Helena Abolins-Thompson is a rising Māori health researcher and PhD candidate whose work in precision medicine, genomics, and kaupapa Māori science is helping reshape how Indigenous health is understood and delivered. Of  Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāi Tahu, and Rangitāne descent, she is driven by a vision where health systems reflect and uplift Māori realities, values, and aspirations.

Helena is currently completing a PhD in Health Sciences at the University of Otago, Wellington, working with the Surgical Cancer Research Group under Dr Kirsty Danielson. Her research focuses on how genomic medicine and surgical oncology can better serve Māori whānau facing cancer and cardiovascular disease—areas where health inequities persist.

In 2024, Helena visited the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT through the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative to explore advanced techniques like single cell RNA sequencing for hard-to-analyse samples, contributing to Indigenous-led genomics grounded in tikanga Māori and data sovereignty.

Helena’s academic journey includes a Master of Biomedical Science with First-Class Honours and a Bachelor of Biomedical Science from Victoria University of Wellington. Her achievements include the TJA Ballinger Award, Dean’s List recognition,and selection as Graduate Speaker for the Faculty of Science.

Helena’s leadership is grounded in a belief that Māori must not only be participants in biomedical research, but also decision-makers—defining ethics, leading innovation, and shaping outcomes.

Through her mahi, Helena is helping to ensure Māori lead the future of health—where whakapapa, wairua, and whānau are central to care, research, and wellbeing.

Link:

The Cancer Society of New Zealand - Helena talks about receiving a Cancer Research Scholarship (YouTube)

Otago student wins $160,000 at Māori Career Development in Cancer Research Awards, 18 March 2022

The Maurice Wilkins Centre For Molecular Biodiscovery Ms Helena Abolins-Thompson

Te Ao Māori News - Māori taking cancer research head on after award win - March 11, 2022

Victoria University Graduate Speaker C5, 2020 - Helena Abolins-Thompson (YouTube)

Culturally responsive strategies and practical considerations for live tissue studies in Māori participant cohorts (article) Front Res Metr Anal. 2024 Nov

Stuff News: Winners of new Māori cancer research awards aim to reduce inequities in healthcare March 9, 2022 

2023 GRACI Foundation Grant Recipient  Investigating chemotherapeutic response in ovarian cancer; Generating Tumour Organoids for Wāhine Māori patients. 

Ovarian Cancer Foundation – Research we fund

Helena focuses on improving cancer outcomes for Māori women (page 45)