Lorena is a social anthropologist with a specialisation in Medical Anthropology. She obtained her Master degree in Development Studies at the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague and her PhD from Leiden University, in The Netherlands. As an associate researcher to ACMS, she collaborates in teaching, in research and supervision.  Her recent publications are on the linkages between migration and HIV/Aids and on issues of mental health and faith-based healing. She has also researched and published on the topic of dying and death among cross-border migrants. Lorena is currently conducting research on the sacralization of urban space by migrants groups in South Johannesburg. This research is conducted in collaboration with the Religion and Migration Initiative at ACMS. She holds a lecturer position in the Department of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand.