Assoc Prof Chris Hemmings
Clinical Director Anatomical Pathology
BHB, MBChB, FRCPA, FNZSP, FFScRCPA, AFRACMA, PhD
Special Interests
Gastrointestinal pathology, colorectal cancer, NET, GIST, diagnostic oncology, tumour biology, multidisciplinary cancer care
Biography
Associate Professor Hemmings is a graduate of Auckland medical school and completed postgraduate training in pathology in Auckland and Christchurch. She then worked in Australia for 15 years (in Canberra and Perth), most recently as Director of Anatomic Pathology and Head of Molecular Oncology at the Bendat Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Perth. She undertook postgraduate fellowships in London and Boston, and completed a PhD at UWA studying radiation response in locally advanced rectal cancer. Chris returned to CDHB in 2018, where her main clinical and research interests are in the fields of gastrointestinal pathology, rare cancers and tumour biology.
Chris is the Bowel Screen Lead Pathologist for Canterbury and West Coast DHB’s, and the reference pathologist for neuroendocrine tumours (NET) for the South Island. She is currently RCPA Vice President (NZ) and serves on a number of committees related to pathology, cancer and clinical governance, including the Clinical Assembly of Te Aho o Te Kahu, the Council of Medical Colleges, the RCPA Cancer Services Advisory Committee, the CDHB Credentials Board, the Canterbury Tissue Bank Board, the executive of the NZ Society for Oncology, and the Scientific Advisory Committee of AGITG (Australasian Gastrointestinal Trials Group). She chairs the Medical Testing Professional Advisory Committee of IANZ and the Anatomic Pathology Programme Committee for the RCPA’s annual scientific meeting “Pathology Update”, and is an Associate Editor of the journal “Pathology”. In 2019 she received the RCPA’s Meritorious Service Award for outstanding service to the College. In her “spare” time Chris is undertaking postgraduate study in Bioethics and Health Law, through the University of Otago.
In addition to her administrative duties as head of department, Chris is a member of the GI, hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) and ophthalmic specialty teams and contributes to the colorectal, upper gastrointestinal and HPB multidisciplinary meetings, and the National Neuroendocrine Tumour meeting.
Research & Publications
Research & Publications by Assoc Prof Chris Hemmings