Major funding for University of Otago health research

World-class research at the University of Otago aimed at improving New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing has gained significant backing in the Health Research Council’s latest annual funding round.

Researchers from across the University’s Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington campuses have been awarded more than $27m for 16 research contracts including four major programmes, eight projects and four grants to up-and-coming researchers.

The Otago research initiatives range from investigations into the genetic basis of deadly diseases to community-level interventions to create healthier home environments.

Funding for three multi-million dollar, multi-year programmes at Otago has been extended in the latest round. These programmes involve investigating aging and risk for chronic disease in members of the world-renowned Dunedin Multidisciplinary Study; the roles of highly reactive chemicals in the body in promoting health and causing disease; and the effect cold and damp housing has on New Zealanders’ health and how to best tackle this problem.

A major new $4.8m programme seeking to tease out the mechanisms underlying the brain’s control of fertility has also been supported by the HRC. This research is helping to provide the foundations for designing new therapies to help infertile couples and safer, more effective, contraceptives.

Two of Otago’s new HRC projects delve into childhood obesity and the long-term success of interventions in infancy, such as improved self-regulation of sleep, feeding and activity.

Another project will compare the health and well-being of New Zealand adults who had a very low birth weight to that of adults born at full-term. Cure Kids, whose work contributes to funding vital medical research into life-threatening childhood illnesses in New Zealand, is co-funding this project.

Other newly supported child health-related Otago projects include investigating genetic predisposition to biliary atresia, a lethal congenital disease that disproportionately affects Maori and Pasifika children, and research into reducing the disparities in Maori maternal and infant health outcomes arising from gestational diabetes.

Further projects will investigate new means of treating Parkinson’s disease symptoms; the effect of lowering the alcohol purchase age on traffic injury and assault; and how best to combine the results of multiple studies to inform clinical decision-making.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise) Professor Richard Blaikie warmly congratulated all of Otago’s HRC recipients on their success in what he describes as a very competitive and prestigious funding round.

“I am delighted that these fine researchers, who range from senior professors to early-career staff, have received this significant support. This welcome funding will allow them to pursue world-class research that promises to make a real difference to New Zealanders’ health and well-being.”

Four of the 11 HRC Emerging Researcher First Grants awarded nationally went to early-career staff at Otago.

These researchers’ respective projects involve studying aspects of influenza virus life cycle that may lead to new treatment strategies; testing novel early interventions for hyperactivity in preschoolers; searching for potential predictors of low back and pelvic girdle pain in healthy populations, which may help early diagnosis and treatment; and looking for genetic variants that may predispose some people towards positive emotions in everyday life.