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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

US Plans $1.6 Billion Investment in USA Rare Earth to Boost Domestic Critical Minerals Supply

The United States government is preparing to invest $1.6 billion in Oklahoma-based miner USA Rare Earth, securing a 10% ownership stake as part of a broader strategy to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals...

Japan Signals Readiness to Act as Yen Volatility Raises Intervention Concerns

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Sunday that the government is prepared to take necessary steps against speculative or abnormal market movements, following heightened volatility in the yen that has fueled...

Trump Threatens 100% Tariff on Canada Over China Trade Ties, Escalating U.S.-Canada Tensions

U.S.-Canada trade tensions have escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on all Canadian goods if Canada proceeds with closer trade cooperation with China. In a series of posts on...

Russian Stocks Close Flat at Three-Month High as Commodities Rally and Ruble Strengthens

Russian stocks ended Saturdays trading session mostly lower, with declines outweighing gains across the Moscow Exchange, although the benchmark MOEX Russia Index managed to close unchanged and secure a fresh three-month...

Dollar Slides as NY Fed Rate Checks Spark Yen Intervention Speculation

The U.S. dollar weakened sharply against the Japanese yen on Friday after the New York Federal Reserve conducted rate checks on the dollar/yen currency pair, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters....

Politics

Fatal Immigration Enforcement Shootings Intensify Scrutiny of Trump Crackdown

The fatal shooting of a man in Minneapolis on Saturday has heightened national scrutiny of U.S. President Donald Trumps aggressive immigration enforcement strategy, as the death toll linked to federal immigration actions...

Melania Trump Film Gets Private White House Screening Ahead of Global Release

First Lady Melania Trump hosted a private White House screening of her new documentary film, Melania, on Saturday, offering an intimate look into her life during the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trumps second...

Myanmar Election 2026 Draws Criticism as Military-Backed Party Tightens Grip on Power

Polling stations across Myanmar opened on Sunday for the final phase of a controversial general election held amid ongoing civil war and political repression. The vote, widely criticised by the United Nations, Western...

WHO Expresses Regret Over U.S. Withdrawal and Urges Return to Global Health Cooperation

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed regret following the official withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations health agency, emphasizing its hope that Washington will resume active participation...

Syria Extends Ceasefire With Kurdish Forces Amid Rising Tensions

A fragile ceasefire between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been extended by 15 days, offering temporary relief amid escalating tensions in northern and eastern Syria. The original...

Science

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...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

U.S. Lawmakers Demand Scrutiny of TikTok-ByteDance Deal Amid National Security Concerns

U.S. lawmakers are calling for closer congressional scrutiny of a new deal involving TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, raising fresh concerns about national security, data privacy, and potential Chinese...

Ericsson Plans SEK 25 Billion Shareholder Returns as Margins Improve Despite Flat Network Market

Swedens telecom equipment giant Ericsson announced plans to significantly boost shareholder returns after reporting a sharp rise in net cash and continued margin improvements, even as the global mobile network market...

Microsoft Restores Microsoft 365 Services After Widespread Outage

Microsoft confirmed on Friday that it has fully restored access to its Microsoft 365 productivity suite following a widespread service outage that disrupted users across multiple regions, particularly in North America. The...

Tesla Plans FSD Subscription Price Hikes as Autonomous Capabilities Advance

Teslas Full Self-Driving (FSD) software is set to become more expensive over time as its technology improves, according to CEO Elon Musk. The announcement comes as Tesla Inc. continues its transition away from a one-time...

ByteDance Finalizes Majority U.S.-Owned TikTok Joint Venture to Avert American Ban

TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has finalized a landmark agreement to establish a majority American-owned joint venture aimed at safeguarding U.S. user data and avoiding a nationwide ban on the popular...