Professor Allan Herbison awarded HRC's Liley Medal for outstanding research

19 November 2009

Professor Allan Herbison, of the Department of Physiology and Centre of Neuroendocrinology (University of Otago), has been awarded the Health Research Council's Liley Medal for "outstanding" research which could lead to new treatments for infertility.

Prof Herbison was delighted to receive the award which was presented at a science honours dinner in Auckland. The award was made for an outstanding contribution to the health and medical sciences in the field of neuroscience and neuroendocrinology.

The medal provided a "nice recognition" of world-class research being undertaken by Otago researchers at the Otago centre and by collaborators at Cambridge University.

Research Council officials said his "breakthrough" research showed a small protein molecule called kisspeptin played a crucial role within the brain in triggering ovulation.

His research, published last year, described the process by which a small group of nerve cells in the brain, called gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons were activated, thereby triggering the hormone surge that leads to ovulation.

Up to 20% of couples in New Zealand suffer from infertility.

- Otago Daily Times