Rutherford Medal winner David Parry
Massey University biophysicist David Parry (pictured on right, image courtesy of Massey University) is the recipient of this year's Rutherford Medal, the highest science honour in New Zealand. His research focuses on fibrous proteins, a group of proteins that make up our muscles, connective tissue, hair and skin.
His most recent discovery shows that hair undergoes a major structural transformation between its formation in the hair follicle and when it emerges from the scalp. Earlier research has led to an understanding of the mechanisms that control how muscles contract and relax, which in turn led to commercial applications in the meat industry.
Fourteen medals and awards were presented at the 2008 Royal Society of New Zealand Science Honours this week. Full list of awards
