Scientist Cristin Print honoured in Kea Awards

Medical researcher Professor Cristin Print was presented with a World Class Award at a Kea Awards ceremony on 7 September, one of seven recipients for 2023.

Cristin is a medical research scientist specialising in molecular medicine, leading a cross-disciplinary research team of clinicians, biologists and data scientists who use genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics to better understand human disease, especially cancer.

Throughout his ongoing academic career, his work and research has been published in countless prestigious journals on myriad topics.

In 2022, Cristin received the New Zealand Society of Oncology (NZSO) Translational Research Award - given annually to “an eminent New Zealand investigator who has made outstanding contributions to translational cancer research”.

At the moment Cristin is leading a project that will use genomic data from 100 Auckland cancer patients to investigate how therapies can be better targeted. Cristin said the implication of several hundred specific genes in cancer had allowed scientists to develop a new generation of treatments.

Cristin is passionate about how we best use and work with indigenous health data – particularly that of Maori and Pacific people here in New Zealand – and currently co-leads Rakeiora, a national genomics infrastructure programme in partnership with Māori leaders.

He has been at the University since 2005, leading a cross-disciplinary research team of clinicians, biologists and data scientists who use genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics to better understand human disease, especially cancer.

Through his University role, he leads the Genomics Into Medicine Strategic Research Initiative, chairs the Scientific Advisory Board of the Auckland Regional BioBank (Te Ira Kāwai), is academic lead of the Auckland Academic Health Alliance Precision Medicine Initiative and Bioinformatics Director of Grafton Clinical Genomics. He is a principle investigator in NZ's Rakeiora programme, the Maurice Wilkins Centre and the 'Healthier Lives' National Science Challenge and previously was joint director of the University's Bioinformatics Institute.

Kea Global CEO Toni Truslove said the awards were a shining example of the power of the global Kiwi community coming together to support each other and achieve remarkable things.

“The common thread that binds all our winners is that their success was not achieved on their own, rather it was often fellow Kiwi who supported them to take on the world, Kiwis who took a call, offered insight and advice and who didn’t hesitate to open doors. This willingness to help one another can be our absolute superpower.”

This year’s winners were selected by an international panel of judges including former Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae, entrepreneurs Sarah Robb O’Hagen and Guy Royal, 2022 Kea Supreme Winner Miranda Harcourt, Kea Global co-chair Mitchell Pham and NZTE Board Director Jennifer Kerr.