Medical and Scientific Committee
Medical and Scientific Committee Members
The members of the Medical and Scientific Committee bring a wide range of disciplines and expertise together to carefully and independently review the many grant applications the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation receive. The members’ biographies are outlined below.
Dr Bart Baker (Chair)
Bart Baker began his haematology career as a registrar in the Haematology Department at Christchurch Hospital before completing his training as a Research Fellow in the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research at the Christie Hospital in Manchester. He was appointed to his current position as a General Haematologist for the Regional Cancer Treatment Service based at Palmerston North Hospital in 1992.
Dr Kathryn Crosier
Kathryn Crosier is Professor of Molecular Medicine at The University of Auckland. She is a haematologist with the Auckland District Health Board, teaches genetics and haematology within the University and co-directs the Developmental & Cancer Genetics Research Laboratory situated in the Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology. Her research is focused on blood stem cell development and the genetics of leukaemia.
Dr Judy McKenzie
Judy McKenzie heads the Haematology Research Group in Christchurch. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, a PhD from Otago University, and has over 30 years experience in the fields of cell membrane biochemistry and cellular immunology. Judy is employed by the Canterbury District Health Board as a senior scientist in the Haematology Department, and is also an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch. Judy’s main research interest is the immunology of leukaemia.
Dr Liam Fernyhough
Liam Fernyhough is a Clinical Haematologist and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago, Christchurch. His medical training started in Nottingham, England and he has since spent time working in several hospitals in New Zealand.
He has a clinical interest in myeloma and is currently involved in research in to the immune nature of malignancies such as leukaemia.
Dr Humphrey Pullon
Humphrey graduated in medicine from Auckland University and then undertook postgraduate training in haematology in Auckland. He then worked as a Senior Registrar at Kings College Hospital in London, where he developed interests in malignant haematology, autologous bone marrow transplantation and obstetric haematology. He returned to New Zealand in the early 1990's, initially working in Palmerston North, before moving to Waikato Hospital in 1992. Humphrey pioneered autologous transplantation in Palmerston North, and then later set up and developed the autograft programme in Hamilton. In the mid-1990's he was also instrumental in combining the clinical haematology and medical oncology wards at Waikato Hospital. In 1999 he joined PathLab Waikato in a part-time capacity, where he currently does some private consulting and laboratory work.
Humphrey has previously served on the Haematology Advisory Group of the RCPA, has chaired the NZBMT Study Group for several years, and since 2005 has been the New Zealand Councillor for HSANZ. He currently represents Haematology interests on the Adult Medicine Division of the RACP, and is also a member of the Haematology Working Group of the Ministry of Health.
He first became involved with the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation when the Waikato Branch was very active in the mid 1990’s. Since 2008 he has been a member of the Medical and Scientific Committee.
Besides this, Humphrey is currently a Director of Swimming NZ, he sings regularly with the Hamilton Civic Choir, and enjoys road cycling and recreational fishing.
Dr Julia Phillips
Julia Phillips is a Clinical Haematologist at Wellington Hospital and adjunct lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University, Wellington.
She attended Liverpool University Medical School in the United Kingdom and trained in clinical and laboratory haematology at St Thomas Hospital in Liverpool, London and in Sheffield. Her MD thesis addressed the use of mitozantrone in the treatment of haematological malignancies.
Since 2000 she has been a Consultant Haematologist at Wellington Hospital with clinical interests in haemostasis, thrombosis and myeloma. She is currently chair of the Haemophilia Treaters Group of New Zealand and deputy chair of the National Haemophilia Management Group.
