Professor Hefler is a highly experienced public health expert with methodological expertise in qualitative research approaches and has published over 140 scholarly outputs, and contributed to nearly $20 million of funding, including over $3 million of category 1 funding as CIA or CIB. Professor Hefler also has a distinguished record in teaching and student supervision from community-based researchers through to master’s coursework students and PhD students. Her sectoral experience includes tobacco control, health services research, youth health, mental health, health in prison services, disability support, cultural safety in healthcare, Indigenous health and commercial determinants of health. Marita's tobacco control research experience spans a wide range of topics, including social marketing and use of social media, health warning labels, smoke free prisons, youth smoking prevention, tobacco use among people living with mental illness, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, participatory community programs to reduce smoking among First Nations peoples, and tobacco industry monitoring. 

At NECTA (The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction), which is part of the FHMRI, Professor Hefler leads a program of work to inform tobacco endgame through paradigm shifting tobacco control policies such as reducing the commercial availability of cigarettes. She is also Editor-in-Chief of the BMJ specialist journal Tobacco Control, with a team of 8 prominent senior editors, chair of the Heart Foundation NT Advisory Board, Chair of the Qualitative Advisory Committee of the NT Health/Menzies School of Health Research Human Research Ethics Committee.  Professor Helfer is also co-founder and co-chair of Project Sunset, an international coalition focused on research and advocacy for phasing out sales of cigarettes. 

In the Northern Territory, Professor Helfer has worked in partnership with the Aboriginal Community Controlled health sector, hospitals and other government health services and several government agencies. Internationally, she has collaborated on research across many countries including Bangladesh, India, Taiwan, Pakistan, various European countries, Pacific Island countries, New Zealand, Uruguay, the USA and Canada.  

COMPETITIVE RESEARCH FUNDING

2024-2029 Chief Investigator E: Project White-ant: co-creating knowledge with Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander communities about mobilising to protect against commercial determinants of health.

Funding source: NHMRC TCR Commercial Determinants of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Health, $2.04 million

2024-2027 Associate Investigator: A co-designed framework to drive action to promote health and equity in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community stores, led by University of Queensland.

Funding source: NHMRC TCR Commercial Determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, $1.408 million

2024-2028 Chief Investigator A: From ‘Dirty Ashtray’ to tobacco control innovator: codesign with remote First Nations communities in the Northern Territory to generate new approaches to reduce smoking.

Funding source: National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grant, $2.123 million

2023-2027 Chief Investigator H: The Interdisciplinary Tobacco Endgame Research Network (INTER-Net) led by University of Queensland.

Funding source: NHMRC Synergy Grant, $5 million

2022-2027 Chief Investigator 6: Streamline ED – Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Northern Territory Emergency Departments.

Funding source: Australian Government 2022 MRFF Models of Care to Improve the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Acute Care, $3 million

Jan 21-Jun 23 Research Fellow: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, University of Queensland.

Funding source: NHMRC Centres for Research Excellence, $200,000

Jan 2018-Dec 2023 Chief Investigator H: Early life and contemporary influences on body composition, mental health, and chronic disease risk markers in the Aboriginal Birth Cohort.

Funding source: NHMRC project grant, $3.117 million

Jan 2018-Dec 2019 CIA, Postdoctoral Fellowship: Reducing smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Funding source: National Heart Foundation Australia, $150,000

Apr2016-Dec2019 Chief Investigator B: Social media to enhance Indigenous tobacco control.

Designed project and obtained funding, led implementation, research translation and most research outputs.

Funding source: NHMRC project grant, $922,769

2016-2018 Project Design Advisor & Lead Evaluator: Growing the smoke-free generation project for Indigenous youth in remote communities: NT Top End Health Service.

Funding source: Australian government Tackling Indigenous Smoking grant, administered through NHMRC $500,000.

2014-2017 Chief Investigator I Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder prevention and health promotion project.

Funding source: Australian Government competitive tender $2.573 million

HIGHER DEGREE RESEARCH SUPERVISION - PhD students

Principal supervisor, current

How can the NT move from being the nation’s ‘dirty ashtray’ to a leader in the tobacco endgame?

Student: Ruth Canty, candidature 2023-2026, RTP Australian government scholarship. Two co-authored publications.

Lessons for the tobacco endgame: a comparative case study analysis of Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam and South Africa.

Student: Zhou Yu, candidature 2023-2026, RTP Australian government scholarship.

Defining the characteristics of a model of care in the Emergency Department that addresses health and social needs for NT youth.

Student: Rachel Buckley, candidature 2022-2025, RTP Australian government scholarship.

Associate supervisor, current

Improving food security in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Student: Emma Chappell (University of Queensland), submission date Jun 2025. One co-authored publication, one under review, one about to be submitted.

Perioperative outcomes in First Nations and non-First Nations people of the Northern Territory.

Student: Dr Edith Waugh. Part-time candidate 2020-2026. One co-authored publication, 3 about to be submitted.

Beyond the scars: the social and emotional wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with rheumatic heart disease.

Student: Vicki Wade. Part-time candidate 2020-2025. Supported by Heart Foundation Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Award.

MASTERS

Principal supervisor, current

A qualitative exploration of pharmacists’ views of dispensing nicotine vaping
products under Australia’s prescription model.

Student: Michelle Matts, candidature 2023-2024.

Key turning points and facilitating factors of health trajectories as told by First
Nations Peoples in the Northern Territory.

Student: Trudi Sieland, candidature 2023-2024.

Designing a model of care for adults with complex needs who frequently attend
the Emergency Department at Royal Darwin Hospital

Student: Andrea Porteous, candidature 2023-2024

PHD

Associate Supervisor, completed

Improving outcomes from hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma in remotedwelling Aboriginal people in Australia’s Northern Territory through education, early diagnosis, culturally sensitive care and strong community partnerships.
Student: Paula Binks, awarded May 2025. Three co-authored publications.

Exploring how healthcare staff can provide targeted smoking cessation
programs in paediatric hospital settings to reduce smoking-related childhood
illness.

Student: Dr Sukoluhle Moyo. Completed 2023, assessed as being in top 5% of
theses by examiners. Three co-authored publications.

Batji-gum dilba (Good talk medicine). Improving culturally safe communication
between doctors and Aboriginal patients in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Student: Dr Vicki Kerrigan. Completed 2022, assessed as being top 5% of theses by
examiners, received multiple awards. Four co-authored publications.

Talking about smoking in East Arnhem Land: denormalization, stigmatisation
and leadership in remote Yolŋu communities, a qualitative study.

Student: Dr Moana Tane. Completed 2019. Three co-authored publications.

MASTERS

Principal supervisor, completed

Smokefree NT prisons: supporting incarcerated and formerly incarcerated
people to be smokefree (No Smoking Good Story).
Student: Robyn Hopkins, completed 2024. Received credit grade.

A global review of tobacco retail regulations.
Student: Ruth Canty, completed 2022, awarded with high distinction.

Hauiti Hauora: A case study of establishing a rural Māori Health Promotion
Service on the East Coast.

Student: Judith (Huti) Watson, completed 2018. Awarded with high distinction
and received Menzies award for academic excellence.

Associate supervisor, completed

Ethical Analysis of Policies Restricting Tobacco Retail by Type of Outlet

Student: Mahalakshmi Avudainayagam (University of Queensland). Enrolled
semester 2, 2024.

How Barunga Aboriginal community implemented and sustained an anaemia
program contributing to low anaemia prevalence in young children.

Student: Jodi Phillips, completed 2021. One co-authored publication.