As a clinical epidemiologist, I lead a research group undertaking internationally leading research to improve the health of people who use drugs, with a specific focus on hepatitis C infection. I am the Head of the Hepatitis C and Drug Use Group in the Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program at the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney.
My research includes the evaluation of novel strategies (including diagnostic testing) and models of care to enhance linkage to testing and treatment for hepatitis C infection, clinical trials and cohort studies evaluating hepatitis C treatment and reinfection among people who inject drugs, and clinical trials to evaluate hepatitis C treatment as prevention. My research group also conducts research to understand harms that may be related to drug use and interventions to address these harms. This includes systematic reviews of the global epidemiology of injecting drug use, infectious diseases, and coverage of interventions to reduce harms among people who inject drugs. My research group conducts evidence synthesis, cohort studies, and clinical trials to undertake this work. Our research incorporates social science to understand barriers and facilitators for the uptake of new interventions from the perspective of the affected community, practitioners, and policy makers. My research group conducts research which engages with affected communities, practitioners, policy makers, and other stakeholders to impact practice and policy. Our work aims to generate new knowledge, change clinical guidelines, improve clinical practice, transform health service delivery, and inform policy, placing Australia at the global forefront of hepatitis C and drug use research.
I manage a team of two senior academic staff, four professional staff, and five PhD students, in addition to leading a range of initiatives to build capacity and presence of research within our institute. Outside of my University role, I am also the President of the International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU).