Australia's leading researcher in traditional and complementary medicines, Professor Amie Steel, has joined Southern Cross University as a Professor of Public Health.
Professor Steel was ranked Australia's number 1 researcher in Alternative and Traditional Medicines by the The Australian's 2026 Research Magazine , a title she has held for several years.
Internationally recognised for her research in traditional, complementary and integrative medicine, Professor Steel has a particular focus on women's health, maternity care and health systems.
She joins Southern Cross following more than 15 years at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed her PhD in public health and held senior research leadership roles.
Author of more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, Professor Steel has attracted substantial competitive research funding and honours, including a prestigious Australian Research Council Future Fellowship. Her work has influenced clinical practice and policy in Australia and internationally through contributions to World Health Organisation research and national projects.
Based at the University's National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) , Professor Steel will continue to pursue her research on the role of integrative medicine within contemporary health systems.
A particular focus is pre-conception care.
"Pre-conception care – the three, six and even 12 months before couples become pregnant – is crucial to health for decades and can even influence intergenerational health," she said.
"I'm particularly interested in how people access complementary health services in that period – so things like naturopathy, acupuncture, yoga – and how we can make sure that traditional medicine and biomedical healthcare are working together for maximum benefit."
Professor Steel joins Professor Jon Wardle as the University's second Professor of Public Health. She said she was delighted to be part of NCNM's community of internationally recognised researchers, a formidable team committed to advancing public health and integrative medicine.
Integrative medicine refers to coordinated models of care that combine biomedical practice with traditional medicine practices, emphasising whole person, multidisciplinary and evidence-informed approaches to health and wellbeing.
"The concentration of expertise in this field and a strong commitment to research with real‑world impact is what attracted me to the University," Professor Steel said. "I'm excited to see where that will take us."
