Dr Claire Henry is a Lecturer (Pūkenga) in the Department of Surgery and Critical Care at the University of Otago Wellington, Faculty of Medicine. She earned her BSc (Hons I) and PhD from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. After completing her doctorate, she held a postdoctoral position in the Gynaecology Research Group at UNSW. In 2019, she relocated to Aotearoa New Zealand as a research fellow in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health at the University of Otago Wellington. In 2023, she joined the Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia as a lecturer and now leads the Translational Gynaecology Research Group.
Dr Henry’s research interests centre on gynaecology, specifically ovarian and uterine cancer, endometriosis, and menstrual health. Her investigations include diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of disease, novel cell culture techniques, extracellular vesicles, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, vulval cancer, patient experiences, and equitable access to care. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, including Henry et al. (2026), 'Perceived impact of medicinal cannabis on pelvic pain and endometriosis related symptoms in Aotearoa New Zealand: An observational cohort study', BMC Complementary Medicine & Therapies; Williams et al. (2025), '‘It’s not a solution to keep telling me to lose weight!’ Exploring endometrial cancer survivors’ experiences of nutrition and well-being advice: A qualitative study', Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Abolins-Thompson et al. (2024), 'Culturally responsive strategies and practical considerations for live tissue studies in Māori participant cohorts', Frontiers in Research Metrics & Analytics; Kanagasabai et al. (2024), 'Women’s experience of participating in a storytelling intervention about abnormal uterine bleeding for medical student education', Focus on Health Professional Education; and Henry et al. (2020), 'Barriers to seeking consultation for abnormal uterine bleeding: systematic review of qualitative research'. In 2023, she was awarded the Best Poster Prize at the British Gynaecological Cancer Society’s annual scientific meeting for 'CXCL as a potential IHC marker of POLEmut endometrial cancer'.