Joanna Harnett

Associate Professor Joanna Harnett is affiliated with the Sydney Pharmacy School at the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health. She contributes to the Charles Perkins Centre and holds minister-appointed roles on the Therapeutic Goods Administration Advisory Committee on Complementary Medicines and the International Society of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research board. Her expertise spans nutritional pharmacology, complementary medicine policy, and integrative healthcare practices.

Joanna holds a BHSc, MHSc in Complementary Medicines, a PhD in Nutritional Pharmacology, and a Grad Cert in Educational Studies (Higher Education). Her career emphasizes evidence-based integration of traditional therapies into mainstream medicine.

Her research focuses on gastrointestinal health (probiotics/prebiotics), microbiome interactions in chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and coeliac disease, and pharmacist roles in managing drug-natural product interactions. She also investigates complementary medicine disclosure practices and healthcare provider collaboration, particularly in sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease management.

Recent articles highlight advancements in cannabis-based product safety, AI’s impact on medical education, and prebiotic efficacy in constipation. Her work underscores methodological innovations in clinical trials and cross-cultural comparisons of naturopathic practices.

Joanna has received the 2024 Thompsons Research Excellence and Inclusion Prize, and she held leadership fellowships (2016–2021 and 2022–present) in naturopathy research. She advocates for improved interprofessional communication and standards in complementary medicine product quality.