INHSU’s Early-Mid-Career Researchers (EMCR) Special Interest Group brings together early and mid-career researchers from across the globe who are interested in the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs, harm reduction, human rights, hepatitis C, and other harms that can occur from drug use and prohibitionist drug policy.
The EMCR Special Interest Group meets regularly throughout the year to collaborate, share knowledge, and address challenges facing early-mid-career researchers.
Help shape the future of INHSU EMCR
If you are a researcher within 10 years of finishing your latest degree, or currently studying in a field related to the health or human rights of people who use drugs and would like to play an active part in shaping the future of the INHSU EMCR Special Interest Group, please join today.
How to join INHSU EMCR
- If you’re already an INHSU member, email [email protected] and request to join INHSU EMCR. You will be sent your personal login link
- If you are not an INHSU member, join INHSU here, and click ‘Join INHSU EMCR’ during the sign-up process.
INHSU EMCR Leadership Award
This award recognises bold, inclusive, and collaborative leadership by early to mid-career researchers working to improve the health and human rights of people who use drugs. More than recognition, the award supports continued growth through mentorship and international exposure.
- 9-month mentorship with a senior academic from the INHSU network
- Complimentary INHSU conference registration and travel scholarship
- 15-minute plenary slot at the conference(10-minute presentation + award ceremony)
- Open to researchers within 10 years of completing their most recent degree, working in drug user health and rights
- Must be an INHSU and INHSU EMCR member (free for students and early post-docs)
- Applications judged against INHSU’s strategic pillars: Knowledge Exchange, Education, and Advocacy
INHSU Conversations Webinars
INHSU EMCR hosts regular webinars with topics aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and advancing skills of EMCRs globally.
- An Introduction to EUDA’s Research and Policy Activities on Drug Use and Drug-Related Harms Globally. Watch it now
- The Role of Data in UNAIDS Target Setting & Decision-Making. Watch it now
- Economic Evaluations of Clinical Interventions for Substance Use Disorder, in partnership with The Center for Health Economics of Treatment Interventions for Substance Use Disorder, HCV, and HIV (CHERISH). Watch it now
- Is this the real(ist) method you should be using in your research? Watch it now
- Approaches to community-involved research as an early / mid-career researcher. Watch it now
Other INHSU EMCR activities
- Hosted a zine-making workshop at INHSU 2025 in South Africa and released a zine for the conference. Read it here
- In collaboration with the Community Committee, INHSU EMCR hosted an EMCR & Community Networking Event at INHSU 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland and INHSU 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland. These events provide a valuable opportunity for researchers and people with lived experience to meet, break down barriers, and discuss better ways to connect in the future. View photos
- Curated and hosted the poster tours at INHSU 2025, 2024, 2023 AND 2022
- Took part in a Twitter (X) takeover at INHSU 2023 and INHSU 2022, disseminating valuable insights from the conference live to a global audience.
- Organised country-specific meetups for EMCRs at INHSU 2023
- Led a session at INHSU 2022, focused on increasing opportunities for getting your research published. Key takeaways here
- Facilitated a workshop on extending the impact of research at INHSU 2023. Key takeaways here
The INHSU EMCR Executive Committee
The INHSU EMCR Special Interest Group is led by an Executive Committee. Special Interest Group members can get involved in INHSU EMCR initiatives simply by participating, or by joining working groups to help organise specific activities. Contact [email protected] for more information and to join a working group, or put forward new ideas.
Brendan Harney, Co-Chair
MPH, PhD Student & Research Assistant
Burnet Institute & Monash University
Brendan is a final year PhD student at Burnet Institute and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His work to date has focused predominantly on hepatitis C elimination among gay and bisexual men and people who inject drugs.
Lise Lafferty, Co-Chair
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for Social Research in Health and the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney
Lise is a Senior Research Fellow with a co-appointment across the Centre for Social Research in Health and the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney. Working in qualitative methodologies, her research interests include infectious diseases among priority populations in key settings. Lise was a recipient of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia’s Paul Bourke Award (2023) for her hepatitis C in prison body of research.
Urvisha Bhoora
Clinician and Researcher
University of Pretoria
Urvisha is a specialist Family Physician with the University of Pretoria. She is the clinical head of the Community Oriented Substance Use Programme (COSUP) in Tshwane, Pretoria and is responsible for the clinical oversight in COSUP including strengthening access to healthcare services for displaced people through street medicine initiatives.
Brendan Jacka
Senior Research Associate, Therapeutics and Vaccines Research Program
Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney
Brendan completed his PhD at the Kirby Institute and was awarded Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC) post-doctorate fellowship which he undertook at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre before moving to Brown University School of Public Health. Brendan’s research focus is on novel therapeutics and models of care for treatment of infectious disease.
Kennedy Kipkoech Mutai
PhD Student
University of Cape Town and University of Bristol
Kennedy is a final year cotutelle (dual) PhD student at UCT and UoB. His research interest focuses on the use of epidemiological methods, statistical and mathematical modelling approaches to understand transmission dynamics and control of infectious diseases. In particular, the evaluation of the impact of programme interventions on HIV and viral Hepatitis.
Tamar Mgebrishvili
Researcher
Addiction Research Center Alternative Georgia
Tamar is a researcher and holds a master’s degree in Addiction studies. She has extensive experience working with PWUD, including women. Tamar coordinates the service, aiming to distribute drug-checking kits via Syringe Vending Machines among PWUD. She is also an assistant in the project which aims to strengthen the person-centered integrated care system in Georgia. She is a member of Georgian Addictologist Association.
Isaac Olushola
Global Fund Project Manager, Global Health Focus, Research Assistant
Youth RISE International
Isaac has a professional and academic background in Public Health and extensive experience in drug policy reform advocacy and contextual harm reduction in the African setting. He has a commitment to bringing justice to health and providing equitable access to healthcare for marginalized and vulnerable populations, including people who use drugs, refugees, and young people.
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