Helen is a vaccinologist, associate professor in the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, and the Director of the Vaccine Datalink and Research Group. Since 1998 she has been involved in immunisation-related research in New Zealand including clinical, social science, epidemiological and health systems. Her main research areas are vaccine safety and vaccine effectiveness and currently she is co-leading the Global Vaccine Data Network, a multinational consortium dedicated to collaboration in vaccine safety studies. She is a media spokesperson on vaccines and vaccination, science communicator, and teaches undergrad and post grad courses. Her research interests include vaccine effectiveness and vaccine safety. She was previously the chair of the World Health Organization Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) and currently elected member of the International Brighton Collaboration Science Board.