Researcher spotlight: Professor Rob Weinkove
Researcher spotlight: Professor Rob Weinkove
Professor Rob Weinkove is the driving force behind bringing CAR T-cell therapy to Aotearoa – and it all started with a grant from Cancer Research Trust New Zealand.
Until recently, New Zealanders with blood cancer had to travel overseas – often at great personal cost – to access this life-saving treatment. But thanks to Professor Weinkove’s leadership and funding from Cancer Research Trust New Zealand, patients now have access to a clinical trial of CAR T-cell therapy right on their doorstep.
Originally from the UK, Rob studied medicine at the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. Drawn to the field of immunology, he applied for a grant from the Trust to complete an immunology PhD at the University of Otago.
That grant kickstarted a successful research and clinical career at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, where Rob is now Clinical Director.
For the past several years, Rob and his team have been leading a New Zealand-based clinical trial of CAR T-cell therapy – an innovative treatment that modifies a patient’s immune cells to attack cancer. These modified cells are grown in the lab and then returned to the patient, where they can deliver life-saving results with fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
With promising results from phase 1 of the clinical trial, the phase 2 clinical trial opened its doors to Lymphoma patients in Christchurch and Auckland in February 2025, bringing us one step closer to CAR T-cell therapy being a standard of care in New Zealand.
Cancer Research Trust NZ also supported Rob’s groundbreaking research with two additional grants, this time focused on investigating an immune response cancer vaccine that could one day prevent – or even cure – some cancers.
“Cancer Research Trust New Zealand has been pivotal in helping me establish a successful research and clinical career,” says Rob. “This has led to multiple benefits for Kiwis, including access to international trials, faster uptake of new therapies, and the development of innovative treatments here in Aotearoa.”
Thanks to the vision of researchers like Professor Rob Weinkove – and the generosity of our donors – cancer treatment in New Zealand is being transformed.
