Otago PhD student Tiffany Ilott, right, is presented with her US Zonta award by Anne McMurtrie, past Zonta NZ Governor and member of Zonta's Christchurch South Club.
PhD student Tiffany Ilott has been awarded a prestigious US$10,000 Zonta Women in STEM Award for her research into endometrial cancer.
Tiffany, a doctoral candidate in Christchurch Ōtautahi’s Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine with the Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, was one of 16 recipients worldwide and the only New Zealand researcher to receive the award this year.
The Zonta Women in STEM Award recognises outstanding women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, supporting emerging researchers whose work shows strong potential to make a meaningful impact in their fields.
Tiffany says receiving the award is an honour and a huge encouragement towards her goal of a career in academic research.
“I am deeply grateful to receive this prestigious international award and thankful for the recognition it brings to my work in the field of endometrial cancer research,” she says.
“As a PhD student, this award is particularly meaningful as it acknowledges both my achievements and potential as I move to the next stage of my career. It also represents an investment in my future as an early-career researcher and strengthens my commitment to women’s health research.”
Tiffany’s research has focussed on bioengineering approaches to develop a novel three-dimensional model of endometrial cancer to more accurately replicate the human endometrial environment as opposed to traditional two-dimensional cell culture systems.
By incorporating patient-derived fat cells, the model recreates the effects of obesity – one of the disease’s most significant risk factors – and allows researchers to investigate how obesity influences cancer development and progression.
“This work aims to identify genes that drive cancer growth and could ultimately lead to new therapeutic targets,” Tiffany says.
“There is still so much we need to learn about the drivers of endometrial cancer. Developing more biologically relevant laboratory models gives researchers new opportunities to answer important questions and speed up progress towards better treatments.”
She says importantly, the award has allowed her to connect with an international network of women working across STEM disciplines.
“Membership of Zonta provides opportunities for mentorship, collaboration and professional growth, which will all be invaluable as I continue to build my career. It’s inspiring to connect with women from diverse scientific fields who are committed to supporting and empowering one another.”
Born in the UK and raised on the Kapiti Coast, Tiffany’s passion for research began during her undergraduate studies at Canterbury University, where an early project investigating natural antimicrobial agents sparked a deeper interest in human biology and disease. That interest eventually led her to cancer research and an Honours year at the University of Otago, Christchurch, cementing her ambition to pursue a research career.
Her long-term goal is to be involved in cutting-edge research that delivers real-world impact, helping to close important knowledge gaps in endometrial cancer and improve outcomes for women affected by the disease.