PhD students and recent graduates
Ghsaq Alhamdani
Topic: Novel Mānuka oil antibacterial membranes to promote bone regeneration
Supervisors: Associate Professor Dawn Coates, Dr Kai Chun Li, Dr Dina Abdelmoneim, Professor Warwick Duncan, Professor Natalie Hughes (Pharmacy)
Commenced 2023
Email alhgh812@student.otago.ac.nz
Marah Alsaid
Topic: Clinical presentation and oral microbiome of children with Molar-Incisor Hypomineralisation
Supervisors: Dr Noren Nor Hasmun, Associate Professor Mani Ekambaran, Associate Professor Nick Heng
Commenced 2023
Email alsma923@student.otago.ac.nz
Amila Arachchilage
Topic: Development of a Hybrid nanocomposite from natural Montmorillonite clay and waste bovine bone for dental restorative applications
Supervisors: Dr Jithendra Ratnayake, Professor Paul Cooper, Professor George Dias (Anatomy), Associate Professor Peter Cathro
Commenced 2023
Email amila.saman@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Nazahiah Bakri
Topic: Assessing the Impact of promoting healthy lifestyle in the workplace and its relationship with Oral Health-Related Quality of Life
Supervisors: Professor Murray Thomson, Dr Moira Smith ( UOW Public Health), Professor Jonathan Broadbent
Commenced 2020
Email nazahiah.bakri@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Shuva Bhowmik
Topic: Utilisation of bioactive chitosan for sustainable active and intelligent food packaging
Supervisors: Associate Professor Azam Ali, Dr Dominic Agyei (Food Science)
Commenced 2021
Email shuva.bhowmik@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Priyanthi Chandravarnan
Topic: Decontamination of fungi and mycotoxins in rice by sustainable decontamination technology
Supervisors: Associate Professor Azam Ali, Dr Dominic Agyei (Food Science)
Commenced 2021
Email priyanthi.chandravarnan@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Chen Chen
Topic: Mānuka oil antimicrobial bio-gel to promote bone regeneration in periodontitis
Supervisors: Associate Professor Dawn Coates, Professor Warwick Duncan, Professor Natalie Hughes (Pharmacy)
Commenced 2022
Email chen.chen@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Christina Deng
Topic: Bioabsorbable surgical sutures for wound healing
Supervisors: Associate Professor Azam Ali, Associate Professor Rajesh Katare
Commenced 2021
Email christina.deng@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Evon Fu
Topic: Bioactive peptides for the management of dental caries
Supervisors: Associate Professor Manikandan Ekambaram, Associate Professor May Mei, Dr Kai Chun Li, Professor Paul Cooper
Commenced 2022
Email fuev4340@student.otago.ac.nz
Christina Gee
Topic: Bovine-derived lactoferrin in a degradable PVA -tyramine hydrogel for oral bone regeneration in a tooth socket model
Supervisors: Professor Warwick Duncan, Associate Professor Dawn Coates, Associate Professor Khoon Lim (Sydney)
Commenced 2019 (part-time)
Email geech379@student.otago.ac.nz
Finn Gilroy
Topic: Quantification and characterisation of dental pulp inflammatory markers for development of a clinical decision-making tool
Supervisors: Professor Paul Cooper, Associate Professor Lara Friedlander, Associate Professor Haizal Hussaini, Dr Trudy Milne
Commenced 2022 (part-time, deferral)
Email finn.gilroy@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Ana Grymak
Topic: Correlation of three wear test modules and post-analysis methods for dental materials
Supervisors: Dr Joanne Choi, Mr John Aarts, Dr Andrew Cameron (Griffith University)
Commenced 2021
Email ana.grymak@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Simon (Guangzhou) Guan
Topic: Real-time atomic force microscopy assessment of the nanotopography and nanomechanics of living cells for early diagnosis of oral cancer
Supervisors: Associate Professor Peter Li Mei, Associate Professor Dawn Coates, Professor Richard Cannon, Professor Alison Rich
Commenced 2021 (part-time)
Email guagu033@student.otago.ac.nz
Eisha Imran
Topic: Development of zinc substituted nanohydroxyapatite toothpaste for caries management
Supervisors: Professor Paul Cooper, Dr Kai Chun Li, Associate Professor May Mei, Associate Professor Mani Ekambaram, Dr Jithendra Ratnayake
Commenced 2023
Email imrei644@student.otago.ac.nz
Kartika Kajal
Topic: Dental anxiety and use of oral health care services across the life course
Supervisors: Professor Jonathan Broadbent, Dr Sandhya Ramrakha (Psychology, Mr Andrew Gray (Biostatistics Centre)
Commenced 2024
Email kajka747@student.otago.ac.nz
Zohaib Khurshid
Topic: Development of a novel ovine tooth putty for use in dental applications
Supervisors: Professor Paul Cooper, Dr Jithendra Ratnayake, Professor George Dias (Anatomy), Associate Professor Nejdet Adanir (King Faisal University, KSA)
Commenced 2021 (part-time, deferral)
Email z.khurshid@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Alex Leonard
Topic: Chemical modifications of fish collagen as a 3D scaffold biomaterial for soft tissue engineering applications
Supervisors: Associate Professor Azam Ali, Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral (Microbiology and Immunology), Dr Mathew Cumming (Plant & Food Research)
Commenced 2021
Email leoal228@student.otago.ac.nz
Xiao Li
Topic: Novel 3D PCL hollow-pipe scaffold with bone cement infiltration for bone regeneration and vascularization
Supervisors: Associate Professor Dawn Coates, Professor Warwick Duncan, Dr Joanne Choi
Commenced 2023
Email lixi3604@student.otago.ac.nz
Xiaoyun (Abby) Liu
Topic: Accuracy and bur wear of multiple milling machines for dental ceramics: A multi-centre study
Supervisors: Dr Joanne Jung Eun Choi, Associate Professor Nick Heng, Mr Andrew Cameron (Griffith University, Australia), Mr Ketil Hegerstrøm Haugli (OsloMet, Norway)
Commenced 2022
Email abby.liu@otago.ac.nz
Peng Qiu
Topic: Development of CFR-PEEK implants with osseointegration and anti-bacterial properties – a new generation of dental implants
Supervisors: Dr Jithendra Ratnayake, Associate Professor Vincent Bennani, Professor Paul Cooper, Professor George Dias (Anatomy)
Commenced 2023
Email peng.qiu@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Ayesha Sameera
Topic: Endoplasmic reticulum stress in oral lichen planus
Supervisors: Dr Benedict Seo, Associate Professor Haizal Hussaini, Dr Qing Sun, Professor Paul Cooper, Professor Alison Rich
Commenced 2022
Email ayesha.sameera@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Mohammed Yehea
Topic: Digital dentistry: studies on the accuracy of digital implant workflow and static computer-guided implant placement
Supervisors: Associate Professor Azam Ali, Professor Karl Lyons
Commenced 2023
Email yehmo258@student.otago.ac.nz
Vaishnavi Yeleswarapu
Topic: Developing and evaluating a digital graphic resource for oral health behaviour change: a multiphase mixed-methods study
Supervisors: Dr Lee Adam, Prof Jonathan Broadbent, Dr Zeina Al Naasan
Commenced 2023
Email vaishnavi.yeleswarapu@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
TiYa Zhang
Topic: Assembly of ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires to enhance the mechanical properties and bioactivities of glass ionomer cement
Supervisors: Associate Professor May Mei, Dr Kai Chun Li, Associate Professor Manikandan Ekambaram, Professor Quanli Li (Anhui Medical University)
Commenced 2023
Email zhaya622@student.otago.ac.nz
Mengcun Zhao
Topic: Structure of ABC transporter Cdr1 embedded in native lipids
Supervisors: Dr Erwin Lamping, Professor Richard Cannon
Commenced 2023
Email zhame830@student.otago.ac.nz
PhD students with SJWRI supervisors enrolled in other Otago departments
Kexin Feng
Topic: The academic motivation and first year experiences of international students fro non-English speaking backgrounds at the University of Otago.
Supervisors: Dr Rob Wass (Higher Education Development Centre), Dr Lee Adam, Professor Rachel Spronken-Smith (HEDC, advisor)
Commenced 2023
Email fenca314@student.otago.ac.nz
Minako Kataoka
Topic: Nutrition Education in Oral Health Therapy Programmes – Perspectives of students, practitioners, and educators
Supervisors: Professor Rachael McLean (Dept of Preventive and Social Medicine), Dr Lee Adam, Professor Lauren Ball (University of Queensland).
Commenced 2022
Email minako.kataoka@postgrad.otago.ac.nz