In May, Prof Parry’s team won the Prime Minister’s Science Prize which was awarded for an innovative partnership between members of the McLeod whānau and their community, cancer geneticists from Otago University, and clinicians from Tauranga Hospital.
Together they identified a genetic mutation (in the CDH1 gene) which was causing members of the McLeod whānau to die from stomach cancer at a young age.
The researchers developed a genetic test which gives whānau members the ability to understand their risk of cancer and take life-saving action.
Since then, the genetic test has enabled other families to discover that they also have a mutation in the CDH1 gene and has saved hundreds of lives in New Zealand and thousands around the world.
The talk is being brought to Timaru by the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes secretariat.
Prof Parry will speak on Wednesday, September 18 at 6pm at Ara Institute, Block TG, 32 Arthur St, Timaru. Bookings can be made at humanitix.com.