Prof Marie Pirotta, University of Melbourne

Dr Marie Pirotta is a member of the inaugural BI cohort. She is practicing general practitioner and an associate professor at the Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne. Her research interests include medicines and how they are used, in particular complementary medicines, as well as women's health and cancer in primary care. Marie is currently leading two NHMRC project grants: one study is exploring how people negotiate their way between complementary and orthodox medical systems; the second study is a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture for menopausal hot flushes. She has also been involved in trials of probiotics in treatment of vaginal thrush, bacterial vaginosis and neonatal sepsis and of acupuncture for knee pain.

Marie is Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' National Standing Committee- Research, a member of the executive group of the Australian Association for Academic Primary Care (AAAPC) and recently retired Vice-Chair of the RACGP's National Evaluation and Ethics Committee. Marie is the Chair of VicReN - the practice-based research network in her department. She is also a member of the Therapeutic Goods Administration's committee that advises on regulation of complementary medicines.