Major support for Otago health research

Thursday 9 March 2017

Major support for Otago health research provided through latest lottery grants

University of Otago researchers have gained more than $2.6M in funding from the Lottery Grants Board to support studies aimed at improving the health status of New Zealanders.

The grants support the purchase of research equipment, scholarships, and the pursuit of research projects aimed to translate into meaningful health outcomes and community benefit.

Researchers from across the University’s three main campuses in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington have received 35 grants in total: 25 translational research grants, 5 equipment grants, four postdoctoral fellowships and one PhD scholarship. A full list appears below.

Nationally, around $3.5m, comprising 49 grants, was distributed in the Lottery Health Research 2016 funding round.

Lottery Health - Research Projects

The cardio-renal syndrome: targeting aldosterone inhibition to reduce cardiac and renal injury
Professor Robert Walker (Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$22,888

Genetic and environmental markers of cardiometabolic health in the Pasifika Heart Study
Dr Allamanda Faatoese (Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch)
$29,827

Turning Weapons of Mass Destruction into Precision-Guided Munitions
Professor Sarah Hook (Pharmacy)
$34,960

Street-based sex workers in the Community: exploring community tensions and experiences of violence and coercion
Associate Professor Gillian Abel (Population Health, University of Otago, Christchurch)
$37,530

Rural nursing: engaging with the benefits and challenges of the rural setting for sustainable workforce development
Dr Fiona Doolan-Noble (General Practice and Rural Health, Dunedin School of Medicine.)
$37,889

Born too soon? Predisposition to Cardio-metabolic diseases in later life following preterm birth.
Dr Clint Gray (Paediatrics, University of Otago, Wellington)
$44,808

Effect of omega-3 supplementation on serum urate and weight in patients with gout
Professor Lisa Stamp (Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch)
$45,935

Establishing a method to detect tumour promoting p53 isoforms on brain and prostate tumours
Dr Tania Slatter (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$46,000

Ageing well with chronic pain
Professor David Baxter (Physiotherapy)
$47,578

Tissue-specific delivery of a novel therapy for cystic kidney disease
Professor Michael Eccles (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$51,397

Personalised risk prediction for the prevention and early detection of bowel cancer
Dr Mary Jane Sneyd (Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$53,544

Understanding the patient experience of impairment in cognitive and general functioning in major depressive disorder
Professor Marie Crowe (Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch)
$55,537

Optimising the utility of natriuretic peptides in predicting cardiovascular health in middle age
Dr Timothy Prickett (Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch)
$59,919

Validating biomarkers for early diagnosis of pre-eclampsia
Dr Erin Macaulay (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$63,099

Improving risk assessment for worsening kidney function in heart failure patients
Dr Moritz Lasse (Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch)
$63,969

Are clusters of cancer present in New Zealand?
Associate Professor Brian Cox (Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$64,318

Developing an Immunoscore to predict prognosis for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Associate Professor Merilyn Hibma (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$76,290

Overcoming immune exhaustion in the tumour microenvironment of people with colorectal cancer
Associate Professor Roslyn Kemp (Microbiology and Immunology)
$76,371

Protecting Babies’ Brains for a Better Future
Dr Rebecca Dyson (Dean's Office University of Otago, Wellington)
$82,411

Helping to Meet the Growing Antibiotic Crisis by Targeting Glutamate Racemase in Pathogenic Bacteria
Professor Kurt Krause (Biochemistry)
$85,346

Development and Piloting of a South Asian-specific Food Frequency Questionnaire (SANZ FFQ) to investigate associations between their dietary patterns and health outcomes in New Zealand
Dr Sherly Parackal (Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$87,442

Circulating microRNAs as prognostic indicator of ischemic heart disease
Associate Professor Rajesh Katare (Physiology)
$88,246

The health of New Zealand veterans
Associate Professor David McBride (Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$102,020

Understanding the longitudinal relations between metabolic health and psychological wellbeing in Pacific young people
Dr Mele Taumoepeau (Psychology)
$112,851

A single genetic marker may predict the propensity of cancers to metastasise and their response to anti-inflammatory drugs
Dr Nicholas Fleming (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$119,965

Lottery Health - Research Equipment

Don Whitley H35 Hypoxystation hypoxia workstation with HEPA option
Professor Michael Eccles (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$41,790

FACSAria Fusion
Dr Joanna Kirman (Microbiology and Immunology)
$120,000

Aperio VERSA 8 Brightfield & Fluorescence 23VER008BFX001
Dr Tania Slatter (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
$100,000

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer
Dr Gregory Giles (Pharmacology and Toxicology)
$61,345

Upgrade of stereotaxic surgery suite
Dr Lucia Schweitzer (Biochemistry)
$69,462

Lottery Health - Postdoctoral Fellowships and PhD Scholarships (awarded in December 2016)

Reducing the burden of metabolic disease in Maori
Dr Megan Leask (Biochemistry, Dunedin)
PD Fellowship - $75,000

Molecular profiling of glioblastoma and brain tumour metastases for a better understanding of disease heterogeneity
Miss Ramona Eiholzer (Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine)
PhD Scholarship - $118,982

From surveillance to strategy: Using available data on sexually transmitted infections to identify opportunities to improve sexual and reproductive health
Dr Antoinette Righarts (Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine)
PD Fellowship - $149,618

Defining the importance of glucocorticoid fast negative feedback on stress neuron excitability
Dr Joon Kim (Physiology)
PD Fellowship - $150,000

Activin C; a novel therapeutic for late stage ovarian cancer?
Dr Karen Reader (Anatomy)
PD Fellowship - $150,000

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