Academy Fellow

Professor Mario Alvarez-Jimenez is an internationally recognised leader in digital youth mental health whose research has transformed how psychological care is developed, delivered and integrated into youth health systems nationally and internationally. 

He is a Professor at the University of Melbourne and Founder and Chief of Orygen Digital at Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. His approach integrates psychological and behavioural sciences, lived experience, digital innovation and implementation science to develop, evaluate and implement evidence-based interventions that transform the mental health system at scale. 

Professor Alvarez-Jimenez developed a new model of integrated digital mental healthcare designed to overcome shortcomings of traditional mental health services, including limited access, fragmented care and time-limited support. This vision led to the development of Moderated Online Social Therapy (MOST), a world-first model integrating personalised, evidence-based psychological interventions, clinician, vocational and peer support, and safe, moderated online communities into routine youth mental health services. 

Under his leadership, MOST has been implemented across more than 500 youth mental health services, supporting over 10,000 young Australians annually and establishing the world's largest network of digitally enhanced youth mental health services. His clinical trials and large-scale real-world evaluations demonstrated that MOST halves hospital and emergency service use, substantially improves participation in employment and education, reduces healthcare costs and demonstrates clinical improvements, sustained engagement and high satisfaction in real-world clinical settings. 

Professor Alvarez-Jimenez has played a significant role in shaping Australian mental health policy and transforming public mental health services at scale. He has translated evidence and innovation into $90 million in real-world digital health infrastructure to digitally enhance youth mental health services at scale. His research and expert testimony have informed major policy initiatives, including Victoria's Royal Commission into Mental Health. His research has informed over 140 mental health policies and clinical guidelines across 21 countries, including WHO and OECD initiatives. 

His research is now transforming youth mental health care internationally and advancing the next generation of safe, evidence-based, AI-enabled psychotherapy. Supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme, MOST is being adapted and evaluated across European youth mental health systems. Through two major Wellcome Trust grants, he is leading the development of NEXUS and SensAI, two new models of personalised AI-enabled mental health care integrated with clinical services. 

As founder of Orygen Digital, he has built an interdisciplinary centre of over 140 professionals, establishing partnerships with more than 30 academic institutions, governments, hundreds of clinical services, global philanthropic organisations including UNICEF and technology leaders such as Google, Amazon, Telstra and Salesforce. He has produced over 250 scientific publications, conducted more than 50 clinical trials and secured $114 million in competitive research funding. His leadership has been recognised through the NHMRC Research Excellence Award, Tom Trauer Research Award and the University of Melbourne's 2026 Marles Medal for exceptional real-world impact on medical and health sciences. Under his leadership, Orygen Digital's innovations have received multiple national awards, including the National Mental Health Services Award, Australian Not-for-Profit Technology Innovator of the Year, ACOMM Contribution to Society Award and National iAward.  

2025-present Board-Approved Supervisor, Psychology Board; AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) 

2020-present Full Professor. Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Centre for Youth Mental Health (CYMH), Faculty of Medicine, Sciences and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne  

2020-present Member of Executive Leadership team, Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health.  

2019-present Dame Kate Campbell Fellow. Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne (renewed in 2025 until 2030). 

2020-present Chief of Orygen Digital, Orygen, CYMH, Faculty of Medicine, Sciences and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne 

Individual awards 

2026 Marles Medal in Health and Medical Sciences by the University of Melbourne, which recognises excellence in exceptional impact in Health and Medical Sciences. 

2023 Digital Health Technology Award by Research Australia, the peak Australian Health and Medical Research organisation.  

2022 Tom Trauer Evaluation and Research Award, which recognises an Australian or New Zealand researcher for excellence in their work in research and evaluation of mental health services and programs.  

2020 Dame Kate Campbell Fellowship by the University of Melbourne. This fellowship recognises the top 5% of academics at the University for outstanding research performance and world-class contributions to the Faculty through exceptional research and wider involvement, both at the local community and the world stage. Renewed in 2025.  

2020 Investigator Grant (EL2) by NHMRC 

2015 Research Excellence Award by NHMRC. This highly prestigious award is granted to the Top Ranked applicant Australia-Wide in the Career Development Fellowship Scheme-Clinical including all medical specialities.  

2014 SMHR Rising Star Award which recognises early to mid-career mental health researchers whose work is making significant impact on the national and international scene, reflecting scientific excellence and public health impact.  

2014 Career Development Fellowship funded by NHMRC ($411,768). The success rate for this national competitive fellowship is <15%.  

2013 Young Investigator Award for Excellence in Research by the Australasian Schizophrenia Conference (ASC) which recognises emerging talent and innovative research in schizophrenia treatment.  

2012 CR Roper Fellowship, a highly competitive 3-year fellowship in the field of bio-medical and health research awarded by the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne.  

2012 International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) Young Investigator Award granted every 2 years to an emerging leader in the rapidly expanding field of early psychosis. 

PhD (2009) received Summa Cum Laude (highest possible academic qualification). 

Team awards as leader

In 2025, Orygen Digital won the Not-for-Profit/Community Solution award by AIIA (Australian Information Industry Association) recognising national excellence in digital innovation and community impact.  

In 2025, Orygen Digital won the Not-for-Profit & Community award by Victorian iAwards. This award recognises excellence in digital mental health innovation and impact on young people’s mental health and wellbeing.  

In 2024, Mello attained the Contribution to Society award by ACOMM. This award recognises excellence and innovation in Australian’s telecommunication system.  

In 2023, MOST won the Good Design Award in the Communication category for Branding and Identity. The branding and identity were recognised for their effectiveness in communication, creativity, and innovation, making MOST a standout example in the field of design. 

In 2023, MOST and Orygen Digital attained an Australian Design Award on the category of Graphic Design - Identity & Branding. This award recognises creative and innovative design, including how the brand values, ideas and messages are matched to the audience.  

1. Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Koval, P., Schmaal, L., Bendall, S., O'Sullivan, S., Cagliarini, D., D'Alfonso, S., Rice, S., Valentine, L., Penn, D. L., Miles, C., Russon, P., Phillips, J., McEnery, C., Lederman, R., Killackey, E., Mihalopoulos, C., Gonzalez-Blanch, C., Gilbertson, T., Gleeson, J. F. M. (2021). The Horyzons project: a randomized controlled trial of a novel online social therapy to maintain treatment effects from specialist first-episode psychosis services. World Psychiatry, 20(2), 233–243. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20858  

2. Alvarez‐Jimenez, M., Nicholas, J., Valentine, L., Liu, P., Mangelsdorf, S., Baker, S., Gilbertson, T., O'Loughlin, G., McEnery, C., & McGorry, P. (2025). A national evaluation of a multi‐modal, blended, digital intervention integrated within Australian youth mental health services. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 151(3), 317–331. 

3. Cross, S., Bell, I., Nicholas, J., Valentine, L., Mangelsdorf, S., Baker, S., Titov, N., & Alvarez-Jimenez, M. (2024). Use of AI in mental health care: community and mental health professionals survey. JMIR mental health, 11(1), e60589.  

4. McGorry, P. D., Mei, C., Dalal, N., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Blakemore, S.-J., Browne, V., Dooley, B., Hickie, I. B., Jones, P. B., & McDaid, D. (2024). The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 11(9), 731–774.  

5. Valentine, L., Hinton, J. D., Bajaj, K., Boyd, L., O’Sullivan, S., Sorenson, R. P., Bell, I. H., Vega, M. S., Liu, P., & Peters, W. (2025). A meta-analysis of persuasive design, engagement, and efficacy in 92 RCTs of mental health apps. Nature Portfolio Journal Digital Medicine, 8(1), 229.