Ngā mihi to our conference speakers
Hear from leading oncology clinicians, researchers, and experts shaping the future of cancer care across Aotearoa and beyond.
Dr Chris Booth
MD FRCPC
Christopher Booth MD FRCPC is a Medical Oncologist and Health Services Researcher at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He is a Professor of Oncology and Public Health Sciences and Director of the Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology at Queen’s Cancer Research Institute. Dr. Booth’s research program explores access, quality, and value of cancer care. He serves as policy advisor to the World Health Organization and across global health systems. Dr. Booth has published more than 400 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He was Study Co-Chair of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group CO.21 CHALLENGE trial of “adjuvant exercise” in colon cancer which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025. In 2022 he received the Exceptional Healer Award at Kingston Health Sciences Centre for embodying compassion, respect, and clinical excellence. He was inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2022. Dr. Booth is one of the founding leaders of the Common Sense Oncology initiative.
Professor Misty Jenkins
PhD AO FTSE
Professor Misty Jenkins is a NHMRC Investigator Fellow and Laboratory Head in the Personalised Oncology Division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI). She leads the Immunotherapy Program and serves as Co-Director of Research Strategy at the Brain Cancer Centre.
Her research focuses on discovering novel immunotherapy targets and developing and testing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for adult and paediatric brain cancer. Her lab has developed high throughput library screens to identify novel binders. They utilise cutting-edge two-photon microscopy combined with mouse models to investigate the tumour microenvironment, uncovering unique aspects of brain tumour biology. She has developed several CAR T cells and is actively planning clinical translation for brain cancer patients.
Professor Tony Mok
BMSc, MD, FRCP(C), FRCP(Edin), FRCP(Lond), FHKCP, FHKAM(Medicine), FASCO, Member of ASHK
Professor Mok is the Li Shu Fan Medical Foundation endowed Professor and Chairman of Department of Clinical Oncology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His main research interest focuses on biomarker and molecular targeted therapy in lung cancer. He was the Principal Investigator and first author on the landmark IRESSA® Pan-Asia Study (IPASS), which was the first study that confirmed the application of precision medicine for advanced lung cancer. He has also led and co-led multiple international phase III studies including the FASTACT 2, PROFILE 1014, IMPRESS, ARCHER 1050, ALEX, AURA 3, KEYNOTE 042 and KRYSTAL 12. Professor Mok has contributed to over 360 articles in international peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Science, Lancet, Nature Medicine and Journal of Clinical Oncology, and published multiple editorials and textbooks. He is a member of the Board of Directors for AstraZeneca, HutchMed (China) and Insighta. His work was recognized by numerous awards including Bonnie Addario Award in 2015, Fellowship of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) in 2017, Paul Bunn Jr Scientific Award in 2017, National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2017, CSCO Annual Achievement Award in 2017, ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, The 6th Kobayashi Foundation Award, Giant of Cancer Care 2020, SingTao Hong Kong Leader of the Year 2020 Award and The Sixth Fok Ying-Tung Prize The World Outstanding Chinese Doctor Award in 2023. He was awarded with the Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS) by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2022 to recognize his dedicated service in public affairs.
Professor Robert Weinkove
Robert Weinkove is Clinical Director at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research (MIMR), a Haematologist at Health New Zealand, and Honorary Professor at the University of Auckland. Prof Weinkove leads a clinical and translational chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell programme at the Malaghan Institute, and provides clinical oversight for the Malaghan’s cellular therapy manufacturing facility. He initiated New Zealand’s first CAR T-cell trial (ENABLE-1) of a locally-developed CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory lymphoma in 2019. The phase 2 trial (ENABLE-2), is currently enrolling nationally. Prof Weinkove is an active member of the Australasian Leukaemia & Lymphoma Group where he contributes to clinical trials and guidelines in the fields of B-cell cancers and haemato-oncology supportive care.