Draft programme
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Keynote Speakers
Kylie Price
Chief Technology Officer, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research
Kylie Price is the Chief Technology Officer at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research with 20 years’ experience providing strategic, scientific, and operational direction in multidisciplinary environments. Kylie has strong stakeholder management and engagement skills and has attracted more than $35m of philanthropic funding over the past 13 years, developing the largest and most technologically advanced Shared Resource Laboratory in Aotearoa, New Zealand, the Hugh Green Technology Centre. This is a state-of-the-art, one-stop shop technology centre for the deep understanding of biological systems from the micro- to the macro-level. As CTO Kylie ensures scientists across New Zealand access to some of the most world-leading technology platforms (including full spectrum flow cytometry, histology, bioimaging, data science, genomics and mRNA for pre-clinical vaccine development) to advance their research goals. Kylie played a pivotal role in supporting the establishment of a ground-breaking $69.5 million national RNA development platform. She has a strong leadership track-record, organising high-profile networking events, such as CYTOAsia Singapore 2017, and directing international organisations, such as the Australasian Cytometry Society of which she is former President (2015-2016). Kylie is a two-time NZ Woman of Influence Awards (2014 and 2018) finalist and finalist of the 2021 NZ High Tech Awards. She was the first New Zealander elected to the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC) Council (2018-2020) and served as Chair of the Governance Committee and Secretary of ISAC for four years (2020-2024). Kylie was selected to join the NZ OnBoard Program in April 2023, enhancing her governance and strategic planning skills and she currently serves as a board observer for Orbis Diagnostics and a member of the Advisory Group of Advemto.
Dr Indy Sandaradura
Chief Medical Information Officer, NSW Health Pathology
Dr Indy Sandaradura is a clinical microbiologist and infectious diseases physician based in Sydney, where he is Chief Medical Information Officer at NSW Health Pathology, Senior Staff Specialist at Westmead Hospital and ICPMR, and Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney. His work sits at the intersection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), novel therapeutics, and capacity development in low- and middle-income countries. He has served as a WHO AMR Consultant in the Western Pacific Region, co-authored the Samoa National Antimicrobial Guidelines (2025) with the Samoa Ministry of Health, and is country lead for Samoa with the Pacific Region Infectious Diseases Association (PRIDA). He is a member of the AMR and Novel Therapies Leadership Group at the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, Education Officer of the Australian Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AusCAST), and a member of the Westmead Bacteriophage Therapy team, which delivered one of the first clinical experiences of intravenous phage therapy for severe Staphylococcus aureus infection (Nature Microbiology, 2020). As Chief Investigator on more than A$12 million in competitive grants — he leads a research programme spanning pathogen genomics, pharmacometrics and personalised anti-infective dosing, with over 70 peer-reviewed publications.
Nuk Korako
Former MP and Child Cancer advocate
Tutehounuku (Nuk) Korako is a former Member of Parliament and experienced company director with extensive governance experience across iwi, environmental, public and corporate sectors. He currently serves as a Governor of the Avon River Regeneration Programme and holds leadership roles across iwi organisations and trusts. A committed community contributor, he is also an active multi-sport participant and Child Cancer fundraiser.
Professor Gavin Painter
The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Painter obtained his PhD in chemistry from the University of Otago in 1995 (synthetic methodology) which was followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge (the synthesis of inositol phospholipids for elucidation of PI3K pathways). Since joining the Ferrier Research Institute, University of Wellington in New Zealand his research laboratory has focussed on the synthesis of lipid-based materials including phosphatidyl inositol mannosides, glycolipids, glycolipid-peptide conjugates and novel lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for encapsulation of various vaccine components including RNA, peptides, glycolipids and various immune stimulates. His research group is currently focussed on the development of novel LNPs for vaccine applications, including Malaria and chronic Hepatitis B, and therapeutic applications.