Professor Mario Alvarez-Jimenez
PhD, D.Clin.Psy, MAResearchMeth
Professor Mario Alvarez-Jimenez is recognised as a global leader in harnessing digital technology to transform youth mental health care.
As Chief of Orygen Digital, he leads a world-leading, multidisciplinary team of more than 130 researchers and professionals spanning over 30 disciplines, dedicated to digitalising and personalising care at scale.
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, as well as Mello and MIND. MOST is now used in over 500 Australian youth mental health clinics, supporting more than 10,000 young people every year (20,000 to date), establishing the world’s largest network of digitally enhanced youth mental health services.
Since 2025, MOST has been directly available to all young Australians, with international expansion underway across Europe with EU Horizons funding.
Supported by highly competitive global funding from the Wellcome Trust in 2025 and 2026, the world’s largest independent funder of mental health science, Mario is leading the development of two next-generation digital innovations: NEXUS, a hyper-personalised and adaptive platform, and SensAI, an AI-enabled system designed to enhance personalisation, agency, and continuity of care, in partnership with Google, Gooey.AI and UNICEF.
His work has produced more than 250 peer reviewed publications, secured over $75 million in competitive research funding and $83 million in government investment (including more than $47 million as lead/co-lead), and received 12 national and international awards.
His leadership has been recognised through multiple prestigious awards, including the NHMRC Research Excellence Award (Top-ranked CDF-Clinical), the Society for Mental Health Research Rising Star Award (2014), two Young Investigator and rising star Awards (2012, 2013), the Tom Trauer Evaluation and Research Award by the Mental Health Service Awards of Australia and New Zealand (2022), and a Digital Health Technology Award by Research Australia (2023).
Orygen Digital’s impact has also been acknowledged through major innovation awards, including the 2021 National Mental Health Services Award by the Mental Health Service Awards of Australia and New Zealand, the 2022 Australian Not-For-Profit Technology Innovator of the Year by the Australian Not-For-Profit Technology Awards, two 2023 National Design awards, the 2024 Contribution to Society Award by ACOMM and both the 2025 Victorian and National iAwards.
His work has substantial global reach and influence, informing over 140 mental health policies and clinical guidelines across more than 21 countries, including contributions to initiatives led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED).
He is a sought-after international speaker, delivering over 50 invited presentations, including more than 30 keynote addresses at the world leading conferences in early intervention, youth mental health, digital mental health, psychiatry and schizophrenia, and holds senior leadership and advisory roles across global scientific committees and multi-country research consortia.
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.