2024 NSW Scientist of the Year

30 October 2024

Scientia Professor Helen Christensen AO FASSA FAAMHS

UNSW Sydney, Honorary Professorial Fellow, Black Dog Institute

Scientia Professor Helen Christensen is a renowned international expert in digital mental health research, recognised for her transformative contributions to mental health research and policy. Specialising in digital interventions and suicide prevention, her work has significantly influenced mental health care practices both in Australia and globally.

Helen's research is dedicated to using technology to prevent mental health issues and broaden public access to care. In 2000, she developed the digital intervention program, MoodGYM, to reduce depression in young people, which pioneered the provision of online self-help courses to address common mental disorders, and which have been used by millions of people across more than 160 countries.

Since then, 14 more software apps, platforms and websites have been developed. These apps and software packages have been evaluated in over 50 randomised controlled trials across the world, with, in some cases, samples of more than 6,000 individuals. These trials demonstrated that online treatment and prevention of depression and anxiety is effective, and that positive improvements can be achieved through self-help rather than through the services of a therapist.

The global use of digital interventions has changed the nature of psychiatry and methods to prevent mental ill health.  Helen is currently heading a program of research aimed at using digital signals from smartphones and wearables to predict the onset of ill health, incorporating AI models to improve precision.

Her research has led to systematic approaches to suicide prevention, particularly in NSW. Using the available scientific evidence, she developed a model of suicide, incorporating community, media and medical components that led to a reduction in suicide admissions. This model of suicide prevention has been incorporated into national and state suicide plans, through policy change.

Her extensive leadership at the Black Dog Institute (BDI), where she served as the Executive Director and Chief Scientist from 2011 to 2021, exemplifies her commitment to taking research from the lab and developing practical applications to enhance mental health in schools, online communities, helplines and workplaces.

Under her guidance, BDI, a medical research institute focused on enhancing mental health through innovative research, clinical services and educational programs, has made major contributions to the prevention and treatment of mental health care, and acts as a model of how research can inform practice.  Helen served as a Black Dog Board Director, 2021-2024, steering the institute’s ongoing strategies and initiatives. She is currently a Director of the Ramsay Health Care Foundation, and previously a Non-Executive Director at the ‘R U OK?’ charity, the Director of the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University, a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) and an Advisory Member, Digital Mental Health Advisory Group, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

Helen’s long career has led to new evidence-based care that transcends geographical barriers. Her initiatives bridge the gap between clinical expertise and widespread, accessible care. The integration of digital technology within the mental health field has significantly enhanced individuals’ quality of life and advanced healthcare research worldwide.

Helen has authored over 600 journal publications and book chapters, a dozen books and 15 open access websites and apps, accumulating over 92,000 citations and an h-index of 156.

Helen has received significant recognition and awards during her career, including: