Felice Jacka recognised globally for decades of food and mood research

Professor Jacka’s research explores the complex relationship between diet, nutrition, and mental and brain health, highlighting the direct link with mental disorders across the life-course, and establishing the emerging and impactful field of nutritional psychiatry.

Her work has found that what people eat is not just a risk factor for heart disease or diabetes, but a powerful and modifiable determinant of depression, anxiety and brain health. She has influenced clinical psychiatry guidelines in Australia and elsewhere and is cited in more than 130 high level policy documents worldwide.

Professor Jacka believes the dominance of the industrial food and agricultural industries has created a food system that promotes physical and mental ill health, premature death and biodiversity loss, and she supports radical changes to the global food system.

‘My current focus is on the way planetary and human health are tightly interconnected via microbial diversity,’ Professor Jacka said.

‘Industrial food production and consumption destroys biodiversity above and below the ground and we as humans are losing our microbial diversity. This, in turn, is linked to autoimmune, allergic, mental and neurodevelopmental disorders as well as broader chronic health conditions.’

Distinguished Professor Michael Berk, Director of the Deakin Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation said Professor Jacka’s work is having a transformative impact on mental health care.

‘Felice’s work is leading to lifestyle, in general, and diet, in particular, becoming a foundational element of care for people with mental health problems,’ Professor Berk said.

The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards reflect the excellence of women in science worldwide. The 2026 Laureates were selected from a record 504 nominations from 89 countries and join more than 5,000 women recognized by the programme over 28 years.

• LAUREATE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
  
  Professor Felice Jacka – Psychiatry
  
  Deakin Distinguished Professor, OAM, and Director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University, Australia 
  
  Rewarded for establishing the field of nutritional psychiatry. Professor Jacka’s research unravels the complex relationship between diet and mental and brain health and recognises diet and nutrition as risk factors for mental disorders. Her leadership in training, providing evidence-based resources to professionals and the public, has transformed how mental health is understood and care practiced globally.

• LAUREATE FOR AFRICA AND THE ARAB STATES
  
  Professor Liesl Zühlke – Cardiac and Cardiovascular systems
  
  Professor at the University of Cape Town & Vice President of the South African Medical Research Council, South Africa
  
  Rewarded for improving care for children with heart conditions especially rheumatic heart disease (RHD) that disproportionately affects children living in poverty. Dr Zuhlke’s research repositioned RHD as a socio-political issue tied to health system deficiencies and inequities. Her dedication to scientific excellence, leadership in global health, and capacity building activities have improved the lives of vulnerable children with cardiovascular disease. 

• LAUREATE FOR EUROPE
  
  Professor Sarah A. Teichmann – Cell Biology
  
  FMedSci FRS, Chair in Stem Cell Medicine at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
  
  Rewarded for her outstanding interdisciplinary research using genome science and computational biology to understand the human body at single cell resolution. Professor Teichmann’s pioneering work in single-cell technologies provides fundamental resources for biomedical research, drug discovery, and public health. She is an inspiring role model, an advocate for inclusion in science, and a leading educator.

• LAUREATE FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
  
  Professor Raquel Lia Chan – Agricultural biotechnology
  
  Superior Researcher at CONICET; Professor at the National University of Litoral (UNL); Director of the Litoral Agrobiotechnology Institute (CONICET-UNL), Argentina
  
  Rewarded for transforming fundamental plant biology into agricultural innovation through her discovery of genes and biological mechanisms that enhance plant tolerance to changing environments. Professor Chan translated this knowledge into drought-tolerant wheat, maize, rice, and soybean varieties, contributing to global food security. She is a visionary leader and devoted mentor who has trained a future generation of plant scientists.

• LAUREATE FOR NORTH AMERICA
  
  Professor Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic – Bioengineering
  
  University Professor, Mikati Foundation, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University, USA
  
  Rewarded for her pioneering work in human tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Professor Vunjak-Novakovic’s exceptional contributions in developing “organs-on-a-chip” and biological substitutes to repair, maintain or improve tissue function have been instrumental in recapitulating organ physiology. Her outstanding track record as an innovator, educator, and role model for women in science and engineering is inspirational.