The 2025 programme is shaped around the theme: Pathology in Partnership: Strengthening Collaboration Across Healthcare

The organisers reserve the right to make changes to the programme

Day 1 - Wednesday 22nd October

Te Aro and Waterfront Room, Harbour City Function Centre, 4 Taranaki Street

8.00 am - Registration opens

9.00 am - Welcome and karakia

SETTING THE SCENE

9.30 am - What are New Zealand’s biggest health system challenges and how do we respond to them?

Sir Ashley Bloomfield

Chief Executive, New Zealand Institute for Public Health & Forensic Science

New Zealand’s health system faces a range of challenges – funding, workforce, equity, waiting lists and unmet need. The system is often described as being in crisis or “broken” – but none of these issues is new or unique to New Zealand. This presentation examines the key drivers of the challenges our system is facing, and how we might go about addressing them in a financially sustainable way.

10.00 am

Martin Witt

Research Manager, Cancer Society New Zealand

10.30 am - Morning Tea

PATHOLOGY IN A COLLABORATIVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

11.00 am - Improving population health with genomic-integrated disease risk prediction

Carl Stubbings

Chief Commercial Officer, Genetic Technologies Limited

How implementation of integrated risk assessment tests, using a combination of genomic and clinical information can provide an accurate assessment of an individual’s risk of developing a particular disease. Integrated risk assessments testing enables disease prevention through personalised medicine by providing actionable results to improve access to existing screening and risk-reduction guidelines. Supporting clinicians who are looking for ways to provide proactive solutions to their patient’s healthcare. Moving from “sickcare” to healthcare.

11.30 am - Wellness and primary care: keeping clinicians in the wellness conversation

With thanks to BODYiQ

Jeremy O’Donnell

Senior Product Manager, Awanui

The wellness industry is booming as people focus on optimising their health. While primary care have been an important arbiter of the clinical value of wellness initiatives, public perception of the role of GPs is changing. This presentation will explore the drivers, risks, and challenges behind the wellness boom, how patients’ relationships with GPs are changing and what that means for the role of GPs in wellness. We will finish by exploring ways that clinicians can help patients get clinical value from this developing industry.  

12.00 pm - The power of collaboration for innovation

Stella Ward

CEO, Digital Health Association

Stella will present some reflections on her experience both locally and globally in building relationships across industry and borders to drive impactful change.

PATHOLOGY IN ACTION - THE OPPORTUNITY AND VALUE OF PATHOLOGY

1.30 pm - Test Today, Treat Today: A Peer-Led Revolution in STI Response

With thanks to Cepheid

Mark Fisher
Executive Director, Body Positive Inc

This session highlights the community-driven approach to STI diagnostics, focusing on how peer-led initiatives and organizations like Body Positive are expanding point-of-care (POC) testing to populations often missed by traditional healthcare pathways.  It showcases real-world impact, rapid testing, and treatment models that reduce barriers, speed up care, and minimize onward transmission.

2.00 pm

3.00 pm - Afternoon Tea

INNOVATION IS ALIVE - LETS CELEBRATE IT!

With thanks to Roche Diagnostics

3.30 pm - Innovation is Alive

A new quick-fire session designed to get a quick preview of innovative projects happening in the laboratory sector. Presenters will go up against one another in this energetic and competition style session. The judging panel will deliberate across the afternoon to select the winner. Thank you to Roche Diagnostics who have sponsored this session.

Innovation participants

Sally Annan
Medical Laboratory Scientist, Te Whatu Ora - Waikato

Leigh Lauv
Medical Laboratory Scientist, Awanui

Jacqui Gale
Immunology Registrar, Te Whatu Ora - Capital and Coast

Margot Allais
Senior Technician, New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science

Elizabeth Chernysheva
PhD Candidate, University of Otago

4.30 pm - Innovating research projects for Medical Laboratory Science placement students

Associate Professor Tania Slatter
Associate Professor, University of Otago

Otago University Medical Laboratory Science students partake in mini research projects as part of their clinical placements within their host laboratory. This presentation will propose opportunities for expanding upon the research projects to offer improved innovation and implementation of research  into the diagnostic sector.

5.00 pm - Closing Remarks

5.30 pm - Networking Drinks Function - with thanks to Mediscope International Limited

6.30pm - Dinner Function - with thanks to BD

Day 2 - Thursday 23 October

8.45 am - Welcome Day Two – Reflections

MEETING THE NEEDS OF TOMORROW THROUGH PARTNERING

9.00 am - Collaboration – the heart of high quality healthcare

Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard
Chief Medical Officer, Health New Zealand

9.30 am - Development of a random access assay for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium ulcerans during an epidemic of Buruli ulcer

With thanks to Hologic

Caroline Lavender
Deputy Section Head, Mycobacterium Reference Lab, VIDRL (Victorian Infectious Diseases Laboratory)

Buruli ulcer is a bacterial skin infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. This presentation will provide an overview of the epidemiology, clinical features, and different laboratory testing methods, including the development of the first high-throughput, random-access assay for M. ulcerans to meet increased demand for testing.

10.00 am - Connecting pathologists with clinicians using a smarter way of communicating

With thanks to Foxo

Dr Juliet Elvy
Clinical Microbiologist, Awanui

Our time is our most precious resource, healthcare is under pressure and our diaries are full to the brim. Yet we seemingly waste hours of our time "on hold" or being put through to the wrong clinician. Here I discuss a partnership with Foxo which has brought to life "Awanui Connect": a secure and smart portal to connect busy clinicians with busy clinical pathologists to discuss important clinical cases. 

10.30 am - Morning Tea

DIGITAL INTEGRATION AND AI

11.00 am - Stabilise, Standardise, Modernise: The Future of Lab Support in Health NZ

Peter Marks
Portfolio General Manager - Diagnostics and Medicine, Health New Zealand

I will introduce Health New Zealand’s new Diagnostics and Medicines Digital Services team, built to support laboratory applications and products. Our focus is on stabilising, standardising, and modernising how clinicians and lab staff work through integrated digital workflows. By strengthening collaboration across pathology services, we’re helping shape smarter, more consistent care pathways.

11.30 am - Awanui Digital Pathology (Whole Slide Imaging) journey: past, present and future

With thanks to Leica Biosystems

Dr Michael Lau
Consultant Anatomical Pathologist, Awanui

12.00 pm - The AI Collaboration Revolution: Transforming Pathology from Diagnostics to Discovery

Dr Louise Schaper
Global Digital Health Leader & Innovator

12.30 pm - Lunch

WORKFORCE COLLABORATION AND FUTURE READINESS

1.15 pm - Pathology Starts Here: Elevating Pre-Analytical Careers Through a Strategic Partnership

Andy Hearn
Programme Leader / Senior Lecturer, Ara Institute of Canterbury

Heather Compton
Head of Organisational Capability, Awanui

Sharing the educational-industry partnership journey to co-design a NZQA qualification that recognises educational achievement in a workplace setting. Awanui and Ara Institute of Canterbury collaborated on filling the void for pre-analytical medical laboratory technicians nationally with a tertiary qualification, endorsed by NZQA and the Medical Sciences Council. Focused on lifelong learning and on-the-job skills, it prepares graduates for registration requirements and can open career pathways in the sector. As the first point of contact in the diagnostic process, pre-analytical technicians play a critical role: pathology starts here — with the quality of samples they collect and process for testing. Collaboration between subject matter and pedagogy experts was key and with a shared purpose and co-created content, an industry relevant qualification is available for all, across the motu.

1.45 pm Change, Challenge, and Chemistry: A Doctor’s Move Across Continents

Dr Owen Wiese
Chemical Pathologist, Awanui

When a chemical pathologist swaps continents, the journey is about more than just new lab equipment. In this talk, Dr. Owen Wiese shares his experience of relocating from South Africa to New Zealand—navigating professional challenges, cultural shifts, and the surprising parallels between science and starting over. It’s a story of adaptation, resilience, and the chemistry that binds both medicine and life.

2.15 pm - How we build digital teams - Q&A session

3.00 pm - Closing remarks

Join us for a final networking drink at the Shed 22 on the waterfront.

See registration desk on the way out to get a drink on us.