Investigator profiles

Professor Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., FAED

Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders; Founding Director, 
Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders, University of North Carolina; Founder & Director, Centre for Eating Disorders Innovation at Karolinska Institute; & Principal Investigator, Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) 2, 

NORTH CAROLINA, USA & SWEDEN

Professor Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., FAED, is Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders, the Founding Director of the Centre of Excellence for Eating Disorders at the University of North Carolina (UNC), USA, and the Founder and Director of the Centre for Eating Disorders Innovation at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. She is also Principal Investigator of the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI2) – the largest and most rigorous genetic investigation of eating disorders ever performed. 

Prof Bulik is a Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine, UNC; Professor of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC; and Professor in the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Karolinska Institute. She is an Honorary Professor in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand. 

A clinical psychologist by training, Dr Bulik has been conducting research and treating individuals living with eating disorders since 1982,  holding the first endowed Professorship in eating disorders in the USA.

She received her BA from the University of Notre Dame and her MA and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed internships and post-doctoral Fellowships at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, and developed treatment services for eating disorders in New Zealand and the USA. 
She was a member of the Department of Psychology at the University of Canterbury between 1991 – 1996, where she was involved in rejuvenating the Princess Margaret Hospital Eating Disorders Program. 

Prof Bulik’s research includes treatment, laboratory, epidemiological, twin and molecular genetic studies of eating disorders and body weight regulation. She has active research collaborations in more than 20 countries worldwide. 

She has published more than 750 papers and 60 chapters on eating disorders. She is the author of seven books, including: Crave: Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop, The Woman in the Mirror, Midlife Eating Disorders: Your Journey to Recovery, and Binge Control: A Compact Recovery Guide. 

Prof Bulik is the recipient of numerous awards and honours for her research, mentorship and advocacy work, including the Eating Disorders Coalition Research Award, the Hulka Innovators Award, the Academy for Eating Disorders Leadership Award for Research, the Price Family National Eating Disorders Association Research Award, the Carolina Women’s Center Women’s Advocacy Award, and the Women’s Leadership Council Faculty-to-Faculty Mentorship Award, IAEDP Honorary Certified Eating Disorders Specialist Award, the František Faltus Award from the Czech Psychiatric Society, the AED Meehan/Hartley Award for Advocacy. She is the reci[pient of three Lifetime Achievement Awards, from the Don and Meilssa Nielsen National Eating Disorders Association, the international Academy for Eating Disorders, and Ming Tsuang Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society on Psychiatric Genetics.

She has held many leadership positions in her field, including President of the Academy for Eating Disorders, Vice-President of the Eating Disorders Coalition, Associate Editor of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, Founding Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Binge Eating Disorder Association, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of F.E.A.S.T. and the Global Foundation for Eating Disorders, and member of the clinical advisory committee of Project Heal.

Prof Bulik’s work life is enriched by being happily married, the mother of three adult children, a double gold medalist in ice dancing and free dance, and an avid ballroom dancer. Read more at www.cynthiabulik.com. 

“EDGI2 is a global effort that brings us closer to our dream of including individuals with all eating disorders in our research,” said Prof Bulik. 

“EDGI2 invites people with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) to help us learn more about both genetic and environmental causes of these life-impairing illnesses. 

“Our ultimate goal is not only to enhance understanding, but to bring us one step closer to a cure,” Prof Bulik said.

Professor Nick Martin PhD, FAA, FAHMS, FASSA, FAAAS

Lead Investigator, Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) 2 & 
Head, Genetic Epidemiology, QIMR Berghofer, BRISBANE

Professor Nick Martin is Head of the Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, and Lead Investigator of the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) 2 – the world’s largest genetic investigation of eating disorders ever performed, that aims to identify the hundreds of genes that influence a person’s risk of developing the complex, devastating illnesses of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), to improve treatment, and ultimately, save lives.  

EDGI2 follows the ground-breaking advances made in the initial EDGI investigation and collaborative Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI), in which researchers, including Prof Martin and his EDGI team, identified the first eight genes for anorexia nervosa that implicate both psychiatric and metabolic causes for the condition. 

“This was a total surprise and a finding that urgently needs replication and expansion to fully understand the pathways that lead to this debilitating condition – hence the need for a much larger sample size, which is the aim of EDGI2,” said Prof Martin. 

A scientist, and Honorary Professor in Psychology in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, 
Prof Martin is a leader in behaviour genetics research using longitudinal twin studie , and a pioneer in the field of multivariate genetic modelling and the analysis of gene-environment interactions. 

Prof Martin’s more recent research focus has shifted into the field of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to discover the particular genes which predispose people to developing eating disorders, depression, anxiety, alcoholism, melanoma and other common disorders.

Prof Martin is a Fellow of the Australian Academies of Science, Health and Medical Science, and Social Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He previously served as President of the Behaviour Genetics Association. 

He is editor of Twin Research and Human Genetics, an Advisor to the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, and also sits on the editorial board of the American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics). 

Prof Martin has published more than 1,500 papers and won international accolades. He is recognised as a world leader in genetics of psychiatric disorders and traits and was ranked first in genetics in Australia and
ninth in the world in a list of the world’s most highly cited researchers. 

As Lead Investigator for EDGI2, Prof Martin is aiming to make Australia punch above its weight in the international quest to find the genes behind eating disorders which will flag the way to new cures.

“The best way to fix a problem”, says Prof Martin, “is to discover its fundamental cause. But for this we need DNA samples from many thousands of people with lived experience of an eating disorder. 

“I am sure that with the volunteer spirit we have in Australia, we can achieve this.”

Professor Sarah Maguire OAM BSc Psych Hons MA DCP PhD

Clinical Psychologist, EDGI2 Co-Investigator & 
Director, InsideOut Institute, SYDNEY

Professor Sarah Maguire OAM is a Sydney- based clinical psychologist, researcher, educator and policy maker with more than 25 years’ experience in the field of eating disorders. She serves as Director of the InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders - Australia’s first institute for research and clinical excellence in eating disorders. The Institute aims to provide every Australian living with an eating disorder, access to the best possible care, by re-thinking eating disorders from the “inside out”.

Prof Maguire is also Co-Investigator for the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI2) – the world’s largest genetic investigation of eating disorders ever performed, that aims to identify the hundreds of genes that influence a person’s risk of developing the complex, devastating illnesses of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), to improve treatment, and ultimately, save lives. 

EDGI2 follows the ground-breaking advances made in the initial EDGI investigation and collaborative Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI), in which researchers, including the EDGI team, identified the first eight genes for anorexia nervosa that implicate both psychiatric and metabolic causes for the condition. This was a total surprise and a finding that urgently needs replication and expansion to fully understand the pathways that lead to this debilitating condition - hence the need for a much larger sample size, which is the aim of EDGI2.

At InsideOut, Prof Maguire leads a research team with a broad research agenda, including biological, health systems, health economics, prevention, public health promotion, clinical intervention and translational research. InsideOut staff have published more than 580 publications, attracted more than AUD 46 million in research funding, and have conducted world-first research trials in eating disorders.

Prof Maguire and her InsideOut team are passionate about changing the way eating disorders are perceived and treated within the health system and the community, by driving clinical excellence, providing policy leadership, research translation, and research that changes practic and outcomes. 

Prof Maguire acts as a senior adviser to the New South Wales (NSW) Ministry of Health, and at InsideOut, leads the implementation of NSW Health Policy in relation to eating disorders State-wide, including large-scale health system reform under the NSW Service Plan for Eating Disorders. 

She also sits on various national committees for health service reform. She was a member of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce Advisory Group, and the Implementation Liaison Group for Medicare changes relating to eating disorders.  

Prof Maguire has worked in hospital and community settings, and supervised clinical teams and trainees. She is a specialist clinical trainer and board approved supervisor.

In 2022, Prof Maguire was the recipient of an Order of Australia Medal – Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to clinical psychology and community health.

In relation to her role with EDGI2, Prof Maguire explained “It is extremely important to have a better understanding of the genetics of eating disorders and identify potential genes that could distinguish individuals who are predisposed to developing an eating disorder.

“Identifying the genes that predispose people to eating disorders will revolutionise future research into causes, treatment and prevention of the illnesses,” said Prof Maguire.