Dr Rachel Tolhurst

Rachel is a social scientist with a background in gender, development and health.

Her research interests and experience centre on qualitative research on gender and equity in health systems strengthening and the social determinants of health. Her research has included a focus on a range of health areas including maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, and communicable and chronic disease (including malaria, tuberculosis, lung disease and HIV). She has worked mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Rachel is currently the Social Sciences lead for the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Lung Health and Tuberculosis in Africa at LSTM, and for the Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance (DRUM) consortium. She also leads the gender equitable careers theme on the DELTAS Learning Research Programme, in collaboration with the Capacity Research Unit.