About Us - Independent Human Research Ethics Committee

Our Story

IHREC was formed to meet the growing demand from private and government sector researchers for ethical review, as our older sister organisation, the Aotearoa Research Ethics Committee (AREC, formerly the New Zealand Ethics Committee), as a volunteer prob-bono service cannot cope with the number of applications it receives.

Founded by Hannah Neale and Lindsey Te Ata o Tū MacDonald, who together bring 30 years of experience in ethics review and ethics review processes, IHREC continues AREC's commitment to providing a review process that supports applicants, but is a not-for-profit company that can pay market rates to experienced research ethics reviewers and chairs, to ensure fast and comprehensive review of your application.

The Collective maintains quality standards through:

An Advisory Board that oversees all documentation and provides quarterly of randomly selected reviews
An application has been submitted to Health Research Council Ethics Committee to review non-HDEC research
Following the key statements of Human Research Ethics standards in New Zealand including Te Ara Tika, the NEAC standards, and the Royal Society's Code of conduct

Co-Founder | Co-Director

Dr Lindsey Te Ata o Tū MacDonald

Lindsey Te Ata o Tū MacDonald (Kai Tahū) is a senior lecturer in political philosophy and a research associate of the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury. He is also the co-Chair of the UC Ethics Committee

Co-Founder | Co-Director

Hannah Neale

Hannah Neale is a qualified Barrister and Solicitor of the New Zealand High Court, and has been working in research ethics management in the public and private sector for the duration of her career

Our Advisory Board

The Collective's Advisory Board comprises individuals with immense knowledge of the regulatory and ethical issues of research review.

Associate Professor Monique Jonas

Monique has just spent 6 years as the Chair of the Health Research Council Ethics Committee, after time with the National Ethics Advisory Committee, and the National Health Committee. A bioethicist at the University of Auckland, she has recently published On the Ethics of Advising with Oxford University Press.

Dr Gordon McGurk

Gordon has a long history in research and in Government. His areas of experience are particularly in the areas of clinical trial governance, research ethics, research integrity and research governance, in which he provides advice in a professional capacity. He has chaired Human Research Ethics Committees in Brisbane for over 9 years and is a qualified lawyer with interests in health law, privacy and human rights law. He is also chair of an Australian Standards sub-committee on biosafety.

Ruth Lucas

Ruth is a clinical research professional with over 20 years of experience in the clinical trials industry. Beginning her career in the UK, Ruth conducted trials across all phases before relocating to New Zealand in 2006. Currently Ruth is consulting in NZ as a clinical research professional, providing support for research sites and international companies looking to place studies in NZ, and the current Chair of New Zealand Association for Clinical Research (NZACRes).

Emeritus Professor Elaine Rush

Elaine Rush MNZM, PhD has been involved in health and education for all her working career. In 2014 she was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health and in 2019 was appointed Professor Emeritus in recognition of long and distinguished service to the University through outstanding research and teaching. Elaine recently finished two terms on the Health Research Council and the Council's ethics committee.

Elizabeth Bohm

Liz has extensive experience with the Research Ethics ecosystem. She has a bachelor of laws and biomedical science, and is a qualified barrister and solicitor of the New Zealand High Court. She has worked in legal policy across the government sector. Most recently in New Zealand, she worked as the Principal Advisor ethics, at the Ministry of Health. Now in London, Elizabeth has been working with the Nuffield Bioethics Centre working on various ethical issues.

Professor Huia Jahnke

Huia is a Professor of Māori and Indigenous Education and former Head of the School of Education at Massey University. Huia has contributed extensively to advancing Māori research sovereignty and culturally anchored ethics, including leadership in institutional and national committees focused on Māori research governance. She brings deep expertise in Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, Indigenous knowledge systems, and ethical approaches that centre mana, and community accountability.

Our Story

Our Advisory Board

Independent Human Research Ethics Collective