Dr George Laking has joined the Centre for Cancer Research as Manutaki Haumanu Māori (Clinical Director Māori).
George grew up in Wellington and studied medicine in Dunedin and Wellington. He completed his postgraduate work in Britain where he wrote his MD on tumour perfusion and his PhD on the economics of diagnosis. Since 2007 he has worked as a Medical Oncologist in Auckland, with current focus areas of gastrointestinal cancer, sarcoma, and adolescent and young adult oncology.
Alongside his hospital work, George is active in Policy and Advocacy at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (topics including climate change, medical assistance in dying, electronic nicotine delivery systems, and Indigenous health. At the University of Auckland George is involved in clinical teaching, and collaborates in research with Professor Mark McKeage (Clinical Pharmacology) and Professor Chris Bullen (National Institute for Health Innovation). He is a former member of PHARMAC’s Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC).
George’s iwi affiliation is Te Whakatōhea, he is involved in Māori Health as a past Chair of Te ORA (the Māori Medical Practitioners’ Association), as current Chair of the Māori Health Committee of the RACP, and a board member of Hei Āhuru Mōwai Maori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa.