Otago heart researchers gain funding

University of Otago scientists have been awarded nearly $572,000 in research funding in the National Heart Foundation's latest funding round.

Two project grants, three small project grants, three fellowships and a grant-in-aid have gone to seven researchers from across the University's three main campuses in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington.

The Christchurch recipients are all members of the Christchurch Heart Institute, whose researchers include cardiologists, geneticists, biochemists and physiologists. Two of the three Dunedin recipients are members of the HeartOtago group, which consists of researchers and clinicians in the Division of Health Sciences and Dunedin Hospital.

FUNDING RECIPIENTS

PROJECT GRANTS

Managing cardiovascular risk in people with mental illness
Dr Ruth Cunningham (Public Health, Wellington)
$148,000 over two years

How does fat make the human heart fibrillate?
Drs Regis Lamberts & Pete Jones (Physiology)
$139,295 over two years

RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

Dr Moritz Lassé (Department of Medicine, Christchurch)
$75,000 over three years

Dr Allamanda Faatoese (Department of Medicine, Christchurch)
$75,000 over one year

Dr Judith Marsman (Surgical Sciences)
$75,000 over three years

SMALL PROJECT GRANTS

Assessing Kidney Function in Heart Failure
Dr Moritz Lassé (Department of Medicine, Christchurch)
$14,450

Defining estradiol's bad effects on atherosclerosis: towards safe HRT for women
Professor Alison Heather (Physiology)
$15,000

Development of ventricular cardiomyocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells
Dr Rajesh Katare (Physiology)
$14,710