Carolyn Ee

Associate Professor Ee is an academic GP and the Jacka Foundation Principal Research Fellow at NICM. She is Lead of the Translational Research platform at NICM and Program Lead, Next Practice Western Sydney Integrative Health.

Associate Professor Ee is a nationally and internationally recognised emerging leader in primary care chronic disease management, focussing on the intersection between cardiometabolic health, women’s reproductive health and cancer care. More broadly she has dedicated the majority of her career to optimising informed decision making in integrative healthcare. She leads a research team and program that co-creates, synthesises and translates scientific evidence on the integration of non-drug therapies and Eastern medicine with Western medicine delivered in primary care, and on models of care that aim to improve and optimise patient outcomes and prioritise patient wellbeing. Her research expertise spans qualitative research, multi-centre clinical trials, evidence synthesis and guideline development. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers and been awarded $7.3M in research funding as a Chief Investigator, which includes $3.5M in category 1 funding. Underpinning her research expertise is more than 20 years' experience as a medical doctor.

Associate Professor Ee’s leadership and prominence in the field are reflected in her appointments at international, national, and local levels. Her work has resulted in the establishment of Australia’s first University-based integrative medical center, a new Recognition of Extended Skills at the RACGP, and an online integrative medicine short course for GPs. Her research is cited in major international guidelines. She is a well-known advocate for work-life balance and health and wellbeing for all. Her work has featured across key media outlets including The Age, New York Times, Reuters Health, ABC National, SBS, Today Tonight, and the Korean Broadcasting Corporation.

Research focus

• Cancer survivorship
• Women's health, including polycystic ovary syndrome, and menopause
• Metabolic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, and obesity
• Primary care
• Integrative healthcare
• Culturally and linguistically diverse populations
• Translational research and implementation science

Projects and grants

Associate Professor Ee's research has been supported by numerous external funding agencies including NHMRC, industry and professional associations.

See a list of past and current projects.(opens in a new window)

Awards and recognitions

• 2023 Early-Mid Career Research Award, Women’s Health Research and Translation Network
• 2021 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence as an Early Career Researcher
• 2020 Research through Partnerships Award, NICM Health Research Institute
• 2020 Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials (PC4) Training Award
• 2019 Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Research (as part of Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism Translational Research Unit), Western Sydney University
• 2018 Women’s Research Fellowship, Western Sydney University
• 2017 Most Outstanding Junior Researcher Award, Clinical Research, Society for Acupuncture Research Conference (international)
• 2015 Barbara Gross award for best overall research presentation at Australasian Menopause Society congress
• 2015 Winner of Best Research Presentation at Australian Integrative Medicine Association conference

Affiliations

• 2022-present Advisory Group Member, Cancer Institute NSW Primary Healthcare Cancer Framework
• 2021 Primary Healthcare Cancer Framework Advisory Group member, Cancer Institute NSW
• 2021 Scientific Committee Member and Research Co-Lead, Survivorship, Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group (PC4)
• 2021-present Council Member, Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (representing PC4)
• 2021-present Deputy Chair, RACGP Specific Interests Faculty
• 2020-present NICM HRI Representative, Academic Consortium of Integrative Medicine and Health
• 2020-present Member, Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism Translational Research Unit (DOMTRU)
• 2016-present Chair, RACGP, Integrative Medicine Specific Interests Group
• 2016 Member, GP Advisory Board, Blackmores Research Institute
• 2016 Authorised person, Chinese Medicine Council of NSW
• 2015 Strategic Education Advisory Group member, Integrative Medicine Working Group, RACGP National Faculty of Specific Interests
• 2015 Member, Advisory Board, Anaphylaxis Network Australia
• 2014 Chair, Students in Primary Care Research Committee, The University of Melbourne Dept. of General Practice

Education

• 2016 PhD, The University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2010 Masters of Medicine by Research, The University of Melbourne, Australia
• 2007 Graduate Certificate of Medical Acupuncture, Monash University, Australia
• 2007 Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australia
• 2004 Bachelor of Applied Science with Distinction – Chinese Medicine/Human Biology, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
• 1998 MBBS, The University of Western Australia, Australia

Publications

For a full listing of publications please see:

• WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY PROFILE (opens in a new window)
• ORCID (opens in a new window)
• GOOGLE SCHOLAR (opens in a new window)
• RESEARCHGATE (opens in a new window)
• THE CONVERSATION (opens in a new window)