Helena Herrera

Dr Helena Herrera is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Health, School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, and the Institute of Life Sciences and Healthcare. She holds roles as Director of Postgraduate Research and PhD Supervisor. Her academic journey includes a Combined Science degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Seville (1997), followed by a PgCert Education, MSc in Clinical Pharmacy, and a PhD. She has extensive experience as a community pharmacist and has contributed to healthcare education through course leadership and postgraduate research supervision.

Education:

• PhD, Evaluation of a Foundation Degree for Pharmacy Technicians, University of Portsmouth (2010)
• Master of Science in Pharmacists’ perceptions of Medicines Use Reviews, Cardiff University (2006)
• Combined Science Degree (Cum Laude), University of Seville (1997)

Research Interests: Public health with a focus on environmental determinants of health, health protection, and impacts on key populations. Her work addresses global health challenges, including HIV/AIDS prevention, infectious disease control, and healthcare equity in Sub-Saharan Africa. She also explores pharmaceutical waste management and sustainable healthcare practices.

Recent Research Trends: Recent studies focus on HIV prevention among vulnerable groups (e.g., miners, men who have sex with men), healthcare disparities in Zimbabwe, machine learning applications in HIV service planning, and environmental impacts of medication disposal. Her work bridges epidemiology, policy analysis, and technological innovation to address public health challenges.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Institute of Life Sciences and Healthcare, contributing to interdisciplinary research on global health, environmental health, and healthcare policy.