Research leaders

PhD, D.Clin.Psy, MAResearchMeth

Professor Mario Alvarez-Jimenez is Chief of Orygen Digital, a world-leading centre dedicated to digitalising and personalising youth mental health care at scale. He leads a team of more than 130 researchers and professionals spanning over 30 disciplines.  

Mario has pioneered the integration of digital technology, AI and human support to enhance the accessibility, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of youth mental health services. Under his leadership, Orygen Digital has developed multiple world-first digital platforms, including the flagship multi-award winning, evidence-based MOST (Moderated Online Social Therapy) platform. MOST is now used in over 494 Australian youth mental health clinics, supporting more than 10,000 young people every year, establishing the world’s largest network of digitally enhanced youth mental health services.  Since July 2025, MOST has also been freely available nationwide to all young Australians. Internationally, MOST is expanding into Europe with support from an EU Horizons grant. 

With upwards of 230 scientific articles, substantial research and government funding and 11 national and international awards, Mario is recognised as a global leader in transforming youth mental health care through digital technology. He has been invited to present at over 46 national and international conferences, including more than 30 keynotes at the top international conferences in the field. In late 2022, Mario was honoured with the Tom Trauer Evaluation and Research Award by the Mental Health Service Awards of Australia and New Zealand for his groundbreaking contributions to youth mental health care.    

Key accolades include:  

• Not-for-Profit and Community Solution (2025) award for MOST, presented by the Victorian iAwards as a safe and scalable solution to complement face-to-face care.
• National accreditation of MOST  as a safe and high-quality digital mental health service under the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health (NSQDMH) Standards. 
• Not-For-Profit Technology Innovator of the Year (2022) for Orygen Digital, awarded by the Australian Not-For-Profit Technology Awards, recognising innovation and excellence across the Australian not-for-profit sector. 
• Therapeutic and Clinical Services Award (2021) for Orygen Digital, awarded by The Mental Health Service Awards of Australia and New Zealand (TheMHS). 
• Dame Kate Campbell Fellow (2020) at The University of Melbourne, for his outstanding research performance. 
• Multiple National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) awards, including the NHMRC Investigator Grant (EL2) (2020), the NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (2016) and the highly competitive NHMRC Excellence Award (2015), where he was ranked as the top applicant in Australia for the Career Development Fellowship Scheme.  
• Society for Mental Health Research (SMHR) Rising Star Award (2014), recognising his global impact on youth mental health care. 
• CR Roper Fellowship (2013), awarded by the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at The University of Melbourne; NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (2016); and NHMRC Investigator Grant (EL2) (2020). 
• Young Investigator Award for Excellence in Research (2013), presented at the Australasian Schizophrenia Conference, and the International Early Psychosis Association Young Investigator Award (2012). 

Read more about Mario’s work via his Find an Expert profile at The University of Melbourne

Learn more about Orygen Digital’s work or explore digital mental health service MOST and our virtual reality program.