Michael Hay to lead the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre
25 November 2019
The changing of the guard is under way at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, but the goals remain the same.
Associate Professor Michael Hay has been appointed the new Director of the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC) within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FMHS), commencing January 2020. Michael joined the ACSRC as a Research Fellow in 1991. With 30 years’ experience in medicinal chemistry and cancer drug development, he was an obvious choice for the role.
At the announcement of his appointment, the Dean of FMHS, Professor John Fraser, said he was delighted he’d been able to appoint someone from within the Centre.
“Michael is an outstanding medicinal chemist and a respected senior member of ACSRC. Most importantly, he convinced the selection panel that he understood what would be needed for future success following on from the impressive legacy of Distinguished Professor Bill Denny’s leadership as Director.”
Bill Denny will stay at the University parttime to continue his cancer research work. “While change can be confronting, it also offers us an opportunity to renew and refocus our relationships with key stakeholders,” says Michael.
“Our primary focus, as a pre-eminent cancer drug discovery centre, remains to bring new cancer therapies to the clinic and to develop drugs that will benefit cancer patients.”
The ACSRC is a renowned research lab and has developed 15 drugs to clinical trial.