About | Deakin Food and Mood Centre

The Deakin Food and Mood Centre was founded by Felice Jacka in 2017.

Beginning with just three researchers, the Centre has grown rapidly, and we now have over fifty staff and students. Most of our researchers are supported by highly competitive fellowships, such as NHMRC Investigator Fellowships.

Our mission is to generate and implement high-quality evidence in Nutritional Psychiatry, helping to create a world where nutrition is recognised as fundamental to mental and brain health.

Our achievements

Our Centre is internationally regarded as a centre of research excellence in Nutritional Psychiatry. Our work has been cited in more than 100 high-level policy documents worldwide and has supported the inclusion of diet for the first time as a foundational treatment target in clinical guidelines. We have developed award-winning, accredited and endorsed training in Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry for health professionals, as well as a hugely popular free online course for the public.

Our team includes world-leading experts dedicated to advancing the field and training the next generation of scientists. Our research spans clinical and pragmatic trials, epidemiological studies, and mechanistic research. We engage with policymakers, peak clinical bodies, public health agencies, and the wider public – all with the aim of closing the gap between research and implementation.

Food & Mood Academy

The Food & Mood Academy was established in 2018 to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact, to ensure that evidence informs clinical practice and community health. While it is uncommon for research centres to include translational components, we believe it is essential to make research findings accessible and actionable as soon as possible.

As there are no formal funding mechanisms to support this work, the Food & Mood Academy has been sustained by philanthropy from its inception. In 2019, we launched our first initiative, a free online course in food and mood, which has become one the most popular free courses on Future Learn.

Visit the Food & Mood Academy

Our team

We are a multidisciplinary team of world-class researchers, offering expertise across the entire health spectrum, from microbiology to public health. Our research program is dedicated to advancing the field of Nutritional Psychiatry. By identifying risk factors and developing dietary and nutritional strategies, we aim to address mental and brain health challenges.

View our staff and student profiles

Professor Felice Jacka

Deakin’s Distinguished Professor of Nutritional Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Felice Jacka OAM, is the Founder and Director of the Deakin Food and Mood Centre. Felice is internationally recognised for pioneering the field of research and practice known as Nutritional Psychiatry. Her groundbreaking studies identifying links between diet and mental health and treating clinical depression through diet have inspired a profound shift in psychiatric research and practice globally.

In 2021, she was awarded the prestigious Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of her contributions. Her work has been cited in over 100 policy documents by organisations such as the WHO, UN, and UNICEF, driving global policy change.

Felice has secured $35 million in research funding and has been instrumental in raising public awareness of Nutritional Psychiatry through her online courses and books.

“Brain Changer” written by Professor Felice Jacka explores the link between diet and mental health, based on her extensive research since 2005. The book emphasises the profound impact of nutrition on mental and brain health. It provides practical advice on preventing mental health issues and offers strategies for treatment to improve mental and brain health at every life stage.

View Professor Felice Jacka's profile