Alana Gall

Dr. Alana Gall is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine within the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University. She holds an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship (2026-2030) and honorary research fellowships at the University of Queensland and Menzies School of Health Research.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional Medicine (2015) from Endeavour College of Natural Health, a Master of Research (2018), and a PhD (2022) from Charles Darwin University.

Dr. Gall's research centers on Indigenous Peoples' holistic health and wellbeing, with primary focus on First Peoples' Cultural Medicines in Australia through her leadership of the Tunapri Ngini, Tunapri Rrala (Old Knowledge, Strong Knowledge) program. Her methodological expertise spans qualitative, Indigenous, and decolonising research methods, co-design frameworks, and culturally appropriate measure development. She pioneered the 'think-aloud yarn' technique and co-developed foundational Key Principles to Co-Design with First Nations Peoples.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals dominant themes in Indigenous health policy development, traditional medicine integration, and culturally responsive frameworks. Her work consistently addresses eating disorders, cancer care, and wellbeing measurement for First Nations communities through policy-focused approaches.

Dr. Gall's scientific recognition includes:

• NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellowship (2026-2030)
• Early Career Researcher Award for Research Excellence, Southern Cross University (2024)

She leads multiple research initiatives including harnessing traditional medicines for holistic health, improving palliative care access, co-designing wellbeing measures for children, building Indigenous data commons, and supporting Indigenous youth health. Her community-engaged work directly informs national policies like Cancer Australia's Australian Cancer Plan and the Our Mob Our Cancer website.

Based at Southern Cross University's National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine on the Lismore campus, Dr. Gall advances Indigenous health research through strong connections to Country, culture, and community.