On completion of my clinical training in Paediatrics, and my Fellowship training in Paediatric Oncology, I returned to New Zealand on a Cancer Society of New Zealand Repatriation Research Fellowship. I joined New Zealand's leading Cancer Research group in the Cancer Genetics Laboratory, University of Otago, Dunedin. Here my research focused on the molecular genetics of childhood solid tumours; in particular my PhD studies investigated the role of genomic imprinting and DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of Wilm's tumour.

In 1999 and 2000 I participated in the establishment of the Otago Genomics Facility (headed by Professor Tony Reeve) where we began the manufacture of cDNA microarrays and developed the protocols for microarray gene expression analysis.

More recently I have been a co founder of Pacific Edge Biotechnology, a Dunedin-based research company applying microarray technology and advanced knowledge engineering tools to the analysis and classification of malignancy.

I am now based in Christchurch as a Paediatric Oncologist and Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Oncology at the Christchurch School of Medicine. We have recently established the Children's Cancer and Developmental Genetics Research Group for basic and translational research on childhood cancers and developmental disorders.

Dr Tracy Hale
tracy.hale@chmeds.ac.nz
BSc(Hons) (Massey University), PhD (Australian National University)
Research Fellow
Children's Cancer and Developmental Genetics Research Group
Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Phone/Fax: +64/3/378 6007

Research interests:

• Role of the linker histone H1 in chromatin structure and function
• Invovlement of the HP1 family in chromatin function
• Role of epigenetic regulatoin in cancer progression

Dr Dejan Arsic
dejan.arsic@chmeds.ac.nz
MD (University of Belgrade, Serbia); PhD (University of Otago)
Research Fellow
Children's Cancer and Developmental Genetics Research Group
Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Phone: +64/3/378 6143

Research interests:

• Developmental gene expression in the pathogenesis and treatment of childhood solid tumours (2003 – present).
• The role of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway in foregut development (1999 – 2003).
• Biochemical changes in early stages of apoptosis of thymocytes in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade University (1996-1999).

Rachel Purcell
rachel.purcell@chmeds.ac.nz
BSc (University College Cork, Ireland), MSc (Pasteur Institute, Paris)
Assistant Research Fellow
Children's Cancer and Developmental Genetics Research Group
Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Phone: +64/3/364 1480

Research interests:

• Pathogenesis and prognostic stratification of Hepatoblastoma (2005 – present)
• Prognostic markers and Multi-Drug resistance in Breast Cancer (2000-2002)
• Whole genome sequencing of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes and the identification of novel virulence genes (1998-2000).

Dr Parkash Mandhan
parkash.mandhan@chmeds.ac.nz
MBBS Sindh Medical College, University of Karachi, Pakistan (1986)
MSc, University of Karachi, Pakistan (1998)
PhD Student
Children's Cancer and Developmental Genetics Research Group
Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences
+64 3 364 1154

Research interests:

• Intrinsic innervations of hindgut in the ETU Model Fetal rats with anorectal malformations.
• Role of Sonic Hedgehog and downstream genes in the development of anorectal malformations.

Collaborators:

Dr Robin P Corbett
rob.corbett@cdhb.govt.nz
MBChB (Cape), MRCP (London), FRACP
Paediatric Haematologist/Oncologist
Honorary Senior Lecturer,University Of Otago

Current Interests: Clinical trial research and a clinical study of chid cancer in the South island

Clinical Interests: Soft tissue sarcomas of childhood and retinoblastoma

Research Interests: Radionuclide scanning of paediatric malignancies

Professor Spencer W. Beasley
spencer.beasley@cdhb.govt.nz
MB.ChB M.S.(Melb) FRACS
Professor of Paediatric Surgery (CSMHS)
Clinical Director, Department of Paediatric Surgery (Christchurch Hospital)
Principal Investigator, Developmental Genetics Research Group

Research Interests: The biology and genetics of developmental disorders, particularly the major surgical conditions affecting the fore- and hind-gut.