Early and Mid-Career Researchers Group, Division of Health Sciences
2021 early-career researchers
Abigail Bland
Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $3478
Project: Modelling the in vivo tumour environment for in vitro analysis of metformin on lung cancer cells
Linda Buss
Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, $4000
Project: Developing interventions to reduce immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated cardiovascular disease
Tim Chambers
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $2641
Project: Nitrate in drinking water and Human Health
Angela Clark
Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, $3994
Project: Te tapu o te Tangata – biological and sociocultural considerations of the 3D visualisation of human skeletal remains in Aotearoa New Zealand
Matthew Jenkins
Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, $4000
Project: Enhancing community health through movement: A one-day wānanga
Arthur Morley-Bunker
Pathology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch, $4000
Project: Development of digital pathology and artificial intelligence technology for the classification of cancers
Emma Wade
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, $3900
Project: Solving renal disease for a Māori whānau
George Wiggins
Pathology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch, $3800
Project: Epitranscriptomic gene regulation and breast cancer risk
2021 mid-career researchers
Simone Bayer
Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, $3445
Project: Inflammasome activation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Rebecca Kinaston
Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, $3980
Project: Collaborative bioarchaelogical research with four hapu from Waikato Tainui iwi
Nhung Nghiem
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $4000
Project: Health and economic data science lab
Michael Pankhurst
Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, $3923
Project: Mass spectrometry imaging of high- and low-quality mouse oocytes
Elisabeth Phillips
Pathology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch, $4000
Project: Adipocyte-driven expression of Major Vault Protein in human breast cancer samples
Erik Wibowo
Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2560
Project: What factors influence stress of Pasifika anatomy students
2022 early-career researchers
Katerina Achilleos
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $1890
Project: Unlocking the secrets of biomineralization in invertebrate ecosystem engineers
Sumit Dadhwal
School of Pharmacy, $1891
Project: Targeted and responsive delivery of antisense oligonucleotides for triple negative breast cancer therapy
Naomi Daniels
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Evasion of BCG-mediated trained innate immunity by hypervirulent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Rachel Darnell
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Identifying antimicrobial tolerance in the bacterial pathogen Enterococcus faecalis
Emily Gray
School of Physiotherapy, $1250
Project: Exploring what it means to partner with Māori and Pacific peoples in cardiac rehabilitation research
Jerry Hsu
Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Project: A New Narrative: Material Development for Ethnic Bias Training for Trainee Health Practitioners
Chi Lynch-Sutherland
Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, $1920
Project: Repeating the past: a role for early developmental genes in malignancy
Silke Morrison
Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, $1925
Project: Sweet dreams – can enhancing sleep improve diet and wellbeing in tamariki?
Helen Owen
Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Prevalence and predictors of psychological distress at 12 years post-injury
Sarah Rhodes
School of Physiotherapy, $2000
Project: Exploring the essential elements of a primary care based long COVID clinic
Melyssa Roy
Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Project: The use of continuous glucose monitoring to enhance the metabolic benefits of exercise and nutrition interventions
Debina Sarkar
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Investigation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer metastasis
2022 mid-career researchers
Matthias Fellner
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: A new target for treatment of S. aureus infections
Natasha Flack
Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Improving clinical anatomy research of the leg for Pacifica
Marina Kazantseva
Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, $1999
Project: Investigating protein targets network implicated in drug resistance in lung cancer
Sarah McKenzie
Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, $1000
Project: Through the Eyes of Men: A virtual photovoice project to understand men's mental illness and suicidality
Erik Wibowo
Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, $1800
Project: Educational experience and wellbeing of Pasifika anatomy students
2023 early-career researchers
Suzan Al Momani
Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Project: Multi-omic single-cell molecular characterisation of drug-resistance in colorectal cancer
Daniela Aldabe
School of Physiotherapy, $2000
Project: Building capacity for improving healthcare services in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms in New Zealand
Miranda Buhler
School of Physiotherapy, $2000
Project: Spatial mapping of physiotherapy workforce distribution: Towards delivering health equity
Allyson Calder
School of Physiotherapy, $2000
Project: Exploring the meaning and value of physical activity for men living with long term conditions
Nick Douglas
Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, $2000
Project: Investigation of hyper-excretion of cefazolin as a potential cause of treatment failure in patients with invasive bacterial infection
Safina Gadeock
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $1754
Project: Regulation of Regenerative Interferons in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Roseanna Gamlen-Greene
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Co-design of a genomics research project with tangata whenua on the Chatham Islands
Jerin Mathew
Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Brain wave training as an intervention for managing chronic pain experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand
Jeremy Simons
Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Project: Responsive research and advocacy through community engagement with Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) Hauora Māori providers and Cancer Society partners
2023 mid-career researchers
Angela Clark
Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, $2000
Project: Validating Emerging 3D Digital Technologies in Skeletal Remains Analysis
Hemakumar Devan
Lecturer, Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, $1680
Project: Partnering with Māori whānau to address inequities to pain management
Caroline Loch
Oral Sciences, School of Dentistry, $2000
Project: Microstructure, biomechanics and chemical composition of teeth is seals
Louise Paton
Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, $1000
Project: Te Ao Marama: Integrating Māori wisdom and thought Into Heart Research
Elisabeth Phillips
Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, $1900
Project: New Zealand Society for Oncology Annual Scientific Meeting
2024 early-career researchers
Sebastiaan Bierema
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $1995
Project: A Transformative Public Housing Research Agenda: Looking Backwards
Nick Bowden
Women’s and Children’s Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Project: Opportunities for cross-country comparisons of linked administrative education and health data
Mary Buchanan
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $1250
Project: In their own space: the housing experiences of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Samuel Carrington
Oral Sciences, School of Dentistry, $1430
Project: Dunedin Study Phase 52 Dental - Pasifika Wānanga
Jan Haviernik
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $1905
Project: Genomic structural variation and sex determination in the Kuhu
Rhiannon Jones
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $2000
Project: Te Whakahaumaru Taiao (TWT): Safe environments for Māori medical practitioners
Lydia Le Gros
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $1995
Project: A Transformative Public Housing Research Agenda: Building Forward
Michael Perkinson
Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Unveiling the Dynamics of Oxytocin Activity and Somatodendritic Release in Freely Behaving Rodents
George Randall
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Exploring bacterial dark proteomes for synthesis of new antibiotics
Leah Smith
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: The LysR-type transcriptional regulator PigU controls CRISPR-based defense against phages and plasmids
Arielle Sulit
Surgery and Critical Care, University of Otago, Christchurch, $2000
Project: Associations Between the Microbiome and Epigenetic Regulation in Colorectal Cancer Development
Mau Te Rangimarie Clark
Māori/Indigenous Health Innovation, University of Otago, Christchurch, $945
Project: ACC Rongoā Māori Conference 2024
Kelly Tikao
Nursing, University of Otago, Christchurch, $2000
Project: It takes a village to rejuvenate Ngāi Tahu customary birthing practices – a collective approach
Francesca Todd Rose
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Leveraging PBT2+Zn Hypersensitivity to Counteract Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Catherine Wall
Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, $2000
Project: Nutrition screening and prevalence of malnutrition in inflammatory bowel disease
2024 mid-career researchers
Indranil Basak
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $1300
Project: Kia Aroha Hauora Expo
Claire Henry
Surgery and Anaesthesia, University of Otago, Wellington, $2000
Project: Exploring the Role of Neutrophils In Endometriosis
Amanda Kvalsvig
Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, $1000
Project: Accessible Te Reo language learning for a deaf researcher
Aaron Stevens
Pathology and Molecular Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, $2000
Project: Genemappers 2024 Conference
Additional 2024 Accelerator Grants awarded by the Divisional Research Committee
Jerry Hsu
Psychological medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, $2000
Project: Pioneering Artificial Intelligence in Automating the Development of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM): A Cognitive Intervention for Depression
Nathan Kenny
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Molluscan genomic resources for aquaculture and climate change resilience
David Mayo Muñoz
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Hfq and small RNA regulation of multiple CRISPR-Cas systems in Serratia
Annika Seddon
Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, $2000
Project: Investigating the Impact of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Older Cantabrians
Chun Shen Lim
Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences, $2000
Project: Profiling of intermolecular binding sites by long-read sequencing
Adith Venugopal
Oral Sciences, School of Dentistry, $2000
Project: Ideation and Preliminary Development of a Safe and Non-Ionizing Imaging Modality for High-Resolution Dental Imaging