Katherine Donovan is a Lead Scientist in the Fischer Lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School where she works on the development of molecular-glues and PROTAC molecules for targeted protein degradation. She completed her PhD training in protein biochemistry and structural biology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. After joining the Fischer Lab as a Postdoc she developed an interest in proteomics as a specialized technology for quantifying protein-level expression changes in response to various perturbations. Katherine set up and led proteomics teams focused on degrader screening and target identification in the Fischer Lab as well as in the Center for Protein Degradation. She has used proteomics technology to identify the degradation targets of many molecules including the identification of SALL4 as the protein likely underlying the teratogenicity of thalidomide. Katherine led a large effort to map the degradable kinome and now to aid her quest to map the degradable proteome she has recently started a public degradation proteomics initiative which provides free target mapping of degraders. In recognition of her efforts in the TPD field, Katherine was awarded the Inaugural Arvinas TPD Early Researcher Award in 2022. Katherine continues to work on several projects related to ligase biology and protein degradation and also oversees the TPD proteomics operation in the Fischer Lab and Center for Protein Degradation

Kim Newton completed her BSc and MSc degrees at the University of Auckland, and then joined the cell death lab of Andreas Strasser at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne to pursue her PhD.  In 2001, she moved to Genentech in South San Francisco to work as a postdoc with Vishva Dixit. Her projects examined the role of the adaptor protein CARMA1/CARD11 in lymphocyte development and activation, the effect of TNF family ligands EDA-A1 and EDA-A2 on hair, sweat gland and muscle homeostasis, and the characterization of a kinase called RIPK3, which turned out to be a key effector of a regulated form of necrotic cell death termed necroptosis.

As a Genentech scientist, her group studied the role of RIPK3 and cell death in inflammation.  Inhibiting RIPK1, a kinase upstream of RIPK3, was found to ameliorate pathology in several pre-clinical disease models. Several companies have now developed inhibitors of RIPK1, hoping to break the cycle of cell death and inflammation that is thought to drive disease progression. Her group also explores the cross-talk between the different cell death programs of apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, which is probably key to host defense and the elimination of infected cells.

Select publications:

1.     Newton K, Wickliffe KE, Maltzman A, Dugger DL, Reja R, Zhang Y, Roose-Girma M, Modrusan Z, Sagolla MS, Webster JD, and Dixit VM. (2019) Activity of caspase-8 determines plasticity between cell death pathways. Nature 575:679-682.

2.     Newton K, Wickliffe KE, Dugger DL, Maltzman A, Roose-Girma M, Dohse M, Kőműves L, Webster JD, Dixit VM. (2019) Cleavage of RIPK1 by caspase-8 is crucial for limiting apoptosis and necroptosis. Nature 574:428–431

3.     Newton K, Wickliffe KE, Maltzman A, Dugger DL, Strasser A, Pham VC, Lill JR, Roose-Girma M, Warming S, Solon M, Ngu H, Webster JD, Dixit VM. (2016) RIPK1 inhibits ZBP1-driven necroptosis during development. Nature 540:129-133.

4.     Newton K, Dugger DL, Wickliffe KE, Kapoor N, de Almagro MC, Vucic D, Komuves L, Ferrando RE, French DM, Webster J, Roose-Girma M, Warming S, Dixit VM. (2014) Activity of Protein Kinase RIPK3 Determines whether Cells Die by Necroptosis or Apoptosis. Science 343:1357-1360.

Juliet trained at Oxford University and moved to Aotearoa in 1993 where her career has included roles in both Crown Research Institutes and universities. Juliet’s research background is broad and interdisciplinary, with particular interests in fundamental and applied protein science. She has held an Industry and Outreach Fellowship with Callaghan Innovation, founded a start-up company, chaired the Marsden Council, served on the Board of Directors of Plant and Food Research, and is currently on the Board of Te Papa.

Since Juliet’s appointment in 2018 as the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Kaitohutohu Mātanga Pūtaiao Matua ki te Pirimia, she has worked from a base of four founding principles: rigour, inclusivity, transparency, and accessibility. She has supported the science and science advisor community to provide advice to the PM, ministers, and the public on a wide range of topics, including advice on the Christchurch mosque shootings, the response to the Whakaari | White Island eruption, the Cannabis referendum, rheumatic fever and the Covid-19 pandemic. The Office has released three major reports, Rethinking plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, The future of commercial fishing in Aotearoa New Zealand, and Kotahitanga - Uniting Aotearoa against infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance and has a current focus on food waste.

Dr Simon McCallum studied for his PhD at the University of Otago, with a focus on modelling memory formation in mammals, and the role that sleep plays in consolidation. He started lecturing in 1999, and has taught at Otago, Hedmark University College, Gjøvik University College, and NTNU in Norway, and is currently lecturing at Victoria University of Wellington, and is an Adjunct at the Central Queensland University. His interest in educational innovation comes from the combination of teaching Game Development, Serious Games (Games for Health and Games for Education), and the neuroscience of learning. He has won awards for his teaching innovations in Norway and New Zealand, and is currently leading Victoria University of Wellington’s response to ChatGPT.

In the session Simon will discuss AI in Education, prompt engineering, the reframing of assessment, and the role of Universities in a world with AI. Simon has been teaching with AI in the classroom for 2 years and will bring his experience with integrating an AI tutor into his course in T2 of 2023.

Professor Christine Winterbourn studied chemistry at Auckland University and received her PhD in biochemistry from Massey University, and has a long career investigating the biochemistry of free radical reactions and the involvement of oxidants and antioxidants in health and disease. Her current research encompasses how the body protects itself with antioxidant defences, how white blood cells kill bacteria, and mechanisms of cell signalling via reactive oxygen species. Professor Winterbourn has published over 300 scientific papers on her research. In 2011 she was the first woman to receive the Royal Society of New Zealand Rutherford Medal. She has also received research awards from the NZ Association of Scientists, Massey University, University of Otago and Auckland University, and the International Society for Free Radical Research Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit.