Research Projects at the Centre

Two men looking at plants in a garden

Transforming community health through research

Located at the Northern Rivers campus in Lismore, NCNM is dedicated to conducting research that enhances health and wellbeing across communities. Our team of expert researchers works closely with students, faculty, collaborators, and industry partners to explore and develop innovative solutions for improving public health.

Focusing on naturopathy, lifestyle interventions, and integrative medicine, we explore new pathways to address today’s most pressing healthcare challenges. Through rigorous research, we aim to expand the impact of holistic and complementary medicine, providing evidence that can shape the future of healthcare.

Would you like to contribute to shaping the future of healthcare? Connect with us to learn more about our research initiatives.

Recruiting research projects

See below for current projects underway

Two women sitting on a floor with books open

NACCHO Cultural Medicines Guidelines

Across Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have maintained Cultural Medicines and healing practices since time immemorial. Yet the broader health system often lacks clear, culturally safe guidance for how Cultural Medicines can be respectfully supported, accessed, and protected within contemporary care settings.

This project is being developed in partnership with NACCHO to produce practical, Indigenous-led Cultural Medicines Guidelines that strengthen safe practice, community control, and continuity of knowledge, while supporting appropriate pathways for collaboration between ACCHOs and the wider health sector.

The NACCHO Cultural Medicines Guidelines project brings together Indigenous governance, co-design, and evidence-informed approaches to support ACCHOs and communities to define what “good” looks like when Cultural Medicines are discussed, offered, referred to, or integrated alongside other care. The Guidelines will prioritise Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), benefit-sharing, and cultural safety, with a focus on protecting knowledge and keeping decision-making where it belongs—on Country and with community. Outputs will be designed to be usable in real-world settings (not just aspirational), supporting services to develop consistent, respectful practice, strengthen workforce capability, and reduce the risk of extractive or unsafe engagement.

Project status: In progress
Contact the researcher: alana.gall@scu.edu.au 

Female naturopath in consultation with a client

Naturopathic practitioner weight loss study

Are you a naturopathic practitioner with experience in weight loss approaches? We invite you to share your insights and strategies for managing overweight and obesity in clinical practice if you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:

  • You hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in naturopathy
  • You have at least two years of clinical practice experience
  • You regularly work with clients addressing overweight or obesity

Participation involves a face-to-face or online interview (no longer than 60 minutes) at a time and location that works for you. Get in touch with our lead researcher using the link below.

SCU HREC number: 2025/006
Trial status: Recruiting 
Contact the researcher: romy.lauche@scu.edu 

Man sitting on a bed with his head in his hands

Help us understand veterans’ health

Participate in a research study! Researchers at Southern Cross University (SCU) are investigating the relationship between dietary intake and the mental wellbeing in Australian ex-serving defence force members. This online anonymous survey will take approximately 7 minutes to complete. The Australasian Military Medicine Association (AMMA) is funding the study.

SCU HREC number: 2023/184 and DDVA: 535-23
Trial status: Recruiting

Take me to the survey Read more Support this research
Woman doing yoga in a class with prayer hands

Longitudinal analysis of Yoga and Meditation practice in Australian Women

Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in yoga research. However, most studies focus on short-term intervention periods, or cross-sectional analyses, leaving a gap in our understanding of the long-term practice of yoga, and its associations with health or well-being. 

This project utilises longitudinal data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) to enhance our understanding of the continuity of yoga practice. It examines the demographic and health characteristics of individuals who take up yoga, as well as those who continue or discontinue its practice. 

Additionally, this project aims to determine the long-term associations between yoga practice and health status across various medical conditions, including both physical and mental health. The results will provide valuable insights into the long-term benefits of yoga practice. By identifying the characteristics of individuals who are more likely to adopt and maintain yoga, we can better tailor interventions to promote sustained engagement. Furthermore, understanding the longitudinal associations between yoga practice and health outcomes will help in developing evidence-based recommendations for incorporating yoga into healthcare strategies. 

Project status: In progress
Contact the researcher: romy.lauche@scu.edu.au 

Hands holding an indigenous plant root

Indigenous-led Best-Practice Framework for R&D with Australian Native Plants

Australian native plants hold significant potential for health and wellbeing innovation, but research and development (R&D) has too often been shaped by extractive systems that overlook Indigenous governance, rights, and knowledge protection.

This project is developing an Indigenous-led Best-Practice Framework to guide ethical, culturally safe, and scientifically robust R&D with Australian native plants—centering Country, community priorities, and Indigenous decision-making from the outset.

The Framework will provide a practical roadmap for researchers, industry partners, and policymakers, outlining what respectful R&D looks like across the full pipeline—from early discovery and research design through to testing, regulation, commercialisation, and benefit-sharing. It is grounded in Indigenous rights and responsibilities, including ICIP protection and FPIC, and is intended to help prevent harm by embedding Indigenous governance, transparency, and accountability at every stage. By clarifying pathways for partnership (and clear “stop points” when principles aren’t met), the project aims to support innovation that is not only effective and safe, but also legally and culturally sound—delivering outcomes that communities control and benefit from.

Project status: In progress
Contact the researcher: alana.gall@scu.edu.au 

Completed research projects

Drawing of a black cockatoo surrounded by a shell necklace

First Nations Perspectives: Strengthening the Eating Disorder Safe Principles (NEDC)

The Eating Disorder Safe (ED Safe) principles are a national, whole-of-community initiative designed to help prevent harm in the way we talk about health, food, mind and body. To ensure cultural safety and meaningful inclusion from the outset, NEDC developed a dedicated Companion Document – First Nations Perspectives: Strengthening the Eating Disorder Safe Principles – to weave First Nations worldviews, rights, and priorities through the full ED Safe suite.

This completed project brought together Indigenous leadership and expertise through a First Nations Governance Group (comprised of First Nations members, denoted in-document) and an authorship team led by Dr Alana Gall alongside Hilary Smith and Zyana Gall. The Companion Document was developed concurrently with ED Safe to provide essential context and guidance about culturally safe approaches—recognising colonial impacts, cultural strength, and Social and Emotional Wellbeing—so that ED Safe implementation is safer and more effective across all settings, not only where First Nations communities are the primary focus.

A key underpinning output for the Companion Document was a policy scoping review (published open access in the Journal of Eating Disorders), which mapped the limited existing policy guidance and highlighted the need for First Nations-led, culturally responsive recommendations for eating disorder prevention and care. The Companion Document explicitly notes this review as part of the project’s evidence base and ongoing agenda for action.

The cover artwork – “Guided by the Elder Bird” – was created by Zyana Gall (Aboriginal research assistant on the project) and used across the broader ED Safe document suite, reflecting NEDC’s commitment to cultural safety and alignment.

Project status: Completed 
Contact the researcher: alana.gall@scu.edu.au 

Long COVID, African migrants

Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on African Migrants in Australia

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted Australians' health and well-being, particularly exacerbating existing inequalities within migrant communities. Recognising the ongoing need to protect vulnerable populations, this study aimed to address the critical knowledge gap regarding the pandemic's effects on African migrants in New South Wales. It explored their well-being, coping strategies, healthcare access, and views on vaccine rollout. The findings will inform culturally competent health and social services, policy, and future pandemic preparedness for migrant populations. 

 

The findings of our research underscore the critical need for culturally relevant and consistent public health communication and genuine community engagement with African migrant communities in the design and implementation of outbreak response interventions. The disruption of collectivist African culture due to lockdowns significantly impacted well-being and influenced how individuals perceived and responded to public health measures. The studies collectively demonstrate that effective public health responses for African migrants require addressing scepticism, countering misinformation with culturally appropriate messaging, enhancing community engagement through trusted leaders, combating perceptions of racial targeting, and building trust in authorities through transparent communication and respectful dialogue. This comprehensive approach is essential to improve their well-being and ensure equitable access to support during public health crises. 

Articles:

  1. James PB, Gatwiri K, Mwanri L, Wardle J. Impacts of COVID-19 on African migrants’ wellbeing, and their coping strategies in urban and regional New South Wales, Australia: a qualitative study. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. 2024 Dec;11(6):3523-36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-023-01806-z
  2. James, PB, Gatwiri K & Wardle J. African migrants’ perception and attitude towards COVID-19 pandemic and its public health response in New South Wales, Australia: a qualitative study. Discover Public Health 22, 276 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00664-w
  3. James PB, Renzaho AM, Mwanri L, Miller I, Wardle J, Gatwiri K, Lauche R. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder among African migrants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry research. 2022 Nov 1;317:114899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114899 

Project status: Completed

Contact the researcher: peter.james@scu.edu.au 

Alphabet letters scattered around the word autism

National survey for Autistic adults in Australia

Are you an Autistic adult living in Australia? Researchers at Southern Cross University are conducting an anonymous online survey to better understand the diets, wellbeing, and lifestyle habits of Autistic adults. Led by an Autistic researcher and co-designed with the Autism community, this 15-minute national survey is an important step towards improving health and wellbeing research for those living with autism in Australia.

SCU HREC number: 2024/122
Trial status: Recruitment Completed 

Support this research
Fast breaking meal or iftar dish with muslim man hands praying to Allah

Maintaining your wellbeing during Ramadan

Ramadan is one of the most significant months in the Islamic calendar, marking the time when the holy book of Islam, the Quran, was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). It is a month of fasting, prayer and reflection, observed by close to 2 billion Muslims worldwide.   

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Depending on the season, and where you live, this can be anywhere between 12 to 19 hours. No eating or drinking, smoking, or intimate relations are allowed during this time. 

A balanced, nourishing diet during Ramadan is essential, as it has a tremendous impact on health and well-being. Overeating and consuming processed foods can strain the digestive system, cause discomfort and disrupt sleep, and lead to fatigue during the day. 

With our clinical trial, we aimed to examine whether dietary advice might improve the well-being of Ramadan observers. Those who followed our advice and chose balanced, nutrient-dense food and drink options reported better well-being than those who fasted as usual. They also felt more energetic, less hungry and thirsty during the day, and reported that their digestion was better than normal during Ramadan. Most of the study participants were also keen to share the advice with family and friends. 

Trial status: Completed 

Read more in The Conversation
Read the full article in the International Journal of Behavioural Medicine

flooded river

Flood Recovery for Regional Marginalised Populations [FLOMAP] Project

Evidence suggests that the impact of the 2022 floods may have been worse for marginalised groups, particularly migrants and refugees, those experiencing homelessness, and those identifying as sexuality and/or gender diverse.

The FLOMAP Project aims to understand how these marginalised groups were impacted by the 2022 Floods, and whether their flood-related needs have or have not been met to date.

Participants who take part in the study will receive a $50 gift voucher.

SCU HREC number: 2023/188
Study status: Recruitment Completed

Cartoon woman scientist exploring gut microbiome

Want to know what your microbiome looks like?

Southern Cross University researchers are conducting a clinical trial, examining whether the consumption of Kefir can influence the microbiome. Kefir is a probiotic dairy beverage that has been consumed for over 2,000 years in the Caucasus region at the border of Europe and Asia. Traditional Kefir is made by taking milk and adding Kefir ‘grains’ which contain a range of symbiotic bacteria and yeast species. Many claims have been made regarding the health benefits of Kefir, however little is known about the effects of Kefir on the microbiome, the collective bacteria in the mouth and gut.

SCU HREC number: 2021/129; UNSW HREC number: 2021/RL00200
Trial status: Recruitment Completed

Contact the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine

ncnmresearch@scu.edu.au +61 2 6626 9255