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Gemma Sharp

NHMRC Early Career Senior Research Fellow, Monash University
Gemma is an NHMRC Early Career Senior Research Fellow in the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) and she leads the Body Image Research Group at MAPrc. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology (University of Adelaide), Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Microbiology and Immunology (University of Adelaide), a Masters degree in Oncology (University of Cambridge), a Diploma in Languages in Japanese (University of Adelaide), a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (University of Adelaide), a Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences Honours degree in Psychology (Flinders University) and a PhD in Clinical Psychology (Flinders University). Her research career in both Medical Science and Mental Health has seen her study and work in Australia, Japan and the UK.

Gemma was awarded a PhD from Flinders University in Adelaide which investigated the psychological predictors and outcomes of female genital body image concerns and cosmetic genital surgery. She worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate and Academic at Curtin University in Perth and expanded her research to include male genital body image.

Gemma then commenced an NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship (part-time) at MAPrc at Monash University. Gemma and her Body Image Research Group at MAPrc investigate the factors leading to body image and related mental health concerns and novel therapeutic interventions using digital technologies (such as chatbots and apps) to address these concerns. Gemma leads collaborative projects with Australia's national body image and eating disorder support organisation, The Butterfly Foundation.

Gemma's research has received extensive coverage on mainstream media and she makes regular appearances on television. She was named one of ABC Radio National's Top 5 Under 40 Scientists in 2017 and also was invited to deliver at TEDx talk in Brisbane in 2017. More recently, she was named one of The Educator's Rising Stars (2020), a national finalist for the CRC Association Early Career Researcher Showcase (2020), received a national AMP Tomorrow Maker Award (2019), was named as a national finalist for the Bupa Health Foundation Emerging Health Researcher Award (2019), and was a Young Tall Poppy Award winner for Victoria (2018). She has also served as a host on Triple R's Radiotherapy program since 2018.

Gemma is also a clinical psychologist and has had clinical experience in the public and private sectors in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne. She leads her own private practice (part-time) and her particular areas of clinical interest are body image concerns, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder and related mental health conditions. She serves as the Early Career Representative on the Victorian Section of the Australian Psychological Society's College of Clinical Psychologists Committee and is a member of the Australian Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynaecology Executive Committee.

Eating disorders don’t just affect teen girls. The risk may go up around pregnancy and menopause too

Mar 02, 2025 16:43 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Eating disorders impact more than 1.1 million people in Australia, representing 4.5% of the population. These disorders include binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa. Meanwhile, more than 4.1 million...

Thinking about cosmetic surgery? New standards will force providers to tell you the risks and consider if you're actually suitable

Dec 18, 2023 02:20 am UTC| Life

People considering cosmetic surgery such as a breast augmentation, liposuction or face lift should have extra protection following the release this week of new safety and quality standards for providers, from small...

What's the connection between cosmetic procedures and mental health?

Nov 15, 2022 16:38 pm UTC| Health

Although we cannot be sure of the exact numbers of Australians undergoing cosmetic procedures, as there is no requirement for health professionals to report their statistics, there is a consensus demand is on the...

AI Revolution Series

Instagram can make teens feel bad about their body, but parents can help. Here's how

Sep 24, 2021 01:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Last week Facebooks internal research revealed Instagrams toxic effects on some young peoples body image particularly girls. One study by Facebook of teen Instagram users in the US and UK found more than 40% of those...

Thinking of getting a minor cosmetic procedure like botox or fillers? Here's what to consider first

Jul 06, 2021 08:58 am UTC| Health

At a dinner party recently, my friend Kaity whispered, Ive been staring at my face in Zoom meetings and I look tired. Im considering Botox. What are the risks? I shouldnt have been surprised; Kaity isnt alone in...

Economy

BCA Research Warns U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Could Collapse, Maintains Cautious Equity Outlook

BCA Research is cautiously optimistic about the recently announced U.S.-Iran ceasefire but is warning investors that the truce remains highly unstable. The firms chief geopolitical strategist, Matt Gertken, puts the odds...

U.S. Natural Gas Market Faces Short-Term Pressure but Long-Term Demand Surge

Wall Street analysts remain divided on the U.S. natural gas outlook, citing near-term price weakness alongside robust long-term demand fundamentals driven by LNG exports and growing global power consumption. Benchmark...

Chinese Brands Are Taking Over Brazil — And It's Just Getting Started

Chinese businesses are making bold moves into Brazil, marking a significant shift in how China is expanding its global footprint. Leading the charge is Mixue, the ice cream and beverage giant that already operates more...

Bank of America Maintains Forecast for Two Fed Rate Cuts in 2026 Despite Inflation Risks

Bank of America is holding firm on its prediction that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates twice in 2026, even as inflation concerns linger. In a note to clients, U.S. economist Aditya Bhave outlined why the bank...

Trump Claims Oil Tankers Heading to U.S. Amid Iran War and Strait of Hormuz Crisis

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a large number of empty oil tankers are currently sailing toward the United States, intending to load American crude oil and natural gas. Trump made the claim via Truth...

Politics

U.S.-Iran Peace Talks in Islamabad Pause With Key Differences Unresolved

High-stakes diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran wrapped up in Islamabad, Pakistan on Sunday after roughly 14 hours of intense discussion, marking the first direct engagement between the two nations...

Islamabad at a Standstill as U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Take Center Stage

Islamabad has been transformed into a virtual ghost town as high-stakes direct negotiations between the United States and Iran got underway for the first time in years. Pakistani authorities imposed a citywide lockdown,...

Costa Rica Receives First Wave of U.S.-Deported Migrants Under New Bilateral Agreement

Costa Rica officially welcomed its first group of U.S.-deported migrants on Saturday, marking a significant milestone in a bilateral deportation agreement signed between the two nations in March. The group comprised 25...

U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Resume in Islamabad Amid Strait of Hormuz Standoff

High-stakes diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran entered their second day in Islamabad on Sunday, with both sides still far apart on key issues particularly American demands over the Strait of...

Trump Warns China Over Iran Arms as Diplomatic Talks Intensify

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to China on Sunday, cautioning that Beijing would face serious consequences if it were to supply weapons to Iran. The statement, delivered to reporters outside the White...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

OpenAI Addresses Security Vulnerability in macOS App Certification Process

OpenAI disclosed a security concern on Friday involving a third-party developer tool known as Axios, which is connected to the process used to verify the authenticity of its macOS applications. The company confirmed it has...

San Francisco Suspect Arrested After Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Home

San Francisco police arrested a 20-year-old suspect Friday following a pre-dawn attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans residence in the citys North Beach neighborhood. According to the San Francisco Police Department, an...

SanDisk Joins Nasdaq-100, Replacing Atlassian on April 20

Nasdaq Inc. confirmed late Friday that SanDisk Corporation will enter the Nasdaq-100 Index, taking the spot previously held by Atlassian Corp Plc when markets open on Monday, April 20, 2026. The change signals a broader...

TSMC Posts Strong Q1 2025 Revenue, Riding AI Chip Demand Wave

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the worlds leading contract chipmaker, has reported first-quarter revenue of T$1.134 trillion (approximately $35.71 billion USD), surpassing analyst expectations and...

Lumentum Holdings Rides AI Wave With Order Book Filled Through 2028

Lumentum Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: LITE) is experiencing a surge in demand from the artificial intelligence sector, with its order pipeline now fully booked through 2028, according to a Bloomberg report published Thursday. The...