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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

Goldman Sachs Raises ECB Rate Hike Forecast Amid Persistent Energy-Driven Inflation

Goldman Sachs has revised its euro area economic outlook, now anticipating two interest rate increases from the European Central Bank as stubbornly high energy-driven inflation continues to overshadow slowing regional...

European Stocks Tumble as Iran-Strait of Hormuz Crisis Rattles Global Markets

European equity markets opened sharply lower on Monday as investors reacted to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 1.3%, Germanys Dax slid...

Asian Currencies Slide as U.S.-Iran Tensions and Rising Oil Prices Rattle Markets

Asian currencies faced widespread pressure on Monday as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and surging oil prices rattled investor confidence across the region. The U.S. dollar steadied following modest losses last week, with...

Global Markets Reel as Middle East Tensions Escalate Energy Fears

Financial markets across the globe are experiencing significant turbulence as the ongoing Middle East conflict raises serious concerns about prolonged disruptions to energy supplies. Wall Street posted sharp losses on...

South Korean Stocks Tumble as Hawkish BOK Governor Appointment Rattles Markets

South Korean equities suffered steep losses on Monday after President Lee Jae Myung appointed Shin Hyun-song as the next Bank of Korea (BOK) governor, a move markets interpreted as a shift toward tighter monetary policy....

Politics

Palestinian Activist Leqaa Kordia Released from U.S. Immigration Detention After Judge's Order

Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia, 33, has been released from a U.S. immigration detention facility in Texas following a federal judges ruling, marking the end of over a year in custody. Kordia, who grew up in the...

TSA Absences Surge During Government Shutdown as ICE Agents Prepare Airport Deployment

Airport security across the United States is facing a serious staffing crisis as the partial government shutdown enters its fifth week. The Department of Homeland Security reported that Transportation Security...

Iran Threatens Gulf Infrastructure as U.S.-Israel War Enters Critical 48-Hour Window

Tensions in the Middle East have reached a dangerous new flashpoint after Iran threatened to strike energy and water infrastructure across Gulf nations if the United States carries out President Donald Trumps warning to...

Trump Links DHS Funding to Voter ID Legislation

President Donald Trump declared Sunday that he would block any Department of Homeland Security funding agreement unless Congressional Democrats first pass the Save America Act a bill that would require Americans to show...

Ukraine-U.S. Peace Talks Continue in Florida as Zelenskiy Pushes for Diplomatic Progress

Ukrainian and American delegations wrapped up a second day of peace negotiations in Florida on Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signaled cautious optimism about ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Russias war on...

Science

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...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Elon Musk Announces Terafab: SpaceX and Tesla to Build Dual AI Chip Factories in Austin, Texas

Elon Musk revealed plans for a massive dual-chip manufacturing complex called Terafab in Austin, Texas, set to be jointly developed by SpaceX and Tesla. The announcement marks a significant step in Musks broader strategy...

NVIDIA's Feynman AI Chip May Face Redesign Amid TSMC Capacity Crunch

NVIDIA could be forced to redesign its next-generation Feynman artificial intelligence chip platform as contract manufacturing giant TSMC struggles to keep pace with surging global demand. According to a report from...

Elliott Investment Management Takes Multibillion-Dollar Stake in Synopsys

Activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has quietly built a multibillion-dollar position in Synopsys, the electronic design automation (EDA) giant, signaling a push for stronger financial performance from one of...

Palantir's Maven AI Earns Pentagon "Program of Record" Status, Reshaping Military AI Strategy

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) is drawing renewed investor and industry attention after the U.S. Department of Defense officially designated its Maven Smart System as a program of record, a classification that...

Amazon's "Transformer" Phone: Can It Succeed Where Fire Phone Failed?

Amazon is quietly developing a new smartphone, codenamed Transformer, marking the companys return to mobile hardware more than a decade after its Fire Phone disaster. According to sources familiar with the initiative, the...