(Left to right): Linda Williams, Dr Claire Henry and Molly Dore.
Researchers on the Wellington campus have won awards for their presentations at this year’s British Gynaecological Cancer Society’s annual scientific meeting, which was held in Aberdeen, Scotland at the end of June.
Dr Claire Henry, the leader of the Translational Gynaecology Research Group in the Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia, attended the conference with PhD students Linda Williams and Molly Dore.
Dr Henry was awarded Best Poster Prize for her poster titled, ‘CXCL as a potential IHC marker of POLEmut endometrial cancer’. The poster details her work investigating the development of an inexpensive molecular profiling test which could replace DNA sequencing and open the doors to personalised treatment and better outcomes for New Zealand women with endometrial cancer.
“At the moment the cost and availability of DNA sequencing in New Zealand is limiting our ability to do molecular profiling even though it is now part of international treatment guidelines,” Dr Henry explains. “Our ultimate goal is to improve the treatment pathway and outcomes for women with endometrial cancer in New Zealand.”
Claire Henry with the President of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society, Stephen Dobbs.
Linda Williams was Runner Up, Best Oral Presentation, for her talk ‘Exploring health professionals’ viewpoint of provision of nutrition advice for women with endometrial cancer in New Zealand: a qualitative study’. Ms Williams is a clinical dietitian and her work looks at improving women’s wellbeing after treatment for endometrial cancer. Her talk focused on health professionals’ views on the gaps in the care offered to survivors. Her study will continue with patient interviews and clinical workshops, with the aim of reducing women’s unmet needs for care.
The British Gynaecological Cancer Society is a professional society for health providers working and researching in the area of gynaecological cancers. The topics at this year’s conference included the new era in molecular therapy; research from pathology to clinic; AI technology in medicine; and personal experiences from patients of cancer treatments.
Dr Henry was delighted to have been able to attend the event with her PhD students.
“It was wonderful for us to be able to present the research work we are doing in Wellington at such a prestigious international conference.”