Scientific Work in Anorexia Nervosa (SWAN)

Very excited to share that I’ve been awarded a grant to investigate body image processing in #AnorexiaNervosa using eyetracking.

Deeply grateful and excited to have been chosen by Melissa Leong and bestie Leah as the charity they're racing for in #TheAmazingRaceAU 🌏

Stories like Leah's are why we do what we do, and we hope you'll join us in cheering them on when the race starts at 7:30pm AEST tonight!

(1/2) Today, Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week comes to a close for 2025 – but the urgent need for awareness and research in this space continues.

Treatment options for anorexia nervosa are limited – and only effective in about 50% of people.

Perfectionism, and divergent and flexible thinking in anorexia nervosa Perfectionism and flexible thinking are frequently reported as impaired in anorexia nervosa (AN), however, the role of perfectionism and cognitive flexibility in eating disorder (ED) symptoms is un...

I am very happy to share a new paper that I have co-first authored with my colleague Kaitlyn Crocker. In this study, we explored the relationship between cognitive flexibility, divergent thinking, perfectionism, and #EatingDisorder symptoms.

doi.org/10.1080/1064...

We could be one step closer to a new treatment for anorexia following promising results from a brain stimulation trial.

Learn more: bit.ly/3HXUzRb

A flyer describing the research study. Researchers at The University of Melbourne and Orygen are seeking people to take part in 2x 2-hour online focus groups which discuss the factors that play a role in the development, maintenance, and recovery from eating disorders. We are seeking: • People aged 12 or older with a lived experience of a past/current eating disorder • People aged 18 or older who are the family members/loved ones/carers of someone with a past/current eating disorder

We are seeking people currently living in Australia to participate in virtual (i.e. over Zoom) focus groups. People under the age of 18 will need parental consent to participate. Follow the link to learn more: redcap.link/lzdud5ot

I am very excited to share my new publication with @swanresearch.bsky.social on quality of life in #AnorexiaNervosa (AN). We examined health-related quality of life in women with current AN, women who were weight-restored (but not fully recovered), and healthy controls

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doi.org/10.1002/eat....

In-person tickets for BIRD 2025 are now sold out!

Get in quick to avoid missing out on online attendance!

Registrations are open for the 5th Biennial Body Image & Related Disorders (BIRD) Conference!

Low-cost registration available for in-person (Melbourne, Australia) and online attendance.

More info: birdconference2025.eventbrite.com.au

A poster advertising that abstract submissions are open for the BIRD conference. Abstracts should be 200 words and can be submitted via email to eatingdisorders@orygen.org.au The conference program has more information

Abstract submissions for the BIRD conference are now open! We look forward to reading your submissions and learning about the incredible research you are doing.

See here for more info: www.eventbrite.com.au/e/body-image...

Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental illness with rising prevalence among youths, limited treatment options, and prominent physical and psychological challenges.

This Special Communication recommends steps to improve research in this field. ja.ma/443jsTF

Eating disorder research and funding falling behind - ABC listen New research published today is calling for a drastic re-think of how we research and treat eating disorders with current treatments for anorexia nervosa now decades old and only effective in about ha...

"We still don't actually have a very good understanding of what contributes to the development and maintenance of eating disorders."

Orygen's A/Prof. Andrea Phillipou speaks to ABC Radio National about gaps in eating disorders research and treatment: bit.ly/3SyRxVl

Research silos and a narrow focus on weight restoration are holding back the field of eating disorders, a new Orygen-led paper with co-authors from @harvardmed.bsky.social and @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social has argued.

Details + recommendations: bit.ly/454EKkX

Sun Exposure and Anorexia Nervosa: A Potential Environmental–Biological Interaction? Objective Despite first being described in 1888, anorexia nervosa continues to be the deadliest of all psychiatric illnesses. Although efforts have been made to elucidate the aetiological factors in.....

We are excited to share a new article by A/Prof Andrea Phillipou on the potential role of sun exposure in #Anorexia nervosa. The #OpenAccess article proposes a novel hypothesis for an environmental–biological interaction. See the link below to read more.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Registrations are open for the 2025 Body Image & Related Disorders (BIRD) Conference.

Hosted by Orygen's eating disorders team, it'll bring together international and local experts to discuss the latest research. View the program + register: bit.ly/4lZGqSC

We are delighted to host Prof. Pamela Keel as our international keynote speaker and Distinguished Prof. Felice Jaka OAM as our national keynote. Throughout the day we will have short presentations from experts in various eating disorders and body image. We are also accepting submissions for posters.

Body Image & Related Disorders Conference 2025 (Hybrid) The 5th biennial Body Image & Related Disorders (BIRD) conference, featuring experts, in-person at Orygen, Melbourne, and livestreamed.

We are excited to announce the 2025 Body Image & Related Disorders (BIRD) Conference. This hybrid conference will be hosted at @orygen.org.au in Melbourne, Australia and also livestreamed online.

Program, tickets, and more information here: birdconference2025.eventbrite.com.au

Lived experience-informed eating disorders research: an illustrative example The mental health field, and more recently, the eating disorders field specifically, has witnessed a paradigm shift towards collaborative research which is conducted in partnership with individuals...

If you don't have access to the paper through an institution subscription, you can get a free copy of the paper using the following link (50 copies available):
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/VUZF5...

Lived experience-informed eating disorders research: an illustrative example The mental health field, and more recently, the eating disorders field specifically, has witnessed a paradigm shift towards collaborative research which is conducted in partnership with individuals...

We are very excited to share our 📢NEW PUBLICATION📢 on lived experience involvement in eating disorders research. We highlight the benefits of collaborating with people with lived experience and provide an example in our work to illustrate how collaboration can be achieved

doi.org/10.1080/1064...

A flyer advertising the BIRD conference and telling people to save the date. 7th November (AEDT) 2025, hybrid in Melbourne

We are excited to announce the 2025 Body Image & Related Disorders (BIRD) Conference. Please save the date for Friday the 7th of November.

The conference will take place in Melbourne, Australia in a hybrid format. More information coming soon
#EatingDisorders #BIRD2025

a man in a suit and bow tie says if we think together in front of a netflix logo Alt: Bill Nye wearing a suit and bow tie says: if we think together and work together, good things are going to happen

📣Call for collaborators! 📣
We are looking for researchers worldwide who are interested in collaborating with us on a study to better understand the causes and maintaining factors of #Anorexia
See our paper here and reach out for more info: doi.org/10.1016/j.ps...

Our lab is currently conducting a trial to investigate CBT-AR as a treatment for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (#ARFID). Read more about the study below ⬇️
#EatingDisorders

Thank you so much! Someone for the research team will be in touch.

Great work compiling this list. We’d love to be added too

I created a starter pack for Eating Disorders Research.

No clue what I am doing, but maybe this will help us find each other in the great migration.
#eatingdisorders

go.bsky.app/SQwbxH5

Our team are so proud to be working at the forefront of this vital research. To find out more about our innovative research, or to donate to our work, please contact us at eatingdisorders@orygen.org.au. 6/6

3- Developing more effective interventions and treatments, and improving clinical services and support programs for people with eating disorders (and their supports) across the continuum of care. 5/6

1- Understanding the factors and mechanisms involved in the development and maintenance of eating disorders to inform prevention and treatment

2- Developing tools (e.g. biomarkers) that can be used for more accurate diagnosis, early intervention and prevention of eating disorders 4/6

We take a holistic approach to better understanding and treating eating disorders, with our research spanning across biological and psychosocial methods.
Our research aims to improve outcomes for people affected by eating disorders by focusing on three interrelated areas: 3/6

Our research is predominantly focused on anorexia nervosa and other restrictive eating disorders that have exceptionally poor outcomes.
And we work together with people with lived, loved, laboured & learned experience to produce high quality research that has real-world impact. 2/6