Meet our researchers - Michaela Flynn PhD

Michaela Flynn PhD is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders . Her current research aims to gain a more holistic understanding of eating disorders by looking at how biological, psychological and sociocultural factors may contribute to the onset or maintenance of the illness. ?Michaela is also exploring new treatment options, with a particular focus on how we can tailor treatment to the person and their unique experience. She hopes her research will contribute to a deep understanding of the eating disorder phenotype and expand the range of interventions available for treatment. In particular, she hopes her work will help us to understand what works for whom and guide decisions around if and when to change our approach to treatment so that we might maximise the chance of recovery.?

“I hope that my research will give people living with eating disorders and their loved ones hope: hope for recovery and hope that they may have options for recovery when first-line treatment wasn’t right for them.”

Prior to joining InsideOut, Michaela was a PhD student and Post-Doctoral Research Associate with the King’s College London Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders. There, she looked at whether non-invasive brain stimulation techniques may be promising treatment options for people with eating disorders and worked on improving early intervention in adolescents and emerging adults.??

Michaela’s previous research focused on new ways of treating eating disorders, from early intervention for first episodes to novel treatments for enduring or established illness. She was a part of a research team who evaluated the First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) service model and care package, a new model for early intervention in the UK which has since scaled across Britain and internationally. She has also worked on research projects looking at whether non-invasive brain stimulation may be a potential option for treatment in eating disorders. This work has involved feasibility or pilot studies, mostly in people with binge eating disorder, and found that non-invasive brain stimulation seems to be a promising option for treatment (or adjunct to treatment) that we should continue to investigate.?

When she’s not working on her research, Michaela enjoys travelling go to new places, meeting new people and trying new things.

“I am an avid explorer who loves to go to new places, meet new people and try new things. Whether it’s an adventure abroad or a new trail at the national park, I am always keen to get out and explore. Better still if I can bring my dogs, Tilly and Hugo”

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