News archive pages for:
The current year's news stories are below:
2020 Christmas party and art competition
Tuesday, 22 December 2020 10:30am
The annual Otago Biochemistry Department Christmas party, this year held in the bright new ground floor seminar room, gave the department a chance to stop and reflect on a memorable year.
An incredible journey just begun for Cambridge-bound graduate
Monday, 21 December 2020 2:06pm
Curious child, decorated student, cancer survivor, marathon runner, volunteer and soon-to-be Cambridge University PhD student. Sometimes people’s stories leave us with gaping jaws.
Kids, peas and elephant toothpaste: biochemistry outreach at primary schools
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 12:24pm
Students at Maori Hill and Fairfield schools were treated to some bonus biochemistry lessons in the past few weeks.
Grant awarded for Otago Biochemistry research into breast cancer therapies
Tuesday, 15 December 2020 10:38am
Otago Biochemistry’s Dr Anita Dunbier has just been awarded a Cancer Research Trust project grant so that she and her research team can find better ways of treating metastatic breast cancer.
Iran to Otago – PhD journey traverses academic and personal challenges
Monday, 14 December 2020 1:23pm
Dr Golnoush Madani's achievement to collect her PhD, goes well beyond meeting the challenges of academic research.
Why this neuron and not that one?
Friday, 11 December 2020 9:58am
Dr Indranil Basak (Department of Biochemistry) has secured funding from the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand to learn why some neurons are protected from death in Parkinson’s disease.
Collaboration between NZ and Chinese scientists boosts fight against antibiotic resistance
Friday, 4 December 2020 11:03am
A New Zealand–Chinese collaboration researching the treatment of bacterial infections with new combinations of old antibiotic drugs is to be funded by the Health Research Council.
Research support prizes for Biochemistry staff
Friday, 27 November 2020 1:32pm
Robyn Lee and Dr Rob Day won awards for their outstanding research support at Wednesday's School of Biomedical Sciences annual prize giving ceremony.
Stellar student Jennifer Palmer awarded a Cambridge-Rutherford Memorial PhD Scholarship
Thursday, 19 November 2020 2:36pm
Jennifer Palmer has won a prestigious Cambridge-Rutherford Memorial PhD Scholarship, which will support her study into neurodegenerative diseases at Cambridge University in the UK.
Marsden Fund supports research into how plants make pollen
Tuesday, 17 November 2020 10:48am
Dr Lynette Brownfield’s research into how plants make pollen received a boost last week – a prestigious Marsden Fund grant.
Richard Macknight gives Inaugural Professorial Lecture
Tuesday, 17 November 2020 8:55am
On the 16th November, newly promoted Professor Richard Macknight gave his inaugural lecture - a fascinating overview of 30 years of research, mainly on the control of flowering time in plants.
Samoan researcher awarded grant to share research findings with Pasefika community
Wednesday, 11 November 2020 2:31pm
Jaye Moors has been working hard to reveal some of the underpinning genetics of cardio-metabolic disease in Māori and Pasefika, and now a recently-announced HRC Pacific Health Knowledge Translation Grant will help Jaye to tell people about her research findings.
Otago researchers secure $17.5m in Marsden funding
Tuesday, 10 November 2020 10:41am
University of Otago researchers have secured $17.5 million in Marsden funding for 30 world-class research projects.
Rutherford Discovery award to research resilience in kuku
Thursday, 5 November 2020 11:45am
Dr Nathan Kenny (Ngāi Tahu, Te Ātiawa) is “over the moon” to be coming home to take up a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship at Otago.
Otago Biochemistry master’s degree presentations 2020
Wednesday, 4 November 2020 12:06pm
Four of our students studying for their masters’ degrees presented their research to the rest of the department on Tuesday.
Ties between biomedical research and Te Ao Māori strengthened by HRC PhD award
Monday, 2 November 2020 10:34am
Jordon Lima is a woman on a mission. She has just been awarded a prestigious HRC Māori Health Research Career Development Award that will fund her PhD research for the next three years, and as she describes her plans, her eyes shine and her excitement is palpable.
Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship awarded to Otago Biochemist
Friday, 30 October 2020 10:18am
Hearty congratulations to Dr Adam Middleton who has won a Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship. With this funding Adam plans to figure out details of how cells break down proteins, and use this knowledge to develop new therapeutics, particularly for neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr Nathan Kenny returns as Rutherford Fellow
Thursday, 29 October 2020 1:43pm
Next August we will see the return of Dr Nathan Kenny to take up a Rutherford Fellowship, investigating genetic methods of mitigating the effects of climate change on green-lipped mussels and other shellfish.
Otago researchers help complete world first wasp genome project
Wednesday, 21 October 2020 4:01pm
In a world first, New Zealand researchers have sequenced the genome of three wasps, two of which are invasive wasps in New Zealand, paving the way for new methods of control for these significant pests.
Q&A with 20Twenties Young Alumni Award winners
Tuesday, 20 October 2020 9:21am
Sophie Mathiesen, 20Twenties Young Alumni Award winner for her contribution to science communication.
Farewell to Professor Tony Merriman
Thursday, 1 October 2020 11:41am
Yesterday Otago Biochemistry marked Professor Tony Merriman's departure from the Department with an informal morning tea. Professor Merriman is moving to a research position at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
44th Meeting of the Biochemistry Department Research Society
Tuesday, 8 September 2020 12:49pm
Last week Otago Biochemistry gathered together to listen to the fourth-year biochemistry students presenting work from their first year at the coal-face of biomedical research.
Genetics student named Fulbright scholar
Thursday, 27 August 2020 1:34pm
Genetics Masters student Anežka Hoskin has been named a Fulbright New Zealand scholar and will start her PhD in genetics at Stanford University in September next year.
Outstanding Otago Biochemistry student researchers win scholarships
Wednesday, 19 August 2020 12:39pm
Two students studying at Otago Biochemistry have recently received scholarships to support their postgraduate research – one can now pursue a PhD in the USA, and the other will be supported while they add a year of research to their medical education.
Future research in safe hands at Otago Medical School
Thursday, 13 August 2020 11:00am
A group of Otago Medical School student researchers were awarded scholarships this week, showing there’s a bright future for medical research in New Zealand.
Research team hopes Māori lives will be saved with new testing criteria for stomach cancer
Monday, 10 August 2020 11:01am
There are likely to be several hundred Māori unaware they are at high risk of an inherited form of stomach cancer and a New Zealand research team is hopeful updated international clinical practice guidelines they helped develop will encourage these people to be tested.
Retirement with a twist for extolled Professor
Wednesday, 29 July 2020 10:19am
Not everyone approaches retirement the same way. As Division of Health Sciences Communications Adviser Craig Borley discovers, for newly appointed Emeritus Professor Warren Tate, retirement is a term that speaks more about gradual change than an abrupt cessation of work.
Welcome for Biochemistry Majors
Thursday, 23 July 2020 12:12pm
The Otago Biochemistry Department welcomed students starting their biochemistry journey this week with an informal lunchtime function in the newly refitted department seminar room.
Warren Tate becomes Emeritus Professor
Wednesday, 8 July 2020 10:49am
The 1st of July 2020 marked a significant milestone in the career of Warren Tate as he took up his new position in the Department, as Emeritus Professor.
Grant successes strengthen research into neurodegenerative diseases at Otago Biochemistry
Monday, 6 July 2020 3:04pm
Thanks to the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand, two new research projects investigating neurodegenerative diseases will go ahead this year in the Neurodegenerative and Lysosomal disease laboratory at Otago Biochemistry.
HRC funding to help understand how our cells respond to invasion by viruses
Wednesday, 1 July 2020 10:16am
Otago Biochemists Professor Catherine Day and Dr Adam Middleton have secured $1.2 million for a new research project looking into the details of how we defend ourselves against invading viruses.
Otago scientists secure more than $26m for health research
Tuesday, 30 June 2020 2:21pm
University of Otago, Wellington infectious diseases expert Professor Michael Baker has received almost $5 million from the Health Research Council for a programme investigating the connection between infectious diseases and long-term conditions, something he was planning well prior to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Otago Biochemists investigate effects of coronavirus on brain cells
Monday, 8 June 2020 12:20pm
Some sufferers of Covid-19 are reporting symptoms related to the brain and nervous system, such as dizziness, headache, seizures, and risk of stroke; this phenomenon has motivated a trio of scientists here at Otago to investigate further.
Health of truck drivers and evening TV binge-watchers under Otago researchers’ spotlight
Friday, 29 May 2020 10:58am
The health and safety of truck drivers and the impacts of evening television binge-watching will come under the spotlight in new University of Otago research being funded by the Health Research Council.
Otago Biochemistry Emerging Researcher to investigate genetics of kidney disease and gout specific to Māori and Pacific people
Wednesday, 27 May 2020 10:09am
Congratulations to Otago Biochemistry Research Fellow Dr Megan Leask, who has been awarded an HRC Emerging Research First Grant to investigate genes associated with chronic kidney disease and gout in Māori and Pacific people.
Tyler McCourt wins the 2020 Joan Mary Anderson Award
Tuesday, 28 April 2020 11:06am
Otago Biochemistry MSc student Tyler McCourt has been awarded the 2020 Joan Mary Anderson Award in Plant science.
Science under lockdown
Monday, 6 April 2020 11:21am
Despite the lockdown and the scramble to get the Department’s teaching online, Otago Biochemistry research teams are continuing their science…
Work continues during Covid-19 lockdown!
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 11:03am
Lectures will continue online after a one-week break, as Otago Department of Biochemistry staff work from home during the Level 4 Covid-19 alert.
Covid-19 contingency planning
Wednesday, 18 March 2020 12:06pm
The Department of Biochemistry is busy planning for teaching to continue during any disruption of the university due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
More academic achievement awards for Otago Biochemistry students
Friday, 13 March 2020 12:50pm
Congratulations to the Otago Biochemistry students who received scholarships from outside the Department in recognition of their academic achievements as undergraduates last year.
Biochemistry’s Associate Professor Stephanie Hughes takes over as Director of the Brain Health Research Centre.
Monday, 9 March 2020 1:14pm
Associate Professor Steph Hughes undertook her first task as the new Director of the Brain Health Research Centre last week: chairing the Centre's launch of 2020’s Brain Awareness Week.
Brain Awareness Week begins
Friday, 6 March 2020 12:24pm
Brain Awareness Week starts this weekend. Otago’s very own Brain Health Research Centre brings research together from across departments, and during Brain Awareness Week there are many opportunities to get involved and learn more.
Otago researchers shed light on ‘arms race’ between bacteria and viruses
Tuesday, 25 February 2020 10:41am
University of Otago researchers have contributed to an international study which helps improve the understanding of bacteria and viruses.
Biochemistry student wins University of Otago’s top undergraduate prize
Friday, 7 February 2020 12:23pm
Jennifer Palmer, Otago Biochemistry’s top 300-level student in 2019, has also been awarded the prestigious Prince of Wales Prize.
A new professor and two new associate professors at Otago Biochemistry
Thursday, 6 February 2020 12:06pm
As of February 1st, three lecturers at Otago Biochemistry have new titles; Richard Macknight is now a professor, and Peter Mace and Paul Gardner are now associate professors.
The changing of the guard: a new Head for Otago Biochemistry
Wednesday, 5 February 2020 10:26am
Another chapter in the history of the Department of Biochemistry has passed, with its leadership handed over at a special dinner last Friday at Plato Restaurant.
Academic awards for 2019 Biochemistry students
Tuesday, 28 January 2020 2:52pm
The Otago Department of Biochemistry is proud to announce the winners of the 2019 student academic awards: Jennifer Palmer (300-level Edson Prize), Helena Cooper (400-level Edson Prize), Sarah Robinson and Jasper Struwig (joint winners, Petersen Prize), Shannon White (Mervyn Smith Prize).
High school students come face-to-face with Biochemistry
Tuesday, 28 January 2020 3:42pm
High school students from across New Zealand got to explore their own personal biochemistry last week, when they visited the Department and sampled life at Otago University.
