Dr Natalie Walker
PhD (Medicine), DPH, MSc, BSc (Hons)
Research | Current
I am particularly interested in identifying affordable, practical and scalable interventions (appropriate to local conditions and populations) to address the leading non-communicable diseases in New Zealand, namely heart disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. I have built up a sustained, systematic and comprehensive programme of multidisciplinary addiction research, particularly focusing on two leading risk factors for non-communicable diseases - alcohol and tobacco. The research has spanned from preclinical research through to policy. I have published in the fields of tobacco control and smoking cessation (e-cigarettes, cytisine, nicotine reduction, increasing uptake of existing cessation medications, exercise for smoking cessation, hypnotherapy, incentives, smokefree programme evaluations, and smokefree environments) alcohol (mhealth alcohol interventions), other drugs (cannabis, ibogaine) and other addictions (sugar).
Teaching | Current
Course Director: POPLHLTH 712: “Clinical Trial Design, Analysis and Management”, University of Auckland. (Course run every two years).
Guest lecturer: POPLHLTH 304: “Epidemiology Methods”, University of Auckland.
Guest lecturer: POPLHLTH 216: “Essential Epidemiology”, University of Auckland
Guest lecturer: CHEM 392: "Issues in Drug Design and Development", University of Auckland
Distinctions/Honours
2018 - now | Fellow of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT). |
2012 - 2016 | Heart Foundation Douglas Senior Fellowship in Heart Health (Prevention) |
2001 - 2003 |
Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, National Heart Foundation of NZ |
1997 - 2000 | Public Health Research Training Fellowship (Career Development Award), Health Research Council of NZ |
Responsibilities
2020 - now | Faculty Academic Intregrity Officer, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences |
2019 - 2020 | Director of the Board of Research, School of Population Health (member since 2015, Deputy Director in 2018) |
2018 - now | Associate Professor in Population Health (Honorary Associate Professor in Population Health 2015-2018) |
2018 - now | Director, Centre for Addiction Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Associate Director 2012-2018) |
2008 - now | Programme Leader-Addictions, National Institute for Health Innovation, School of Population Health |
Areas of expertise
Expertise in the following study designs: Pragmatic Community-based Trials , Case-control studies, Systematic reviews, and cross-sectional studies.
Research interests: Disease prevention/public health: in the field of smoking cessation, alcohol, harm reduction, cannabis and heart health
Recent papers (2020-2021):
- Walker, N., Smith, B., Barnes, J., Verbiest, M., Parag, V., Pokhrel, S., Wharakura, M.‐K., Lees, T., Cubillos Gutierrez, H., Jones, B., and Bullen, C. Cytisine versus varenicline for smoking cessation in New Zealand indigenous Māori: A randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 2021; https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15489.
- Walker N, Parag V, Verbiest M, Laking G, Laugesen M, Bullen C. Nicotine patches used in combination with e-cigarettes (with and without nicotine) for smoking cessation: a pragmatic randomised trial. Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 2020: 8 (1): 54-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30269-3.
- Walker N, Parag V, Wong S, Youdan B, Broughton B, Bullen C, Beaglehole R. Daily use of e-cigarettes and smoked tobacco in youth aged 14-15 years in New Zealand: findings from repeated cross-sectional studies (2014-2019). Lancet Public Health 2020; doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30241-5.
- Joo YJ, Newcombe D, Nosa V, Walker N, Bullen C. Betel Nut Use in Vanuatu: Investigating Opportunities to Reduce Harms to Health. Substance Use & Misuse, 2020; 55:9, 1457-1464, doi: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1716803
- Galea-Singer S, Newcombe D, Farnsworth-Grodd V, Sheridan J, Adams P, Walker N. Challenges of virtual talking therapies for substance misuse in New Zealand during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Opinion Piece. New Zealand Medical Journal 2020; 22 May; 133 (1515).
Committees/Professional groups/Services
2018 - now | Inaugural Dean of the international SRNT University (an online educational platform) |
2018 - now | Board member, SRNT Oceania chapter |
2018 - now | Member of the Health Coalition Aotearoa: Smokefree Advisory Group |
2018 - now | Associate Editor, Nicotine & Tobacco Research (Journal) |
2018 - now | Member of an HRC Grants Review Committee |
2017 - now | Member of the Heart Foundation Scientific Board |
2015 - now | Associate Editor, Addiction (Journal) |
2014 - now | Associate Editor, Tobacco Regulatory Science (Journal) |
2009 - now | Member of SRNT |
Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)
- O'Brien B, Knight-West, O., Walker, N., Parag, V., & Bullen, C. (2015). E-cigarettes versus NRT for smoking reduction or cessation in people with mental illness: Secondary analysis of data from the ASCEND trial. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 1310.1186/s12971-015-0030-2
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Chris Bullen, Varsha Parag - Walker, N., Fraser, T., Howe, C., Laugesen, M., Truman, P., Parag, V., ... Bullen, C. (2015). Abrupt nicotine reduction as an endgame policy: A randomised trial. Tobacco Control, Online first.10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-051801
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Chris Bullen, Varsha Parag - Walker, N., Johnston, V., Glover, M., Bullen, C., Trenholme, A., Chang, A., ... Fenton, D. (2015). Effect of a family-centered, secondhand smoke intervention to reduce respiratory illness in indigenous infants in Australia and New Zealand: A randomized controlled trial. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 17 (1), 48-57. 10.1093/ntr/ntu128
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Chris Bullen, Varsha Parag - Walker, N., Howe, C., Glover, M., McRobbie, H., Barnes, J., Nosa, V., ... Bullen, C. (2014). Cytisine versus nicotine for smoking cessation. The New England Journal of Medicine, 371 (25), 2353-2362. 10.1056/NEJMoa1407764
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Vili Nosa, Jo Barnes, Chris Bullen, Varsha Parag - Bullen, C., Howe, C., Laugesen, M., McRobbie, H., Parag, V., Williman, J., & Walker, N. (2013). Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: A randomised controlled trial. Lancet, 382 (9905), 1629-1637. 10.1016/s0140-6736(13)61842-5
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Varsha Parag, Chris Bullen - Jull, A. B., Walker, N., & Deshpande, S. (2013). Honey as a topical treatment for wounds. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online), 210.1002/14651858.CD005083.pub3
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew Jull - Walker, N., Howe, C., Bullen, C., Grigg, M., Glover, M., McRobbie, H., ... Whittaker, R. (2012). The combined effect of very low nicotine content cigarettes, used as an adjunct to usual Quitline care (nicotine replacement therapy and behavioural support), on smoking cessation: A randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 107 (10), 1857-1867. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03906.x
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Chris Bullen, Varsha Parag - Walker, N., Howe, C., Bullen, C., Grigg, M., Glover, M., McRobbie, H., ... Whittaker, R. (2011). Does improved access and greater choice of nicotine replacement therapy affect smoking cessation success? Findings from a randomised controlled trial. Addiction, 106 (6), 1176-1185. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03419.x
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/18931
Contact details
Primary office location
M&HS BUILDING 507 - Bldg 507
Level 1, Room 1092
28 PARK AVE
GRAFTON
AUCKLAND 1023
New Zealand