Dristy Gurung, MSc, PhD

Dristy Gurung is a postdoctoral researcher in global mental health at the Centre for Global Mental Health Equity, George Washington University, USA, with research interests in reducing mental health stigma including understanding and measuring structural stigma, health system strengthening, and implementation science.

Her work focuses on co-producing mental health interventions with people with lived experiences (PWLEs) to improve access to and quality of mental health services. She has experience in leading and managing randomised controlled trials such as the NIH-funded R01 project- Reducing Stigma among Healthcare Providers to Improve Mental Health Services (RESHAPE) (Role: Co-I and project manager), and leading transcultural translation and adaptation of mental health interventions and evaluation tools such as in MRC funded INDIGO Partnership program (Role: work package and site lead). She also has comprehensive experience conducting systematic and scoping reviews, policy reviews and analysis, mixed-methods and participatory approaches (e.g. photovoice), and implementation research.

She was a commissioner on the “Lancet Commission on ending stigma and discrimination in mental health”. She chaired the launch event of the commission report, which the World Health Organization hosted. Her work not only focuses on promoting inclusivity within mental health systems but also in other areas of global health, such as addressing the geographical and gender gaps within the health and research workforce by strengthening the capacities of early-career researchers. She was awarded the Visionary Innovators Shaping Tomorrow’s Advancements (VISTA) award by the National Institute of Mental Health, USA, during the NIMH Global Mental Health conference in October 2023 for her contributions and work as an early-career researcher.