Genomic-based cancer treatment, or precision oncology, is still a topic in need of discussion for Māori, says Faculty of Medical Health Sciences research fellow Dr Kimiora Hēnare. Hēnare (Ngāti Haua, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri) has received a Health Research Council Māori Emerging Research Leader grant, worth almost $650,000 over 48 months. Genomic-based testing isn’t easily accessible for Māori, and Hēnare attributes this to systemic inequities in the New Zealand health system and the negative experiences of indigenous peoples who have engaged in genetic and genomic research globally.

His research focuses on addressing potential workforce challenges related to the delivery of precision oncology, an approach where doctors and patients choose treatments based on the DNA signature of an individual patient’s tumour. Precision oncology involves treatments that are tailored to the genetic make-up of a patient’s tumor. By analysing the genetic changes of a patient’s cancer, doctors can identify specific medicines that offer the best responses.

However, Hēnare says introducing this groundbreaking approach to decision-making requires a skilled workforce capable of navigating complex genetic data and clinical evidence, and doing so in a timely and culturally safe way. “The ultimate goal is to eliminate health inequities for Māori before they can even start,” Hēnare says. “But a problem we face is that by introducing cool and new technology, we’re imple.