Stellar year for young LASRA researcher

It has been a stellar year for New Zealand Leather and Shoe Research Association’s (LASRA) Catherine Maidment, following on from winning this year’s Young Scientist Leather Grant for leather research from the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies Research Commission (IUR) for basic science, the young researcher has just finished her Master's thesis from Massey University. In her thesis, on ‘Investigating the molecular building blocks of loose and tight cattle hide’, she provided a clear, comprehensible and up-to-date description for loose and tight hides using powerful molecular and structural techniques including microscopy and high-resolution mass spectroscopy.

She is currently investigating collagen structure of different species further.

LASRA Director Geoff Holmes says in the seven years Catherine has been with them, under guidance from her supervisor, Dr Rafea Naffa, she has become the go-to person for a range of proteomic techniques, the study of the protein produced or modified by an organism, at LASRA. “We are absolutely stoked at both Catherine’s academic and professional advancement since she has been with us and are thrilled she plans to continue on with a PhD. We are sure more great things are to come.”

To find out more about LASRA's research areas - visit their website.