Hansel Tookes of UM has received the prestigious Avenir Award from the NIH for his work developing community-based interventions for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and individuals who inject drugs. The four-year award will allow Tookes to utilize telehealth technology to establish community interventions.

“This NIH-funded randomized study, which will involve sites in Tampa as well as Miami, could change the standard of care for people who inject drugs,” Tookes said. “Tele-harm reduction uses peers with lived experience to overcome the digital divide by bringing technology directly to people, with the goal to foster engagement in care.”

• Hansel Tookes