Prof Gail Garvey AM

First Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research Group, the Faculty of Medicine, & The University of Queensland

Professor Gail Garvey (AM) is a proud Kamilaroi woman, an NHMRC Research Leadership Fellow, and Professor of Indigenous Health Research in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Queensland. Professor Garvey has established an extensive and targeted research program focused on cancer and the wellbeing of Australia’s First Nations people.

Professor Garvey was among the first researchers to recognise the substantial impact of cancer on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and her work has contributed greatly to key policy and practice changes to improve their cancer outcomes. Professor Garvey currently leads a Centre of Research Excellence – Targeted Approaches to Improve Cancer Services (TACTICS) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The TACTICS CRE focuses on emerging priorities in cancer-related health services research and actively promotes the translation of research knowledge into Australian public health policy and practice. The CRE also focuses on building research capacity through training the next generation of researchers in cancer control.

Her research into the psychosocial aspects of cancer care for First Nations cancer patients, is a critical component to improving their cancer outcomes. Professor Garvey's research program also focuses on understanding and measuring the dimensions of wellbeing important to and valued by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the life course, which is important for developing/evaluating health interventions.

Along with her research expertise, Gail's strengths lie in her leadership and her collaborative approach.

Since 2011 Gail has received over $50 million in grant and government funding, including a NHMRC Investigator Leadership Grant. Over the same period Gail has published more than 200 papers in peer-reviewed journals.