BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL APPROACHES TO OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE, BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS
Dr Nicola Acevedo, Neuroscientist and Research Fellow
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
& Consultant, Neurotech Insights, Melbourne, Australia &
Director, BioAutism, Melbourne, Australia & Vice-President
Australasian Brain Stimulation Society
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Melbourne, Australia | December 2025
Dr Nicola Acevedo is a Neuroscientist and Research Fellow with extensive expertise in developing novel therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders, contributing to more than ten clinical trials. She specialises in brain stimulation and psychedelic treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions, with a strong commitment to advancing personalised, evidence-based neurobiological therapies for severe psychiatric illness. Her approach integrates biopsychosocial and person-centred principles to improve treatment access and mental health outcomes.
Nicola completed her PhD on deep brain stimulation for treatment-refractory OCD- described as a “tour de force”- producing eight first-author peer-reviewed publications and multiple international collaborations and papers. She now leads research in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, and anorexia nervosa. Her work has been presented at leading international forums including Oxford and Harvard University, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Congress.
Alongside her research, Nicola holds leadership positions across brain stimulation, OCD, and ethics committees, serves on a peer review board, and is Director of the charity BioAutism Ltd. She also provides mentorship and supervision, with a commitment to supporting junior researchers. Her contributions have been recognised with the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Excellence Award from Biological Psychiatry Australia. As an ECR, Nicola is driven by the potential to innovate and make an impact in national mental health services.
Source: Supplied
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3059-3620
-
Funding the best brains to beat brain cancer
The Charlie Teo Foundation is dedicated to funding and advancing research into brain cancer, with a particular focus on developing more effective treatments and finding a cure for this devastating disease.
Since its inception, the foundation has committed nearly $15 million to brain cancer research, funding notable projects in Australia and the United States. These projects explore innovative approaches to understand and treat brain cancer more effectively, with a focus on translating findings from animal studies to human applications. Charlie’s dedication to finding solutions for this devastating disease remains unwavering as he travels frequently to collaborate with global researchers. -
Liver cancer biomarkers, risk prediction & progression
Dr. Rodrigo Carlessi is an expert in Cancer Genomics and Molecular Biology, with an extensive track record in liver cancer research. He leads the Cancer Genomics Group within the Liver Disease and Regeneration Laboratory at the Curtin Medical Research Institute. He has an impressive publication record, with 43 manuscripts that have collectively garnered over 2,680 citations. His research leverages cutting-edge genomics and transcriptomics technologies, as well as long-read DNA sequencing, to explore mechanisms, identify biomarkers, and develop therapeutic targets in liver disease and cancer.
-
Visceral pain and the gut-brain axis
Professor Stuart Brierley is Director of the Visceral Pain Research Group, Director of the Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, and Theme co-Leader of Lifelong Health at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).
Prof Brierley is an international expert on the ‘gut-brain axis’ and chronic visceral pain mechanisms. Current investigations are on a individual cell type called the enterochromaffin cell, and it helps signal pain and anxiety from the gastrointestinal tract to the brain.
