ProfessorAntonina Mikocka-Walus

Deputy Head of School

Faculty of Health/School of Psychology/Deakin Lifespan Institute

  • Deputy Head of School
    Faculty of Health/School of Psychology/Deakin Lifespan Institute
  • +61 3 924 68575 (Work)
  • Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125

RESEARCH INTERESTS

GastroPsychology; endometriosis; psychological therapies; neuromodulators; telehealth; trials

Knowledge Areas
Antonina specialises in trials of behavioural interventions to suport people living with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain and cancer. She also conducts observational studies and systematic reviews on the relationship between anxiety, depression and disease activity in a variety of chronic diseases.

Antonina's field-weighted citation index (FWCI) in psychogastroenterology is 2.24, placing her in the 98th percentile worldwide. Her FWCIs in women's health and cancer are 2.2. Antonina is ranked in the world's top 1% for Psychology and top 0.26% for inflammatory bowel disease research (ScholarGPS.com).


Projects
Examples of Antonina's current projects include:

1. Acceptance Committment Therapy for people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and comorbid anxiety and/depression.

2. Codesigning, evaluating and implementing Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and Yoga for Endometriosis care.

3. Testing eHypnotherapy in people with chronic pelvic pain.

 

4. Online mindfulness to support living with inflammatory bowel disease.



GRANTS

  • GRANT
    Co-Designing, Evaluating, and Implementing Supportive Care for Adolescents and Young Adults with Crohns and Colitis and their Carers (CAYAC)
    1 Mar 2027 - 29 Feb 2032
    People funded by this grant:
    MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Grant - 2045823 - $2,614,203.80
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    CARER HUB: A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN CANCER CARER RESEARCH, TRANSLATION & IMPACT
    8 Aug 2024 - 8 Aug 2024
    People funded by this grant:
    Western Alliance - $20,000.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    CARER HUB: A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN CANCER CARER RESEARCH, TRANSLATION & IMPACT
    22 Aug 2023 - 28 Aug 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    Department of Health - DA23001 - $1,214,300.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Understanding factors that predict women's grief, adjustment, and recovery from the loss of a mother.
    15 Mar 2023 - 15 Mar 2024
    People funded by this grant:
    Motherless Daughters Australia Ltd - $42,000.00
  • GRANT
    CoDeEndo: Co-Designing, Evaluating, and Implementing Supportive Care for Endometriosis
    1 Feb 2023 - 31 Aug 2028
    People funded by this grant:
    Western Alliance - $20,000.00
  • GRANT
    CoDeEndo: Co-Designing, Evaluating, and Implementing Supportive Care for Endometriosis
    1 Feb 2023 - 31 Jan 2028
    People funded by this grant:
    MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Grant - MRF2021609 - $1,470,988.82
  • GRANT
    iCare - An interactive online portal to improve health and wellbeing for people living with complex cancers, and their informal carers: a Phase II randomised controlled trial
    1 Feb 2023 - 31 Jan 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Grant - MRF2022128 - $826,731.86
  • GRANT
    iCare - An interactive online portal to improve health and wellbeing for people living with complex cancers, and their informal carers: a Phase II randomised controlled trial
    1 Feb 2023 - 30 Jun 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    Department of Health and Human Services - Victoria - $320,000.00
  • GRANT
    Randomized E-hypnotherapy for Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Trial (REST)
    1 Feb 2023 - 31 May 2028
    People funded by this grant:
    Western Alliance - $20,000.00
  • GRANT
    Randomized E-hypnotherapy for Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Trial (REST)
    1 Feb 2023 - 31 Jan 2028
    People funded by this grant:
    MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Grant - MRF2022322 - $1,300,459.86
  • GRANT
    EndoCannED - Medicinal Cannabis for the reduction in emergency department presentations in people with endometriosis: a randomised, controlled feasibility study
    31 Oct 2022 - 30 Apr 2025
    People funded by this grant:
    DJPR Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund - $100,000.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Supporting recovery from the mental health impacts of the COVID - 19 pandemic on rural communities.
    9 Jun 2022 - 15 Dec 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    The Sax Institute - $13,000.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Supporting recovery from the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young women with mental illness.
    9 Jun 2022 - 15 Dec 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    The Sax Institute - $13,000.00
  • GRANT
    Nocebo response to fermentable carbohydrate dietary challenge: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover challenge trial
    1 Jun 2022 - 1 Jun 2024
    People funded by this grant:
    Rome Foundation Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction International Research Award - $57,488.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Exploring financial burden and language barriers for people with endometriosis: A mixed methods survey
    1 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2024
    People funded by this grant:
    Endo Help Foundation - $45,000.00
  • GRANT
    Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) for distress associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): A randomised controlled trial of the ACTforIBD program
    1 Jul 2021 - 30 Jun 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    • Antonina M-W,
    • Subhadra E,
    • Lisa O,
    • Matthew F-T,
    • Eric O
    Litwin IBD Pioneers - 969016 - $358,410.00
  • GRANT
    Combating Distress In People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Feasibility Trial
    1 Oct 2020 - 31 Jul 2021
    People funded by this grant:
    Janssen-Cilag - GA-0457 - $5,000.00
  • GRANT
    A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Yoga, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Education to Improve Quality of Life and Reduce Healthcare Costs in Endometriosis
    1 Jun 2020 - 31 May 2025
    People funded by this grant:
    MRFF EPCDRI Endometriosis Research Grant - MRF1200214 - $893,981.25