News archive
14 Apr 2023
Declining number of children being vaccinated against measles in Aotearoa
There are not enough children under the age of 5 in Aotearoa protected against measles to stop a potential national outb...
06 Apr 2023
Significant step in fight against drug resistance in TB
University of Otago researchers have discovered new ways to treat antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB), op...
05 Apr 2023
New findings on the psychological impacts of the Christchurch terrorist attacks
Preliminary findings from a study of the psychological aftermath of the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attacks show, among...
03 Apr 2023
Late HIV diagnosis still an issue in Aotearoa
Forty per cent of people diagnosed with HIV in Aotearoa between 2011 and 2020 were diagnosed late, a University of Otago...
29 Mar 2023
Evening activity breaks from screen time better for health
Breaking up long periods of sitting in the evening can result in lower blood sugar and insulin levels in healthy adults,...
29 Mar 2023
Otago’s medtech innovation highlighted at showcase
Otago researchers took centre stage at the MedTech Innovation Showcase last month, representing the University’s growing...
23 Mar 2023
New funding will boost RNA research into vaccines and other healthcare treatments
Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and Waipapa Taumata Rau – University of Auckland, have been named as...
15 Mar 2023
Small changes in children’s sleep lead to significant changes in eating habits
Just an hour less sleep a night affects what and how children eat, University of Otago research shows.
14 Mar 2023
Policy changes urged to ensure Aotearoa’s health workforce reflects society
Policy changes are urgently needed to ensure Aotearoa’s future health workforce reflects the diverse communities it will...
14 Mar 2023
14 March 2023 Adverse outcomes in adulthood for abuse survivors
Victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to suffer difficulties across multiple aspects of their lives as adult...
10 Mar 2023
Cloak of protection against infectious diseases needed for schools
A group of health and education experts have published seven key goals in a mission to protect schools from COVID-19 and...
24 Feb 2023
Better targeted prediabetes care needed
A more targeted approach to the screening and treatment of prediabetes is likely to be more effective at preventing type...
17 Feb 2023
Commitment of Cook Islands’ doctors recognised
With a father who worked in health administration in the Cook Islands, it’s probably understandable Dr Te Ariki Faireka...
14 Feb 2023
Pharmacy Clinic offers free medicine assessment for LGBTQIA+
The University of Otago’s School of Pharmacy Clinic will be hosting a free pop-up clinic this week for LGBTQIA+ people t...
14 Feb 2023
University of Otago welcomes new voice for public health
A new centre hosted by the University of Otago will boost the reach and impact of public health research, says its inaug...
02 Feb 2023
Locating for recovery: acute mental health units remain in the shadows
Acute mental health care units remain in the shadows, neither fully integrated into general hospitals nor part of the co...
13 Jan 2023
Funding to assist with story-telling approach to opioid tapering
A University of Otago researcher hopes whānau-focused storytelling could help support people taper off potentially harmf...
13 Jan 2023
Six minutes of intense exercise boosts key brain protein
Six minutes of high intensity exercise may help maintain a healthy brain and delay the onset of neurodegenerative disord...
21 Dec 2022
Communities set to benefit from Indigenous-led international grant with rangatiratanga at heart
The opportunity to develop Māori-led programmes for pēpi, tamariki and whānau wellbeing and intergenerational playspaces...
21 Dec 2022
Otago's leaders of tomorrow receive awards
Forty-one students graduated with their University of Otago Student Leadership Award (UOSLA) certificate this year makin...
20 Dec 2022
New Zealanders still not making enough effort to be “sun safe” – study
Sunscreen alone is not enough, University of Otago researchers are reminding people, after a study published today revea...
19 Dec 2022
Diabetes disparity
Dr Isaiah Immanuel is conducting a one-year study, funded by Research for Children Aotearoa, to discover why Pasifika yo...
19 Dec 2022
Anxiety control
Dr Joon Kim is aiming to produce the first evidence of how neural circuits in the brain control anxiety.
19 Dec 2022
Connecting physical and mental health
Dr Matthew Jenkins is bringing his background in Physical Education and Psychology to his research into helping those li...
19 Dec 2022
Game-changing therapy
Dr Katie Douglas foresees a day when people will visit a mental health service, undergo an assessment and walk away with...
19 Dec 2022
Transforming cancer treatment
Dr Sarah Diermeier and her laboratory team’s intent is to develop innovative drugs that target specific lncRNA molecules...
19 Dec 2022
Turning up the heat
Dr Kate Thomas is researching cardiovascular and cerebrovascular responses to exercise and environmental stressors such...
19 Dec 2022
Bringing the heart online
Dr Susan Wardell (Social Anthropology) has been researching moral and social aspects of the digital world and suggests t...
19 Dec 2022
Sovereign rights to health and wellbeing
A passion for upholding sovereign rights to health and wellbeing for tangata whenua has led Dr Paula Toko King to a care...
19 Dec 2022
The whakapapa, mātauranga and tikanga of water safety
Dr Chanel Phillips is having a major influence on the rethinking and rewriting of the country’s approach to water safety...
16 Dec 2022
Study highlights need for primary care funding overhaul
A new study shows the disparity of patient need across general practices and backs calls for a complete overhaul of the...
16 Dec 2022
Otago’s first ni-Vanuatu health sciences PhD candidate receives grant from the HRC
The worship of a mite that spreads a potentially life-threatening disease in Vanuatu may make for some interesting chall...
15 Dec 2022
Pacific Alliance condemns radioactive discharge from Fukushima Daiichi – calls for NZ action
Plans to discharge tonnes of radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean for around thirty years have been condemned i...
14 Dec 2022
Scientists propose system redesign to improve access to clinical trials
Ensuring that the latest clinical research opportunities, and the healthcare benefits that flow from them, are available...
14 Dec 2022
Wednesday 14 December 2022, New smokefree policy will improve Aotearoa health: Otago experts
University of Otago experts welcome a new smokefree legislation which they say will bring profound health benefits to Ao...
07 Dec 2022
Simple intervention may encourage accessing of mental health services
Despite being known as a vulnerable group for experiencing poor mental health, tertiary students often downplay the seve...
23 Nov 2022
Two more prestigious awards for Otago researchers
Two of the University of Otago’s leading researchers have been honoured for their huge contribution to science with Roya...
22 Nov 2022
Kidney function trajectory starts in childhood – Otago study
People who grew up in deprived socioeconomic conditions, or who were overweight in childhood, are more likely to have po...
17 Nov 2022
Research partnership to help prepare for future infectious disease threats officially launched
A new $36 million research platform aimed at preparing for future infectious disease threats was launched today.
17 Nov 2022
17 November 2022 Renowned Dunedin Study wins Rutherford Medal
The University of Otago’s Dunedin Study – touted as the world’s most successful longitudinal study of a general communit...