National Symposium On Australian Traditional Medicine
11 - 12th November 2024
NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University
Judy Jacka Conference Centre
158 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW 2145
You are invited to the inaugural National Symposium on Australian Traditional Medicine hosted by NICM HRI Western Sydney University in collaboration with Australian National University. The symposium will gather First Peoples of Australia, policy makers, regulators, academics and researchers aiming to showcase the development and achievements in Australian traditional medicine, discuss the current issues and challenges, and foster strong partnerships and collaborations.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Owners of Country now known as Australia. Indigenous Peoples of this continent are a diverse peoples, making up over 250 different language groups, each with their own unique cultures, languages and practices. Accordingly, the medicines used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are unique, and recognised as the oldest continuing Indigenous culture in the world, holding significant Indigenous values in biodiversity and landscapes across Country. Respectfully, no one term has been agreed upon by Indigenous Peoples themselves and their respective language groups. The focus of the National Symposium will defer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional medicines, so we respectfully use the term “Australian Traditional Medicine” to represent these medicines as a whole. We acknowledge that the following terms are also used, along with many others: Indigenous Traditional Medicines, First Nations Traditional Medicines, Bush Medicines, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Medicines, Indigenous Cultural Medicines and Aboriginal Cultural Medicines.
Theme: preclinical and clinical research; IP, ICIP, Indigenous governance and ethics; regulation and commercialisation pathways.
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Confirmed Guest Speakers
- Associate Prof Joanne Jamie – Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemist, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University
- Prof Emma Kowal – Cultural & Medical Anthropologist and Deputy Director, Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University
- Prof Ronald Quinn – Emeritus Professor, Griffith University
- Gerry Turpin – Ethnobiologist, Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre, James Cook University
- Dr Virginia Marshall (Co-Chair) – ARC Research Fellow, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University
- Dr. Alana Gall – Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Southern Cross University
- John Locke – Biocultural Strategist and Mbabaram man from North Queensland
- Binota Dhamai – Postdoctoral Fellow, Indigenous Governance, Australian National University
- Dr. Hamish MacDonald – Research Fellow, University of Queensland
- Dr. Jenny Cheng – Scientist and Biomedical Engineer, Therapeutic Goods Administration
- Elizabeth (Beth) Steels – Research and Education Manager/Director, Integria Health
- Prof Yasmina Sultanbawa – Centre Director, Nutrition & Food Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland
- Professor Gerald Muench – Professor of Pharmacology, Western Sydney University
- Dr. Deep Bhuyan – Research Support Program Fellow, Western Sydney University
Calling for abstracts for student speakers and posters
Deadline for abstract submission - 31 July 2024.
Pricing Schedule
| Student | Early Bird (Ends 31 August 2024) | $100 |
| Standard Price | $150 | |
| Non-Student | Early Bird (Ends 31 August 2024) | $200 |
| Standard Price | $250 |
Sponsorship Opportunities
A range of symposium sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact our team for further information. Enquire now: NSATM@westernsydney.edu.au
Organising Committee
- Professor Dennis Chang (Chair) – Director NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University
- Dr. Virginia Marshall (Co-Chair) – ARC Research Fellow, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University
- Binota Dhamai – Postdoctoral Fellow, Indigenous Governance, Australian National University
- Professor Aunty Kerrie Doyle – Associate Dean, Indigenous Health, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University
- Professor Gerald Muench – Professor of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University
- Dr. Deep Bhuyan – Research Support Program Fellow - Healthy Ageing: Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products, Western Sydney University
- Professor Emma Kowal – Cultural & Medical Anthropologist and Deputy Director, Alfred Deakin Institute
- Dr. Mardi Reardon-Smith – Postdoctoral Fellow, Deakin University
- Christopher Oliver – Southern Cross University
- Dr. Sue Evans – Deputy Chair Jacka Foundation
- David Morgan – Board Member, Jacka Foundation
- Professor Ronald Quinn – Emeritus Professor Griffith University
- Dr. Alana Gall – Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Southern Cross University
- Gerry Turpin – Ethnobiologist, Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre, James Cook University
- Cassandra Hunt – Founder, Naturally Healthful
- Dr. Hamish McDonald – Research Fellow, University of Queensland
- Paul Marshall – Research Officer, Australian National University
- Mitchell Manning – Western Sydney University
- Gemma Deakin – Western Sydney University
- Kayla Jaye – Western Sydney University
- Indeewarie Dissanayake – Western Sydney University
- Kellie Riek – Western Sydney University
Contact Us
Email: NSATM@westernsydney.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 9685 4700
Companies may contact you claiming to be legitimate accommodation and/or travel agents for this event and request your credit card details. Please note they're not authorised by the conference organisers.
Banner Artwork
'Those Who Came Before Us'
Early last year, Western Sydney University’s Executive team, together with a group of academics and professional staff, participated in a full-day cultural exchange workshop to enhance their understanding of Country and culture.
This was co-facilitated by Allan McKenzie – a proud Wiradjuri Gamilaroi man from Griffith NSW. Allan has painted for over 29 years and promotes Aboriginal culture through optical storytelling, song, and dance. Since then, Allan has facilitated a number of workshops where over 120 individuals, including Western Sydney University staff and students, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, contributed to the painting and engaged in Aboriginal cultural learning.
This artwork provided all the opportunity to yarn and learn. The painting is incredibly detailed and hangs at nearly two and a half metres long by one metre wide. It is entitled 'Those who came before us' and is owned by none, yet owned by all, and is a great example of reconciliation in practice.
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