Members of Microbiology: Meet Olivia Paxie
Friday 12 August 2022
A sick grandfather, a love of science and a surprising discovery all played a part in PhD candidate Olivia Paxie’s journey from first-year health sciences to doctoral research.
DNA reveals history of Aotearoa’s manu
Thursday 11 August 2022
Previously shrouded in mystery, the evolutionary history of kōkako, huia, and tīeke saddlebacks have been revealed by a University of Otago study.
Art at the heart of Hei Maumaharatanga Memorial Wall project
Monday 8 August 2022
Work is underway on a small Dunedin campus construction project with cultural significance beyond its size.
Almost $24 million in HRC funding for School of Biomedical Sciences academics
Friday 5 August 2022
Ten out of the 22 successful Health Research Council (HRC) grants received by the University of Otago were for recipients based in the School of Biomedical Sciences (BMS).
Professor Stephen Knowles’ journey to economic altruism and supporting charities
Friday 5 August 2022
Professor Stephen Knowles shares how his academic journey led him to the topic of economic altruism and how he is using this knowledge to support not-for-profit organisations.
School of Biomedical Sciences Postgraduate Symposium a success
Friday 5 August 2022
The School of Biomedical Sciences’ 2022 Postgraduate Symposium provided an opportunity for postgraduate students to present their research and celebrate their progress.
First opportunity for many Otago Biochemistry postgrad students to share their research
Thursday 4 August 2022
The 2022 School of Biomedical Sciences Postgraduate Symposium was held last week at the University’s Student Union. This was the first time that many of the postgraduate students in the BMS have had the opportunity to attend or present their research at a scientific meeting in person, thanks to the pandemic.
Two Health Sciences Career Development Postdoctoral Fellowships for Biochemistry
Wednesday 3 August 2022
Dr Katerina Achilleos and Dr Liam Turk from the Department of Biochemistry have each been awarded one of the highly competitive Health Sciences Career Development Postdoctoral Fellowships.
Trial of world-first gene therapy for Batten disease
Tuesday 2 August 2022
A University of Otago researcher is involved in a breakthrough trial which could improve the quality of life for children diagnosed with Batten disease.
Significant step on path to developing Alzheimer’s therapy
Monday 1 August 2022
A brain protein with high potential to delay or reverse the onset of Alzheimer’s disease has been exploited by University of Otago researchers.
Thirteen Murphy/Smith scholarships awarded for 2022
Wednesday 27 July 2022
Thirteen Murphy/Smith scholarships awarded for 2022.
Repatriation ceremony 'important part of healing process'
Tuesday 26 July 2022
Acknowledging and apologising for the past at a hokomaurahiri (repatriation ceremony) of Kōimi T’chakat Moriori (Moriori skeletal remains) was an important part of the healing process, the University of Otago’s representative at the ceremony says.
Funding success for cancer research at Otago Biochemistry
Monday 18 July 2022
Two research proposals from the Biochemistry Department have made it through the highly competitive NZ HRC project funding application round this year.
Both projects aim to help improve cancer treatments using knowledge of biomolecules, but each uses a different approach. One uses the ability to catalogue the thousands of RNA molecules present in a single cell, and the other looks at just a few protein molecules, but in intricate detail.
Rhiannon Adams wins Marjorie McCallum MSc scholarship.
Friday 15 July 2022
Rhiannon Adams, who last year won the The Mervyn Smith Prize for the student with the highest level of attainment in biochemistry in the first year MSc class, has been awarded the Marjorie McCallum MSc scholarship for 2022.
School of Biomedical Sciences incorporating te reo Māori
Wednesday 13 July 2022
Students at the School of Biomedical Sciences have actively been incorporating te reo Māori into their teaching and learning experience.
New research provides insight into Long COVID and ME
Tuesday 12 July 2022
Researchers have uncovered how post-viral fatigue syndromes, including Long COVID, become life-changing diseases and why patients suffer frequent relapses.
Biomedical researchers awarded HRC grants
Friday 8 July 2022
Investigating how to prevent heart disease and treat diabetes so people do not lose limbs are the focus of two School of Biomedical Sciences academics who received HRC Explorer Grants.
Professor Miguel Quiñones-Mateu appointed member of the GPAC of the American Society for Virology
Tuesday 5 July 2022
Professor Miguel Quiñones-Mateu, of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, has been appointed as member of the new Global Partnerships and Advocacy Committee (GPAC) of the American Society for Virology.
Cromwell community supports Otago Biochemistry master’s student
Tuesday 21 June 2022
Master’s student Cait MacTaggart has the support of the Rotary and Lions Clubs in her hometown of Cromwell behind her as she launches into a career in health-related research.
Shalini Paul on researching diabetes in the midst of COVID-19
Thursday 16 June 2022
Having family members with diabetes makes Shalini Paul's search for treatment to heal wounds quicker in diabetics personal.
Biomedical Sciences student Julia Imo wins thrice
Tuesday 14 June 2022
The bioengineering postgrad student won three awards at the Startup Dunedin's Audacious event recently.
Jules Kieser Memorial Trust Award given again in 2022
Monday 13 June 2022
When Professor Jules Kieser passed away in 2014 he left a legacy which would live on for years to come.
‘Holy grail’ drug delivery invention secures US patent
Friday 10 June 2022
A University of Otago invention that achieves the “holy grail” of targeted delivery of drugs directly to the brain has been granted a US patent.
Portrait honours renowned scientist Dr Leopold Kirschner
Thursday 9 June 2022
A portrait of the late, internationally recognised leptospirosis researcher and survivor of both World Wars, Dr Leopold Kirschner, has been unveiled at the University of Otago’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
Members of Microbiology: Meet Callum August
Thursday 9 June 2022
PhD candidate Callum August hopes his research into tuberculosis will minimise Aotearoa New Zealand's health inequalities.
Division of Health Sciences Accelerator Grants awarded
Wednesday 1 June 2022
Seventeen early and mid-career researchers (EMCR) have received a boost from the Division of Health Sciences with an Accelerator Grant.
Dr Jemma Geoghegan only the second woman to win Prime Minister’s Emerging Scientist Prize
Tuesday 31 May 2022
The University of Otago’s Dr Jemma Geoghegan is only the second woman to have ever won the Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize.
Fighting COVID and demolishing stereotypes
Tuesday 31 May 2022
Dr Jemma Geoghegan wants to "demolish the stereotype of what a scientist looks like”.
Follow the glow
Monday 23 May 2022
The fascinating story of Professor Kurt Krause's research career, from fistfights and infectious diseases to crystals and glowworms
Master's 'challenging and rewarding'
Friday 20 May 2022
Graduating in absentia can be hard for any student wanting to celebrate but for Madeline McIntyre, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Early detection of Alzheimer’s possible – research
Thursday 19 May 2022
University of Otago researchers have discovered molecules in the blood that could assist with early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.
Engineering led to PhD in biochemistry
Thursday 19 May 2022
Charles Shaw shares how his background in mechanical engineering not only led to his PhD in Biochemistry, but also complemented his research.
Biochemistry Graduation function
Tuesday 17 May 2022
On Saturday 14th May the Department of Biochemistry celebrated Otago's 2022 May graduation ceremony with a social function for graduates and their families.
Dunedin kids go Bananas! DNA activity at the museum.
Monday 16 May 2022
Dr Nathan Kenny ran a children's "DNA from bananas" activity at the museum on Saturday.
Research leader pushes nanomedicine hub in NZ
Wednesday 11 May 2022
New Zealand should become a nanomedicine production hub, says Dr Sarah Diermeier, an up-and-coming commercial researcher based here at Otago Biochemistry.
Scholarships awarded to Biomedical Sciences programme students
Wednesday 11 May 2022
The Biomedical Sciences programme awarded seven Elizabeth Jean Trotter Scholarships this year, contributing towards the tuition fees of high-achieving and well-rounded students.
Graduate an 'exceptional achiever'
Tuesday 10 May 2022
Hamish Aitken-Buck graduates this month with a PhD in Physiology as well as many other accolades that give testimony to his successes at the School of Biomedical Sciences.
Scientist and DJ graduates with PhD
Tuesday 10 May 2022
Passionate muso and dedicated scientist Katie Peppercorn shares her PhD journey and why it is important to be more than a ‘one-trick pony’.
School of Biomedical Sciences students Uaita Poutu and Lisa Biiri receive Toloa Tertiary School Scholarships
Tuesday 10 May 2022
The two students were elated to have each received a Toloa Tertiary School Scholarship from the Ministry of Pacific Peoples.
Members of Microbiology: Meet Bennett Henzeler
Friday 6 May 2022
The tragic passing of a friend at a young age inspired PhD candidate Bennett Henzeler to pursue a career investigating infectious diseases.
Academic awards for 2021
Monday 2 May 2022
The 2021 Biochemistry academic awards were won by Theresa Matheson-Grant, Anita Lu, Flynn Kelly, Louise Walker, and Rhiannon Adams
Oliver Newman wins Joan Mary Anderson Award for 2021
Friday 29 April 2022
For the first time in its five year history, the Joan Mary Anderson Award has been won by a male student, Oliver Newman.
Dr Latika Samalia's teaching excellence recognised
Friday 22 April 2022
Dr Latika Samalia was presented with the korowai Rauaroha to formally acknowledge the awarding of the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award of the 2021 Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards.
School of Biomedical Sciences Pacific and Māori scholarships gifted to three students
Friday 22 April 2022
The Pacific scholarship has gone to Ilaisaane Fakapulia, while the Māori scholarship has been shared between Jasmine Wells and Ella Silk.
Celebrating multilingualism on Chinese Language Day
Wednesday 20 April 2022
Growth is a natural part of the learning experience at the University of Otago but add in the challenge of speaking an entirely different language and that experience is magnified.
Aotearoa’s first strontium isoscape developed
Thursday 14 April 2022
Tracing the regional origin of everything from milk to invasive bugs is now possible thanks to a University of Otago project.
Alex van der Weerden, on the frontiers of biochemistry research
Wednesday 13 April 2022
Scholarship recipient a gifted young researcher who is a part of a team doing 'ground breaking' work investigating non-coding ribonucleic acid.
Members of Microbiology: Meet Sharon Iose
Monday 11 April 2022
Postgraduate student Sharon Iose shares why she is pursuing Microbiology as a career and why other Polynesian people should as well.
Associate Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie new Chair of Rauika Māngai
Thursday 7 April 2022
Associate Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie (Ngāti Maniapoto and Te Arawa) is the new Chair of Rauika Māngai, a Māori organisation that advances Mātauranga Māori, accelerates research and positively influences science policy.
Rutherford Discovery Fellow 'true product of Otago'
Tuesday 5 April 2022
Rutherford Discovery Fellow Dr Htin Lin Aung shares his academic journey and passion for research with impact.
Raising awareness of endometriosis
Thursday 31 March 2022
As part of highlighting Endometriosis Awareness Month, Associate Professor Jane Girling from the Department of Anatomy shares why more people need to be aware of endometriosis as well as what brought her to this field of research.
Research offers new hope for people living with seizures
Tuesday 22 March 2022
A research collaboration involving the University of Otago could change the lives of people living with seizures.
Members of Microbiology: Meet Dr Cara Adolph
Thursday 10 March 2022
Timaru-raised Dr Cara Adolph shares her PhD research on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and why she decided to study at the University of Otago.
Answers for families as researchers identify new rare genetic mutation
Wednesday 9 March 2022
University of Otago-led research has identified a new rare genetic mutation which will finally give families around the world answers as to what is affecting their loved one.
Pūrākau science: How Dr Alana Alexander is translating science into narratives
Wednesday 9 March 2022
Rutherford Discovery Fellowship recipient Dr Alana Alexander will be investigating fisheries’, disease and climate change’s effects on dolphins and whales, then translating her science into memorable narratives for Māori.
Biomedical Sciences announces new Associate Deans (Pacific)
Wednesday 9 March 2022
The School of Biomedical Sciences has appointed three new Associate Deans (Pacific).
Hormone found to regulate mothers’ behaviour
Monday 21 February 2022
University of Otago researchers have discovered a new function for the hormone prolactin – it limits a new mum’s investment in aggressive behaviour and instead focusses them on interacting with their babies.
Balancing motherhood and a career in science
Friday 11 February 2022
Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science and we celebrate the journey of Dr Rosie Brown, a respected senior lecturer and Sir Charles Hercus Research HRC Fellow in the Department of Physiology and mother of three.
Members of Microbiology: Meet Emma Voss
Saturday 15 January 2022
From half marathons to microbiomes, PhD candidate Emma Voss is no quitter when it comes to achieving both her personal fitness goals and professional academic goals.
Dr Sharon Ladyman’s research on 'keeping mums cool'
Friday 14 January 2022
Senior Research Fellow Dr Sharon Ladyman is elated to have received $939, 000 in Marsden Grant funding from the NZ Royal Society/Te Apārangi to pursue her research on how body temperature is regulated during pregnancy.
Microbe communities discovered under Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf
Tuesday 11 January 2022
A University of Otago-led study has found evidence of a diverse community of microbes that thrive in the cold, dark, low-energy environment beneath Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf, hundreds of kilometres from the open ocean.
Members of Microbiology: Meet Cecilia Wang
Monday 3 January 2022
PhD candidate Cecilia Wang took the time to share her research on agricultural microbiomes and what brought her to the University of Otago.
Biochemistry Graduation Celebration December 2021
Friday 17 December 2021
Congratulations to all former students graduating this month with a degree in Biochemistry!
Honours graduate Tisiola Talalima shares how the University helped her help others
Thursday 16 December 2021
Having recently completed her honours degree year, School of Biomedical Sciences graduate Tisiola reflects on what the past few years at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology have meant to her.
Blood test for early Alzheimer’s detection supported by health grant
Tuesday 14 December 2021
A University of Otago researcher is another step closer to developing a blood test that can detect people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, thanks to a NZ Lottery Health Grant.
Otago Biochemistry Marsdens 2021 – Lim explores the unknown of turning genes off and on
Tuesday 14 December 2021
Four research projects in the Biochemistry Department received prestigious Marsden funding this year. We introduce the projects in a series of brief reports.
Dr Chun Shen Lim is using his research funding to tunnel deep into how your cells control your genes.
Kuku resilience investigated by Dr Nathan Kenny in latest Marsden Grant research
Monday 13 December 2021
No one looks at kuku in quite the same way as Dr Nathan Kenny (Ngāi Tahu, Te Ātiawa) from the School of Biomedical Sciences.
Dr Joon Kim considers how stress causes anxiety after receiving Marsden Grant
Thursday 9 December 2021
With Marsden Grant funding from the NZ Royal Society/Te Apārangi, Dr Joon Kim plans to produce the first evidence of how CRH neural circuits affect anxiety, providing insights into how stress affects the mind.
Otago Biochemistry Marsdens 2021 – Nathan’s resilient mussels
Wednesday 8 December 2021
Four research projects in the Biochemistry Department received prestigious Marsden funding this year. We introduce the projects in a series of brief reports.
Dr Nathan Kenny (Ngāi Tahu and Te Ātiawa) joined the Biochemistry Department this year as a Rutherford Research Fellow, and has been awarded $360,000 of Marsden funding over three years to investigate why some green lipped mussels are more resilient than others.
Otago Biochemistry Marsdens 2021 – Steph and Indranil link RNA with brain disease
Tuesday 30 November 2021
Four research projects in the Biochemistry Department received prestigious Marsden funding this year. We introduce the projects in a series of brief reports.
Associate Professor Stephanie Hughes and Research Fellow Dr Indranil Basak spend a decent chunk of their time trying to understand how brain diseases work. A lot of their focus has been on a part of the cell called the lysosome.
Otago Biochemistry Marsdens 2021 – Peter and his flexible degradation machine
Friday 26 November 2021
Four research projects in the Biochemistry Department this year received prestigious Marsden funding. We introduce the projects in a series of brief reports. Associate Professor Peter Mace is fascinated by proteins – the micromachines inside our cells that do everything we need to be alive. He is particularly interested in how proteins are tagged to be destroyed or ‘degraded’, and how cells use this to control proteins and the things they do.
Medical student Cassian Duthie serves as the primary author on prostate cancer papers
Tuesday 23 November 2021
It’s not usual for medical students to do research on the side, and even less usual for them to be primary author on a research paper.
Biochemistry and Plant Biotechnology student awarded University of Otago’s top undergraduate prize
Thursday 8 February 2018
Biochemistry and Plant Biotechnology student Bridget Thomas has won the prestigious Prince of Wales Prize, University of Otago’s premier undergraduate award, awarded to the most outstanding student completing an undergraduate or honours degree.
