RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL WELLBEING
Dr Matthew Iasiello, Head of Data and Research Translation, Be Well Co,
SAHMRI (South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute) &
Post Doctoral Researcher, University of Adelaide
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Adelaide, South Australian | December 2024
Since 2015, Dr Matthew Iasiello has been working on the development and dissemination of mental wellbeing interventions across the Australian community at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). His PhD research was designed specifically to strengthen the translational work conducted by SAHMRI, and to solve problems that represented gaps in the literature that were arising when delivering mental wellbeing interventions into the community. The impact and relevance of Dr Iasiello’s work has been demonstrated with invited presentations at international academic conferences, and multiple media stories with significant online engagements.
Dr Iasiello’s research investigates the dual-continua model, an innovative model of mental health. The dual-continua model of mental health suggests that mental illness and mental wellbeing reflect distinct continua, rather than the extreme ends of a single spectrum. This novel conceptualisation of the relationship between mental illness and mental wellbeing has significant implications in the way we promote mental health, and prevent, treat, and recover from mental illness. However, little is known about the evidence validating the model, and whether this evidence supports the implications that have been proposed in the literature.
Dr Iasiello’s PhD project synthesises the relevant evidence supporting the model, provides further evidence of the role of mental wellbeing in the recovery of mental illness, and addresses important limitations in the current assessment of mental wellbeing in the context of psychological distress and mental illness.
He is engaged in the development of mental wellbeing services and products that emerge directly from the new knowledge generated from his PhD, translated into the community via SAHMRI. This has resulted in the development and evaluation of the Be Well Plan (https://www.bewellco.io/bwt), and evidence-based wellbeing intervention (over 5,000 participants since 2020), and the Be Well Tracker https://www.bewellco.io/be-well-plan, a free online assessment platform that Australians can use to assess and monitor their mental health (20,000 users since 2019).
-
Newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism
Assoc Prof Jack is passionate about the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents, with diverse research areas including the impacts of family friendly workplace initiatives, screening and management of thyroid disorders in infants and children. She supports her First Nations colleagues on Indigenous-led research projects funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, aiming to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations Children. Through her clinical and academic roles, Assoc Prof Jack hopes to make a positive difference to the health and well-being of children and their families.
-
Development of novel analytical and diagnostic tools using nanotechnology and microfluidics
Dr Alain Wuethrich is an NHMRC Emerging Leader fellow and ARC DECRA awardee at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.
Hailing from Switzerland, research focuses on the development of novel analytical and diagnostic tools that harness nanotechnology and microfluidics; two rapidly growing fields with high potential to provide diagnostic solutions needed for precision medicine.
-
Patient reported outcomes in the diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma
Dr. Elizabeth Goodall (BMedSci Hons, MBBS Hons, FRACP, FRCPA) is a PhD student and early career researcher with La Trobe University and the Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI), and Haematologist at Austin Health and Monash Health, Melbourne.
Her specific interest in how patients experience their illness and treatment forms the basis for her research in improving patient outcomes. This research comes at a pivotal time in modern lymphoma management with an ever-increasing number of treatment options available and renewed focus on each patient’s journey.
