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Published 24 June 2026Researcher working on cancer detection wins pitch competition
Dr Judy Ann Cocadiz, of the University of Otago, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, won Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand for her proposed approach to detect cancer earlier.
Dr Cocadiz will be heading to Germany to represent Aotearoa New Zealand in this global competition, supported by the German Embassy, Euraxess, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Her winning pitch was about her work to detect cancer earlier by capturing fragments of tumour DNA that circulate in the blood (ctDNA). Her research team is developing a portable device – the size of a grain of rice – that can be placed temporarily into a vein. Acting as a microfilter, it passively samples litres of blood to find rare ctDNA fragments, enabling earlier, more accurate, and more equitable cancer diagnoses.
Watch her winning pitch:
Congratulations to the other finalists:
Dr Anindita Sen, of Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, who spoke on detecting drug harm:
Dr Hadee Thompson-Morrison, of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, who talked about novel ways to reduce nitrous-oxide emissions:
The Society brought together 20 inspiring early-career researchers to pitch their breakthrough ideas in just 3 minutes.
View all pitches from the day.