access to traditional foods.

  Caroline’s project supports the implementation and evaluation of key national strategies, including the National Strategy for Food Security in Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s Gather and Grow strategy. By applying Indigenous methodologies and guided by an Indigenous Governance Group, her research seeks to identify relevant determinants and indicators of food security that truly reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander household experiences across urban, regional, and remote Australia.

  She is working in partnership with Indigenous organisations including the Bundjalung Tribal Society and Gur A Baradharaw Kod Torres Strait Sea and Land Council. Her research positions Australia to lead globally in Indigenous food security assessment, delivering urgently needed insights to strengthen both government and community-led efforts toward a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable food system.

• Tatiana Marinho
  

  Following the tracks

  Tatiana Marinho is a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, supervised by Dr Luke Williams, Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa, Dr Michael Netzel, and Dr Alana Gall from Southern Cross University. Her research integrates Traditional Knowledge, Nutrition, and Food Science to support public health and improve health outcomes in remote Indigenous communities.

  Originally from Brazil, Tatiana has a strong background in nutrition and public health, with a particular focus on the cultural and social dimensions of nutrition and wellbeing. In Australia, she has spent over a decade working closely with some of the most remote communities in the country.

  Her project, Following the Tracks, emerged in response to community leaders in Kintore, Northern Territory, who expressed a desire to grow healthier children and build stronger communities while preserving culture and language. At the time, Tatiana had been working as a Nutritionist and Health Promoter and had grown increasingly frustrated with the limited impact of conventional public health strategies on food security and health outcomes in these communities.

  Central to this work are four community Elders—Monica Robinson, Arene Nangala, Maureen Wheeler, and Lorna Jackson—each of whom has taught in their communities for over 30 years. These women hold invaluable Traditional Knowledge and are regarded as fearless leaders. Under their guidance, Tatiana began learning how to interpret paintings, hunt, identify, and prepare bush foods. She witnessed firsthand the pride and strength that came from being on Country and engaging with bush foods—something that conventional nutrition education strategies could not replicate.

  Tatiana believes that integrating Traditional Knowledge, bush foods, art, and storytelling into health promotion must go beyond cultural safety. These approaches offer educational and transformative potential that can meaningfully inform public health efforts. The goal of her PhD is to explore how Traditional Knowledge, as a foundation of understanding, can guide the design and delivery of food and health services in remote communities. Through a systems-based approach that respects Indigenous holistic methodologies, she aims to address health through the lens of social and cultural determinants, community empowerment, and self-determination.

• Jacob Birch
  

  Indigenous food sovereignty

  Jacob Birch is a Gamilaraay man undertaking a PhD at the University of Queensland through the Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences. He is supervised by Dr Luke Williams, Dr Hanabeth Luke, and Dr Alana Gall from Southern Cross University. Jacob is a Southern Cross University alumnus, completing both his honours degree and undergraduate degree at SCU.

  Jacob is passionate about reawakening Australia’s native grains foodways. His research takes a systems-based approach, focused on developing a circular, integrated native grains industry on Gamilaraay Country—one that is led by, and equitably benefits, Gamilaraay people.

  Recently, Jacob completed a Churchill Fellowship, travelling through North America to learn from Indigenous food sovereignty movements. He explored how self-determined Indigenous food systems can generate transformative, positive, and far-reaching social impacts. His key takeaway: strategic, purpose-driven, and culturally aligned Indigenous governance is critical to success.

  Jacob’s PhD examines how Indigenous food sovereignty can serve as a foundation for Indigenous nation-building. Using the governance of a Gamilaraay-led native grains industry as a case study - alongside insights from international models - he seeks to define what an Indigenous-designed food system could look like in Australia. His research explores the initial conditions that enable nation-building and identifies the policy levers that must be activated to set Australia on a similar path.

  By focusing on Indigenous governance and participation in the native foods and broader agriculture industry, Jacob hopes his work will contribute both theoretical and practical insights into the principles, processes, and essential elements of Indigenous nation building in Australia.