Funding boost for world-leading Auckland research

Funding boost for world-leading Auckland research

The University of Auckland welcomes the Tertiary Education Commission’s decision to invest in four Centres of Research Excellence (CoRE) hosted or co-hosted by the University.

The University will host four of the six CoREs: the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery; the Medical Technologies CoRE; Te Pūnaha Matatini – The Centre for Complex Systems and Networks; and Brain Research New Zealand – Rangahau Roro Aotearoa (co-hosted with the University of Otago).

In addition, the University is a partner in the remaining two CoREs, the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (hosted by Victoria University of Wellington), and The Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies (hosted by the University of Otago). University of Auckland researchers are Deputy Directors of both of these CoREs.

“This is truly an outstanding result for University of Auckland researchers and those of our partners,” says Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon.

“The CoREs are testament to the breadth and depth of research capability at the University of Auckland, and our involvement means we will be contributing to all six of the National Centres of Research Excellence.”

About the CoREs:

The Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, an existing CoRE, targets major diseases affecting New Zealanders by discovering new therapies and diagnostics for human disease. The Centre specifically targets three groups of diseases that pose grave threats to New Zealand society; cancer, diabetes and infectious disease.

The Medical Technologies CoRE will apply bioengineering technologies to healthcare by producing new knowledge of physiological processes in health and disease, by developing novel bio-instrumentation and computational physiological models, and by designing innovative medical devices and technologies using these results to improve healthcare and to create economic opportunities for New Zealand companies.

Te Pūnaha Matatini. The Centre for Complex Systems and Networks’
research programme brings together New Zealand’s leading researchers in physics, economics, mathematics, biology, computer science, operations management, statistics, and social science to study complex systems and networks in the biosphere, the economy, and the marketplace.

Brain Research New Zealand – Rangahau Roro Aotearoa, will unlock the secrets of the ageing brain and develop new therapies and better clinical and community care to enhance brain health throughout life for all New Zealanders.

The CoREs fund provides operating expenditure of just under $210 million over six years. Funding for the CoREs will begin on 1 January 2015 to 2020.

ENDS

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