Addressing pressing questions with $48m research

Addressing pressing questions with $48m in research investments

The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology has approved more than $48 million per annum for public good science and technology investments in its main 2010 investment round.

Foundation Chief Executive Murray Bain says this investment round demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to investing in research that offers both value for money and maximum benefit to New Zealanders.

“We are backing some of New Zealand’s most excellent scientific teams—$48m into 42 contracts with 18 Crown research institutes, universities and private sector research organisations.

“The Government has clearly identified science as a driver of economic growth, and the Foundation is tasked with investing in the best of research that aligns with Government priorities.

“We believe these new investments in areas as diverse as new diagnostic procedures for breast cancer, and in addressing some of the most pressing questions around fresh water management, will deliver new knowledge, products and processes that will drive the economy forward and build wealth for New Zealand.”

The $48 million investment is being distributed across three main science areas:

• $16.4m per annum in 11 freshwater research projects to improve the quality, management and use of New Zealand’s freshwater resources

• $20.9m per annum in 16 primary sector-related research projects to develop new technologies to increase the export returns from food and food processing (value added) both on and off-farm, among other primary sector industries

• $10.8m per annum in 15 research and development projects within the high-tech manufacturing sector, including medical and health technologies, novel materials, manufacturing and applications, and information and communications technologies.

Mr Bain says the Foundation has taken a strategic approach to investment processes—working in partnership with researchers and ensuring research end-users get what they need to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.

“For example our Freshwater Research Strategy was developed in partnership with the Environment Ministry to secure practical research for policy makers and water managers.

“Also, $14.3m of the multi-year freshwater research contracts are relevant to Māori—an eleven-fold increase from previous years and a direct recognition of the inherent importance to fresh water to iwi as both resource managers and guardians of rivers and lakes,” he says.

The 42 contracts with the 18 organisations result from a two-stage contestable process where research organisations bid for available funding. All contracts take effect from 1 October 2010 and range in duration from two to six years.
Specific investments across the three research areas

• Integrated fresh water solutions—Massey University
$350,000 per annum over three years to integrate freshwater scientific and environmental data with socio/cultural and economic data; this will enable local water managers to improve the quality of the freshwater ecosystem in the Manawatu catchment.

• Embryo survival—AgResearch
$1.7m per annum over six years to research why only half of ovulated eggs produce lambs and calves. Increasing embryo survival by 3 per cent is expected to boost primary sector revenue by $150m per annum.

• Bioengineering technologies for breast and lungs—University of Auckland
$1m per annum over four years in research to develop new diagnostic and treatment procedures for breast cancer and respiratory disease by using realistic computer models.

• Titanium alloy powder—University of Waikato
$599,400 per annum over two years to enhance the capability and international competitiveness of the New Zealand titanium metal industry sector by improving current powder consolidation processes. Improving production is expected to lead to $100-200m per annum in titanium products exports by 2019.

• Making lambs immune to parasites—AgResearch
$683,300 per annum over six years to identify methods to improve lambs’ immune system resistance to parasitic worms. If successful this will provide farmers with further tools to manage worms and problems associated with drench resistance.

• Magnetic resonance capability—Victoria University of Wellington
$650,000 per annum over two years to develop a suite of prototype technologies that will result in products and methods for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging markets. This will benefit New Zealand companies such as Magritek and other companies in the electronics, machining and plastics moulding sector.

• Restoring wetlands—Landcare Research Ltd
$600,000 per annum over six years to reverse the decline in wetlands, and to see a 15 per cent increase by 2016 in the number and area of wetlands being restored by wetland land-owners and managers.

• Nanorods for acoustic microscopes—Industrial Research
$300,000 per annum over three years to develop a new nanotechnology-based advanced instrument to measure fibre homogeneity and alignment in plastic products. This will support New Zealand high-value plastics manufacturers.

• Anti-allergen ingredients from raw milk—Fonterra Research Centre Ltd
$250,000 per annum over three years to develop ingredients that prevent the onset of allergic disease, in a similar manner to anti-allergy effects of raw milk, but in a way that is safe for infants.

• Novel Sauvignon Blanc wines—Plant & Food Research
$2m per annum over six years to provide New Zealand’s wine industry with the tools to produce new and distinct flavour-style of Sauvignon Blanc wines that attract a premium export price.

• Renewable high performance coatings—Industrial Research Ltd
$440,000 per annum over four years to develop novel coating ingredients, for use in the paint industry, that can be manufactured from readily-available raw materials with minimal environmental impact.

ENDS