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Published 2 December 20122012 Hector Medal
Thomson Medal – for outstanding and inspirational leadership in the management of science: awarded by the Royal Society of New Zealand to Dr Richard Furneaux FRSNZ of Industrial Research Limited.
Dr Richard Furneaux is a Distinguished Scientist and group manager of carbohydrate chemistry at Industrial Research Limited, based in Wellington. He leads what is regarded as the largest carbohydrate chemistry team in the world, and has established an international reputation for research generated by his team, as well as commercial applications to biotechnology in New Zealand, with R&D delivered to over 20 companies. Dr Furneaux’s research, along with a long-standing collaboration with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, has resulted in the development of drugs with potential for treating cancer, gout, and malaria.