Photo credit: Subo Lee of Captivate Technology
The award, presented annually, includes a $10,000 research grant to support the work of a senior scientist at a university or other research organisation.
As a Professor Emeritus in Structural Chemistry and Biology, Jameson is part of a team of scientists at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University that has made world-leading breakthroughs with the potential to improve the efficacy of treatments for many types of cancer.
The project, led by DNA chemist Professor Vyacheslav V Filichev, focuses on developing highly potent, dual-action molecules designed to disable a pair of enzymes known to cause DNA mutations that promote cancer development and resistance to treatment. This has implications in the treatment of cancer, as these molecules have potential to extend efficacy of front-line treatments such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The team have been working on this for over 10 years and want to continue to make progress towards eventual trials and treatments. Their findings have been patented and published in a series of peer-reviewed articles, including Nature Communications, which detailed how these molecules interact with their target enzyme and slow its mutational activity in cancer cells, the key first steps towards their potential clinical use in anti-cancer therapies.
“By targeting these mutator enzymes with precision, we hope to open up new possibilities for improving the way we treat cancer,” Professor Jameson says.
He is pleased to receive the award as this recognition brings the team’s research into the spotlight once again. Some of the award will support conference travel to help the team bring this conceptually new approach to cancer treatment to scientists and clinicians active in cancer research and treatment.
“It’s a real honour to receive this recognition from the Royal Society Te Apārangi, whose acknowledgement carries weight across the wider scientific community. This funding means that I can continue with this research and given its obvious potential we are always looking towards the next milestone or advancement.”
Head of School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences Professor Jamie Quinton says the award is well-deserved.
“Even as an emeritus, Professor Jameson remains deeply committed to advancing his field and is continually pursuing new discoveries within the area of molecular treatments for disease. We’re proud to see his lifelong dedication acknowledged at this level and for him to continue to work with the team on this project that we hope will make a difference to cancer patients in the future.”
Professor Jameson joined Massey University in 1994, becoming Professor in Structural Chemistry and Biology in 2001. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2003 and received the Massey University Research Medal in 2010 and the Marsden Medal from the New Zealand Association of Scientists in 2011.
He has contributed widely to research, teaching and scientific infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand, publishing extensively, supporting major national investments in research technology and helping build Massey’s capabilities in structural chemistry and biology.
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