Rate My Professor Kiri-Moana Burich

Kiri-Moana Burich is an Assistant Research Fellow in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Otago, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Division, Dunedin. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Otago, awarded in 2022, and a Master of Science in Biochemistry with Distinction, conferred in December 2024. Burich commenced her research career with a summer studentship in the Diermeier Lab within the Department of Biochemistry. Her commitment to cancer research is deeply personal, inspired by numerous immediate family members who have died from cancer, are battling cancer, or have survived it. Her mother has long served as the CEO of the Samoa Cancer Society, shaping her dedication to the field.

In the Diermeier Lab, supervised by Dr. Sarah Diermeier, a Lecturer in Biochemistry, Burich investigated the function of the novel long non-coding RNA lncTNBC1 in promoting the growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells during her MSc studies. This work culminated in her thesis titled 'Investigating the role of lncTNBC1 in triple-negative breast cancer growth,' which she presented at the MSc research presentations in 2023. As an MSc student, she contributed to projects in nanomedicine and diagnostics research. Burich received prestigious funding, including the Mike Murphy and Rob Smith Scholarship in 2022—awarded to thirteen postgraduate students in Biochemistry—and the University of Otago Māori Master's Research Scholarship. She continues her research contributions as an Assistant Research Fellow in pathology.