Two of New Zealand’s top health research scientists, Professor Andy Mercer and Professor Michael Baker, have been in London this week to attend the Heads of International Research Organisations (HIROs) meeting on behalf of the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC).
Professor Andy Mercer is Chair of the HRC's Biomedical Research Committee and a member of the HRC board. He is Director of the Virus Research Unit, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, at the University of Otago in Dunedin.
Professor Michael Baker is a public health physician and Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago in Wellington, and recipient of the HRC's Liley Medal in 2013 for his highly-cited research that revealed New Zealand's dramatic rise in infectious diseases.
HIROs brings together a large number of major government and philanthropic funders of biomedical research.
Professor Baker said it has been fascinating to hear about the issues that science funders are grappling with across the globe.