Associate Professor Vanessa Beesley

Associate Professor Vanessa Beesley is a behavioural scientist and Head of the Psychedelic Medicine and Supportive Care Lab. Currently, she leads a national telehealth counselling trial for cancer caregivers and a world first psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for prolonged grief and is a paid chief investigator on a group-based MDMA-assisted therapy trial for treatment-resistant climate-related PTSD.

With a two-decade career dedicated to person-centred care, Beesley has been a chief investigator on 13 patient-reported outcomes studies across multiple cancers, including ovarian, pancreatic, and melanoma. She has published over 70 scientific articles, co-authored a data analysis manual, and presented at numerous conferences. Recognised by Expertscape as Australia’s 3rd and the world’s 17th leading expert in needs assessment research, she has also advised the government through Cancer Australia contracts.

Beesley is a founding executive member of the Queensland Collaborative for Cancer Survivorship, advancing health innovations. In partnership with PanKind, she drives the implementation of a nationwide support service for families affected by pancreatic cancer. She is also the convener of the Northern Australia Psychedelic Science (NAPS) Conference.

Her work reflects a commitment to integrating cutting-edge therapies and addressing the psychosocial needs of patients and their caregivers.