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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

Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns

Global oil prices continued to decline on Thursday, reaching levels close to those seen before tensions escalated between Iran and its regional rivals. The sharp drop in crude prices reflects growing confidence that oil...

White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Emergency Funding for Iran War, Farmers, and Ebola Response

The White House has formally asked Congress to approve an $87.6 billion supplemental spending package aimed at covering expenses tied to the ongoing Iran war, while also providing funding for American farmers and...

Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies

Japans government is preparing to push for a monetary policy that supports stronger private demand, highlighting its preference for keeping borrowing costs low even as the Bank of Japan (BOJ) continues normalizing interest...

Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion

Gold prices continued their downward trend during Asian trading on Thursday, falling to their lowest level in more than seven months as a stronger U.S. dollar and growing expectations of additional Federal Reserve interest...

South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost

South Koreas benchmark KOSPI index soared more than 5% at Thursdays market open, prompting the Korea Exchange (KRX) to temporarily halt program trading after a sharp rally fueled by leading semiconductor stocks. The...

Politics

US Mobilizes Aid After Powerful Earthquakes Devastate Venezuela

Powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday have prompted an immediate response from the United States, which is coordinating with Venezuelan authorities and preparing emergency assistance for the disaster-hit...

US Urges States and Businesses to Strengthen Taiwan Ties Amid China Pressure

The United States has urged state governments and private businesses to strengthen their engagement with Taiwan after raising concerns that Chinese officials have been attempting to discourage such relationships. According...

Young Brazilian Voters Shift Right Ahead of 2026 Election

As Brazil prepares for its October presidential election, a growing number of young voters are moving away from the left, signaling a major political shift that could influence the countrys future. Many who once supported...

Pelosi Discloses Major Intel and Uber Call Option Purchases Worth Up to $6 Million

Representative Nancy Pelosi has disclosed a new financial transaction report revealing that her spouse, Paul Pelosi, purchased substantial call options in Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) and Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:...

Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers

U.S. President Donald Trump has asked Congress to approve more than $11 billion in additional farm aid to help American farmers cope with soaring fuel and fertilizer expenses linked to the recent Iran conflict. According...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

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...

Technology

Kioxia Targets U.S. Listing as AI Chip Boom Accelerates

Japan-based Kioxia Holdings Corp. (TYO:285A) is preparing to launch U.S. depositary shares in the spring of 2027, a strategic move aimed at expanding its global investor base and taking advantage of growing enthusiasm for...

Doncasters Raises $919 Million in NYSE IPO as Aerospace Growth Accelerates

Doncasters has successfully raised $919.3 million through its U.S. initial public offering (IPO), marking a significant milestone in the aerospace components manufacturers long-term transformation. The historic British...

SK Hynix Targets $29.4 Billion Nasdaq Listing to Expand AI Chip Business

SK Hynix has announced plans to raise as much as $29.4 billion through a Nasdaq listing in the United States, positioning the deal as one of the largest global stock offerings in history. The South Korean memory chip...

Alibaba Shares Fall After Anthropic Alleges Massive AI Model Distillation Campaign

Alibaba Groups Hong Kong-listed shares dropped sharply on Thursday after reports revealed that U.S.-based artificial intelligence company Anthropic accused the Chinese tech giant of conducting a large-scale campaign to...

Samsung and SK Hynix Shares Jump After Micron Earnings Boost AI Chip Optimism

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix posted strong gains on Thursday after Micron Technology delivered record quarterly earnings and issued a stronger-than-expected revenue forecast, reinforcing confidence in the growing...