NZBio congratulates the overall winner of the MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year Awards, Claire French, for her work towards developing a new cell identification technique.
The winners were announced at an awards dinner on Wednesday night for over 300 people, including Minister for Research Science and Technology, the Hon Steve Maharey. Professor Alan MacDiarmid, the New Zealand Nobel Laureate who the awards are named after, also conveyed his congratulations to all the award entrants via a video link from his home in the US. Frankie Stevens and Alison Mau shared the MC duties with polish and good humour.
"A discovery of this type, which has the potential to provide additional evidence in sex crimes is a tremendous achievement for a scientist at any stage of their career. It is particularly impressive in someone still in their mid twenties," NZBio CEO Brian Ward says.
Currently working with ESR, Claire has found a method of identifying which part of the body cell samples collected for DNA testing come from, something which has not been possible in the past.
"The runner up Dr Rod Lea, also of ESR, is involved in another important area - researching the links between genetic makeup and nicotine addiction. Dr Lea's work on disease susceptibility genes among indigenous groups could potentially enhance understanding of health risks for Maori and so ensure health services can be targeted most effectively.
"NZBio supports the MacDiarmid Awards because they recognize excellent research, science and technology while promoting the importance of good science communication." The annual awards also help to recognize young scientists at an early stage in their careers.
"Young scientists are important to New Zealand, as they are the source of future innovation and the engine that will help the biotech industry develop. NZBio hopes all the entrants in this year's MacDiarmid Awards will go on to further scientific and commercial success."
For more information on the MacDiarmid Awards visit: www.frst.govt.nz
7 June 2006