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MWC community gathers for the Maurice Wilkins Centre Research Symposium & Future Science Day 2021

12 February 2021

In early February we welcomed MWC investigators and associates to the Centre’s annual research symposium, held at the University of Auckland. The three day event was a gathering of New Zealand's brightest minds at the UoA’s brand new conference facility in the Faculty of Engineering, where cutting edge research was presented on the core themes of metabolic disease, infectious disease, and cancer.

The conference got underway with thought-provoking discussions and debates in each of our research streams to set the scene for the next 4 years of the MWC, before day two kicked off with talks from our esteemed MWC colleagues on the innovative research going on in the labs across the country.

Having missed out on the MWC symposium in 2019/20 due to Covid restrictions it was fantastic to see so many of our talented investigators make the journey to Auckland and make the most of the opportunity to connect with colleagues from around Aotearoa, link in with some of the newer members of the MWC family, and spark the next phase of MWC research.

MWC Symposium- Poster session

 

MWC also hosted our Future Science Day as part of the 2021 symposium programme. Organised by the MWC Early Career Steering Committee, the MWC Future Science Day provided 58 ECR’s with the opportunity to present posters, research talks and elevator pitches at this year’s event. Our talented cohort of doctoral candidates and research fellows gave some outstanding presentations and several were awarded with prizes from the committee for their efforts, as well as our coveted People's Choice award for the crowd favourites.

Poster prize winners 2021. Left to right- POSTER PEOPLE’S CHOICE- Mie Riisom, POSTER PRESENTATION HIGHLY COMMENDED-Annmaree Warrender, POSTER PRESENTATION HIGHLY COMMENDED-Rachel Darnell

Research talk winners 2021. Left to right-RESEARCH TALK 1ST-Aana Whitcombe, RESEARCH TALK RUNNER UP- Kiel Hards, RESEARCH TALK PEOPLES CHOICE-Tayla Rees, RESEARCH TALK PEOPLES CHOICE-Lupe Isaia, 3MIN TALK 1st- George Chang, 3MIN TALK 2nd- Niloofar Zandvakili.

 

MWC would like to say a big thank you to all those who contributed to the programme, attended the event, or worked behind the scenes to make the symposium a huge success- tēnā koutou!

Like the sound of our events but not a member? Contact our admin team and find out how to join MWC at maurice-wilkins-centre@auckland.ac.nz