News archive
26 Feb 2016
New tool to accelerate health research
A new protein crystallography tool available to Otago researchers will help accelerate research into drug and vaccine de...
20 Feb 2018
Unique chemistry - which one day might help fight serious disease - found in the New Zealand glowworm
University of Otago researchers have helped uncover how New Zealand glowworms produce their glow.
13 Sep 2018
Early immune response research wins Otago Spotlight Award
Brin Ryder, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, won the 2018 Otago Spotlight student poster competition. As one...
03 May 2014
Renewed interest in alternative remedies
Professor Kurt Krause, Director of the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases, suggests that the post-antibiotic era may...
20 Nov 2013
The end of antibiotics?
Professor Kurt Krause is interviewed on the end of the effectiveness of antibiotics and the threat of superbugs.
01 Sep 2014
Causes of rheumatic fever under investigation
Professor Michael Baker is leading an investigation into the causes of rheumatic fever.
01 Nov 2013
Professor Andy Mercer achieves Marsden Grant success
Professor Andy Mercer achieves Marsden Grant success. This project will define a new mechanism by which viruses evade ce...
19 Nov 2014
Investigating natural immunity to TB
Dr Ayesha Verrall is investigating natural immunity to TB as part of her doctoral thesis.
02 May 2019
Australasian Virology Society meeting, December 2019
The Webster Centre will be sponsoring the Australasian Virology Society's tenth meeting, 2 to 5 December 2019, in Queens...
06 Jul 2017
Otago Bacterial Energetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Group wins 2017 Research Group Award
The Otago Bacterial Energetics and Antimicrobial Resistance Group wins 2017 Research Award
14 Oct 2021
TB research will make ‘enormous global health impact’
University of Otago researchers are behind a major scientific breakthrough which could lead to elimination of the world’...
01 May 2014
Superbugs challenge antibiotics
Resistance to antibiotics is no longer a prediction for the future according to the World Health Organisation, which cla...
01 Nov 2013
Marsden Grant success for Professor Greg Cook
Marsden Grant success for Professor Greg Cook for infectious disease research into targets for drug and vaccine developm...
27 Nov 2013
Liley Medal presented to Professor Michael Baker
The prestigious Liley Medal 2013 was presented to Professor Michael Baker in recognition of his landmark 2012 study of i...
03 Apr 2014
Evidence lacking for flu jab substitutes
Professor Michael Baker, of the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases, expresses concern about alternatives offered in...
02 May 2019
Webster Centre Symposium: Infectious diseases and membrane proteins
The Webster Centre presents the 2019 QMB satellite symposium: Infectious diseases and membrane proteins, on 1 and 2 Sept...
16 Aug 2010
TB susceptibility linked to gene
International health researcher, Professor Philip Hill, is part of a consortium that has successfully used genome scann...
03 Dec 2012
EU consortium investigates TB and diabetes links
Professor Philip Hill, who has an extensive record in TB research in developing countries, will be part of a multi-disci...
20 Apr 2017
Professor Greg Cook appears in Dairy News 'Mastitis treatment needs major overhaul'
University of Otago Professor Greg Cook appears in Dairy News article Mastitis treatment needs major overhaul
19 Oct 2017
Cook team wins Otago Research Group Award
Cook team wins Otago Research Group Award
13 Feb 2018
Third vaccine dose needed to protect young New Zealanders from mumps outbreak
Urgent and proactive action is needed to protect young people from the current mumps outbreak in New Zealand, says Dr Ay...
22 Mar 2018
University of Otago researcher at forefront of discovery to help end tuberculosis
As World Tuberculosis Day looms on 24 March, one of the University of Otago’s latest Sir Charles Hercus Health Research...
22 Mar 2019
Webster Family Chair in Pathogenesis appointment
Following an extensive international search, Professor Miguel Quiñones-Mateu has been appointed as the second holder of...
27 Aug 2020
Vaccine alliance for national COVID-19 vaccine screening and development programme
Vaccine alliance for national COVID-19 vaccine screening and development programme
10 Jan 2016
MOH tenders for 300,000 doses of H5N1 vaccine
300k, H5N1
04 Feb 2016
Volcanic bacteria take minimalist approach to survival
Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases News and events, find out more about upcoming events and news about our exciting...
23 Aug 2014
Ability to isolate infection NZ's strength
Professor Kurt Krause, Webster Centre director, is interviewed the the NZ Listener about New Zealand's ability to protec...
13 Jul 2016
Cafe Sci: From Zika to Measles, Take Another Look at ... Infectious Diseases
Join Professors Kurt Krause, Greg Cook, James Ussher, Philip Hill, John Crump and Dr Brendan Arnold for a panel discussi...
21 Nov 2016
Five things that can be done to help combat antimicrobial resistance
Five things that can be done to help combat antimicrobial resistance
13 Nov 2015
OIHRN Meeting
OIHRN meeting 11 - 12 November 2015 at Dunedin
13 Apr 2017
Professor Kurt Krause appears in University of Otago Magazine
Professor Kurt Krause appears in the University of Otago Magazine 'Infectious Research'
09 May 2017
Webster Centre part of successful bidding for new One Health Aotearoa (OHA) Flagship
Webster Centre is part of successful bidding for new Otago Health Aotearoa Flagship
15 Jul 2016
Scientist hopes to stop deadly TB
Scientist hopes to stop deadly TB
04 May 2009
Health regulations tested by flu
Associate Professor Michael Baker says, in an Otago Daily Times report, that the swine flu outbreak is providing a major...
03 May 2017
Developing a faster way to detect antibiotic resistance
University of Otago Researchers are developing a faster way to detect antibiotic resistance
28 Mar 2018
Explorer Grant funding from HRC to investigate smallpox protein
Professor Kurt Krause receives Explorer Grant funding to investigate smallpox protein
27 Jan 2015
Antibiotic resistance and industry
Professor Kurt Krause responds to an opinion about industry's role in growing antibiotic resistance, in an interview wit...
13 Jul 2016
Webster Centre winner of OSMS photo competition 2016
Webster Centre winner of the OSMS photo competition 2016 Susie Warring and highly commended Vernon Ward on structure of...
10 Oct 2018
Webster Centre awards conference scholarships
The Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases has awarded three conference attendance scholarships to young researchers to...
16 Nov 2017
Smart Idea Project awarded MBIE 2017 Funding
Professor Kurt Krause, Webster Centre Steering Committee member, awarded MBIE 2017 Funding
08 Nov 2017
Dr Michael Knapp and Professor Greg Cook awarded MBIE 2017 Funding
Professor Greg Cook awarded MBIE 2017 Funding
29 Oct 2014
NZ's role in fighting Ebola
Professor Michael Baker calls on the NZ Government to send health workers to Ebola affected areas of West Africa as part...
08 May 2017
Webster Centre Director appointed as Deputy Chair of the Health Research Council of NZ
Webster Centre Director, Professor Andy Mercer, has been appointed as Deputy Chair of the Health Research Council of NZ...
30 May 2017
Professor Cook inspires Otago Boys High School students
Professor Cook inspires Otago Boys High School students in May 2017
12 Apr 2010
Risk of superbug to New Zealand
Webster Centre Director Professor Kurt Krause comments on the risk of a superbug getting to New Zealand. A warning's bee...
21 May 2010
Synthetic living cell created
Professor Iain Lamont takes to ONE News about synthesising a living cell and implications of this research.
05 Apr 2016
"Peak Antibiotics"
Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases Steering Committee on Peak antibiotics on Prime TV April 2016
30 May 2017
Germs are us
Webster Centre members feature in an ODT article outlining the good and bad news around our microbes and us.
13 Sep 2017
Professor Krause receives Catalyst funding from RSNZ
Professor Kurt Krause, Webster Centre Steering Committee member, receives Catalyst funding from Royal Society Te Apãrang...
07 Jan 2018
More than 41,000 New Zealanders are isolated in hospitals to stop the spread of disease
Professor Kurt Krause appears in NZ Herald commenting on more than 41,000 New Zealanders are isolated in hospitals to st...
04 Apr 2018
New antibiotic might help fight against superbug - expert reaction
Experts' reaction to new antibiotic which might help fight against superbug
25 Nov 2014
Huge toll from seasonal influenza
Professor Michael Baker discusses a new paper about the large public health impact of influenza in New Zealand.
27 Apr 2009
Tuberculosis resources poor
Guest speaker, Dr Clifton Barry, at the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases Symposium, expressed his concern about th...
04 Oct 2018
Webster researchers feature in Otago Spotlight Series
At the 2018 Otago Spotlight Series: Infectious Disease Research forum held in Wellington, four of the Webster Centre's l...
05 Aug 2014
Distinguished Research Medal awarded
Professor Greg Cook received the 2014 Distinguished Research Medal for his substantial contribution to microbial researc...
19 May 2017
Infections due to antimicrobial-resistant microbes could kill 10 million people globally per year by 2050
The Royal Society Te Aparangi has published a summary of evidence on 'Antimicrobial resistance - Implications for New Ze...
10 Mar 2018
Relapse - why we're under attack
Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases members appear in ODT article 'Relapse - why we're under attack'
05 Sep 2018
Flu Hunter: Unlocking the Secrets of a Virus
New book: Flu Hunter, is Robert G Webster’s gripping, first-person account of the tenacious scientific detective work in...
18 Nov 2017
Clock ticking on plan for superbugs
Dr James Ussher appears in ODT for Clock Ticking on plan for superbugs
17 Mar 2016
Vaccine Cuts Rate of Major Disease in African Children in Half
Professor Philip Hill's findings on monitoring a population of 200,000 people in The Gambia, West Africa
05 Sep 2015
Ebola and beyond—how bugs kill us
Siouxsie Wiles, Kurt Krause, Nigel French, bugs, antibiotic
13 May 2014
Explorer grants awarded for antibiotic resistance research
Webster Centre principal investigator Professor Greg Cook attracts a $150K Explorer grant for antibiotic resistance res...
30 Jun 2017
HRC funding success for Professor Iain Lamont "Unmasking genes for antibiotic resistance in a superbug"
Professor Iain Lamont receives HRC funding success to unmask genes for antibiotic resistance in a superbug
25 Oct 2017
One Health Aotearoa Symposium
Webster Centre Postgraduate Travel Scholarships offered to attend OHA Symposium 13 - 14 December 2017
13 Apr 2017
Avian flu pioneer Alumnus Professor Robert Webster appears in University of Otago Magazine
Alumnus Professor Robert Webster appears in the University of Otago Magazine Issue 44 in April 2017.
13 Sep 2016
Fighting Zika and other viruses
Professor Robert Webster, world renowned virologist and pioneer in influenza, is interviewed by Kathryn Ryan on fighting...
15 Aug 2015
TB research funding awarded
Professor Greg Cook and Dr Htin Lin Aung awarded $450,000 for Tb research.
21 Mar 2015
Rheumatic Fever Workshop
Rheumatic Fever Workshop
26 May 2016
On the Cover of Biochemical Journal
Exploring the structure of Glutamate Racemase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a template for anti-mycobacterial drug...
07 Sep 2016
US ban on antibacterial products finds support
Professor Kurt Krause appears in ODT article US ban on antibacterial products finds support
07 Aug 2017
16th International Conference on Pseudomonas
Professor Iain Lamont will attend the 16th International Conference on Pseudomonas 5 - 9 September 2017
23 Sep 2014
Nuffield Scholarship awarded
Andrew Highton PhD, past winner of a Webster Centre Travel Award, has received a prestigious Nuffield Scholarship to Oxf...
10 Sep 2014
Infectious diseases in the farming sector
Professor Frank Griffin is interviewed about the impact of infectious disease in NZ's farming sector, particularly Johne...
30 Jun 2017
Drugs for bugs: beating AMR
Professor Greg Cook and Dr Adam Heikal discuss approaches to developing new antimicrobials
15 Sep 2014
Health impacts of poor housing
Professor Michael Baker, a Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases research leader, comments on the health impacts of poo...
20 Mar 2015
Role of topical antibiotics causing Staphylococcus aureus resistance in NZ
Role of topical antibiotics causing Staphylococcus aureus resistance in NZ
25 Sep 2018
Chaffer Fellow will share advanced microscopy techniques
Chaffer Fellow, Dr Kelly Rogers, will deliver lectures on advanced microscopy techniques, a research seminar about her l...
28 Apr 2017
Antibiotic Emergency
Read Professor Kurt Krause's comments in Antibiotic Emergency article in NZ Listener in April 2017
30 Apr 2009
Using Tamiflu effectively
Professor Kurt Krause answers common questions about the drug Tamiflu, and how it can be best utilised against swine flu...
21 Sep 2016
World leaders to meet at UN to discuss the global crisis and anti-microbial resistance
Professor Kurt Krause appeared on Radio New Zealand on 21 September to discuss super bugs and antibiotics
30 Aug 2018
Join the crew to track the flu!
The Ministry of Health is looking for volunteers to help track influenza. People who live in New Zealand who have easy a...
12 Sep 2011
New Zealand's E.coli risk
Infectious diseases experts, including Professor Kurt Krause, discuss New Zealand's E.coli risk in response to the outbr...
07 Sep 2016
Professor Robert Webster Visiting NZ
Professor Robert Webster Visiting Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, New Zealand September 2016
15 Aug 2017
Professor Krause attended the International Union of Crystallography Conference
Professor Kurt Krause attended the International Union of Cyrstallography Conference 21 - 29 August 2017
14 Sep 2017
QMB/Webster Centre Infectious Diseases Symposium, Queenstown, New Zealand
QMB/Webster Centre will hold an Infectious Diseases Satellite meeting 7 - 8 September, Queenstown, New Zealand
26 Jan 2015
Infectious diseases peak in south
Professor Steve Chambers comments on the recorded spike in infectious diseases in the south.
10 Nov 2016
Professor Robert Webster's Public Lecture, Dunedin, New Zealand
Listen to Professor Robert Webster's public lecture, Dunedin, New Zealand on 5 October 2016 \
06 Jun 2017
Ask a scientist
Ask a scientist, Professor Andrew Mercer, a question relating ot bacteria and viruses
18 Feb 2016
Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases Annual Scientific Meeting
Details of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases Annual Scientific Meeting held at Rendezvous Hotel in Aucklan...
17 Apr 2009
Spotlight on infectious diseases research efforts
31 Jul 2017
Otago finding new ways to beat an old and enduring enemy - TB
Media Release - 31 July 2017, Otago finding new ways to beat an old and enduring enemy - TB