Valentina Naumovski

Dr Valentina (Tina) Naumovski (BE (Hons), BSc (Chem.), PhD, GCULT, FHEA) is a Senior Research Fellow in Diabetes at the Macarthur Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Australia.

Tina is one of very few researchers in the world with a multidisciplinary approach spanning the cultivation, analytical (isolating and identifying bioactive compounds), pharmacological/preclinical (mechanism of action predominantly in diabetes/metabolic syndrome, drug interactions, pharmacokinetics) and clinical (medicinal cannabis for symptom relief) and qualitative research.

Previously, she was the operational lead and provides scientific methodology to a world-leading NSW Government-funded research program on medicinal cannabis clinical trials (Phase I/II/III) in advanced cancer addressing cachexia/anorexia. She leads a trans-Tasman group tasked with mapping a program to improve cachexia/anorexia syndrome. Tina has led the nation’s first survey on the experiences of health care professionals dealing with cancer cachexia and is examining an equivalent survey for patients. Previously, she was the operational lead of the Joint Chair in Traditional Chinese Medicine (JCTCM) program at WSU tasked with initiating, progressing and completing the strategic aims of the portfolio. Tina has been invited as a guest lecturer at various forums on cannabis and complementary medicines to further knowledge and education in this field. Tina has been invited as a guest lecturer at various forums on cannabis/complementary medicines to further knowledge and education in this field. She has received two highly awarded poster and best paper prizes (ISCMR and ESIM). Tina is a TGA Statutory Advisory Committee member in Complementary Medicines and is the Research Chair for the ISCMR.

Tina was Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology at the School of Biomedical Sciences-Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW, and School of Science at WSU. She is recognised for her teaching by the Higher Education Academy Professional Standards Framework, UK and won the School of Science Staff Excellence Award and was nominated for the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Teaching Excellence Awards Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning at Western Sydney University in 2022 and Values in Action Heroes Award (UNSW).