Keeping on track
Friday 12 March 2021
Professor Vicky Cameron ran the Buller Half Marathon recently, coming second in the 65+ age group.
New Māori Research Adviser at the Christchurch Heart Institute
Friday 12 March 2021
The Christchurch Heart Institute (CHI) has recruited a Māori Research Adviser to help them appropriately respond to the cultural best practices of Te Ao Māori (all things Māori).
A gut response
Friday 12 March 2021
Working in a lab to help further research into the relationship between the microbiome and cardiovascular disease, may not be how many young people would want to spend their summer.
Medical student’s summer of research
Friday 12 March 2021
Fergus Allan was going to be an accountant when he left Palmerston North Boys' High.
Gold Medal for Research
Friday 8 January 2021
Professor Chris Charles has received the University of Otago Gold Medal for Research.
CHI receive Research Group Award
Thursday 17 December 2020
Christchurch Heart Institute is the 2020 recipient of the University of Otago Research Group Award.
Centres for Research Excellence
Tuesday 27 October 2020
The Christchurch Heart Institute is excited to be part of a new cardiovascular Centre for Research Excellence (CoRE), aiming to close a seven-year gap in life expectancy for Māori and Pacific people, compared with other New Zealanders.
Welcome to the CHI!
Tuesday 6 October 2020
We warmly welcome Dr Wendy Ip to the CHI team, as Laboratory Manager in the Omics Lab.
Super charging heart hormones
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Dr Nicola Scott and Associate Professor Miriam Rademaker of the CHI’s Preclinical Lab have won funding from the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF; $109,252) and the Heart Foundation ($154,802), to investigate how to maximize the effects of heart hormones.
Heart health risk of premature birth
Tuesday 6 October 2020
The heart health of adults born prematurely, and their mothers, is the focus of a new collaborative study between the CHI and Dr Sarah Harris, specialist neonatal paediatrician. Dr Harris has been awarded a Heart Foundation project grant of $300,000.
Personalised healthcare
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Dr Sarah Appleby has been awarded a Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF) grant ($109,719) and a Heart Foundation project grant ($150,000), for her work that will explore novel biological markers for the detection and follow up of heart failure in patients that also have conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation.
Pasifika heart health
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Research Fellows Dr Moritz Lassé and Dr Allamanda Faatoese have been awarded a two-year Heart Foundation project grant ($157,549) to support their study looking at concentrations of the heart health marker, NT-proBNP, in Pasifika.
Celebrating Heart Foundation Fellowships
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Dr Janice Chew-Harris of the Translational Biodiscovery Lab and Evie Templeton, who is nearing the end of her PhD in the ‘Omics Lab, have both been awarded Heart Foundation Research Fellowships.
Faster detection of kidney injury
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Aiming to develop better blood tests to identify which patients with acute heart failure are at risk of incurring damage to their kidneys, is the focus of work led by Dr Anna Pilbrow, for which she has received a Heart Foundation small project grant of $14,900.
World first study on protective blood hormone could help reduce cardiovascular deaths
Tuesday 6 October 2020
Deaths from cardiovascular disease could be reduced thanks to another world-first finding by researchers at the Christchurch Heart Institute.
Breakthrough findings may help prevent heart failure after a heart attack
Friday 2 October 2020
A breakthrough discovery combining two powerful technologies looks set to help doctors intervene earlier and perhaps prevent heart failure in at risk patients, who have already had a heart attack.
Christchurch cardiac research group wins University’s premier award
Thursday 17 September 2020
A Christchurch research group whose work has changed the way clinicians around the globe diagnose and treat heart conditions has won the University of Otago 2020 Research Group Award.
World-first study on blood hormone could help reduce cardiovascular deaths
Wednesday 26 August 2020
A simple blood test could identify seemingly-healthy people with a high hidden risk of heart disease thanks to a world-first discovery by University of Otago, Christchurch researchers.
NZ’s aged care sector to gain from new cardiovascular research focus
Monday 3 August 2020
Raising the standard of cardiovascular care in New Zealand’s retirement sector is the focus of a New Zealand first, joint initiative between Ryman Healthcare, The Heart Foundation of NZ and the Christchurch Heart Institute.
International opportunities enhance PhD perspectives
Monday 29 June 2020
When Evie Templeton began her PhD she was not expecting overseas travel, so when she found herself standing in front of a 12th century monastery in northern Italy, she had to pinch herself.
Christchurch team gets wacky in the name of team building and morale
Wednesday 15 April 2020
Hearing her husband laughing up riotously from his home office was Professor Vicky Cameron’s inspiration for a ‘freaky Friday’ dress-up Zoom meeting with her Christchurch research colleagues.
Maori and Pasifika make point of difference in heart failure salt study
Friday 6 December 2019
New Zealanders with heart failure are taking part in an international study to find out if a low salt diet will improve their health. With Maori and Pasifika people offering a unique point of difference among the participating countries.
New Light on Heart Failure in Obesity
Friday 6 December 2019
Obese people with heart failure are less able to produce a naturally occurring heart-protecting hormone, due to a change in protein processing according to new research from the Christchurch Heart Institute (CHI), a University of Otago Research Centre.
Not doomed by genetics
Monday 11 November 2019
It is well-known that heart disease runs in families. The good news is our genetic inheritance does not mean we are doomed, even if we have already experienced a heart attack.
Detective Work
Tuesday 29 October 2019
Research Fellow Dr Moritz Lassé, has been awarded a Heart Foundation small project grant ($14,050) to help detect kidney damage occurring during worsening heart failure.
Safer medication
Sunday 6 October 2019
Kiwi researchers are trying to find out how long to give blood-thinning treatments to heart attack survivors.
With gratitude
Thursday 5 September 2019
Our sincere gratitude goes to the Hugo Trust for the generous and kind donation of NZD$5,000 which was received earlier this year.
Inspired Health
Wednesday 28 August 2019
When Meg Christie saw an advertisement in the CDHB’s CEO Update newsletter asking for healthy volunteers for a study called INSPIRE, she jumped at the chance to take part.
Ground-breaking human heart tissue study
Wednesday 26 June 2019
Research predicting the impact on heart muscle during a heart attack is being unravelled in the field of genetics, in a ground-breaking study, using human heart tissue.
Not doomed by genetics
Wednesday 15 May 2019
It is well-known that heart disease runs in families. The good news is our genetic inheritance does not mean we are doomed, even if we have already experienced a heart attack.
Dr Amjad Hambi, Rest in Peace
Friday 15 March 2019
The loss of our esteemed colleague and friend, Dr Amjad Hamid, in the Al Noor Mosque attack has been hard for the CHI team to face. Amjad will always have a special place in our hearts. We extend our deepest sympathy and love to his wife and family.
New blood test may help rule out heart attack within 15 minutes
Thursday 18 October 2018
A preliminary study of a new, quick and accurate, bedside blood test performed in Emergency Departments (ED) could help reduce the time it takes to rule out heart attacks. The study findings have been published this morning in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Cardiology).
Talking our socks off!
Wednesday 13 June 2018
It’s winter, why would we want to talk our socks off? Well, not literally of course – but the CHI team, in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, are running free public talks in Christchurch, from June to September.
Diabetes – a pressure cooker
Thursday 17 May 2018
The close relationship of diabetes and heart disease has not gone unnoticed by the Christchurch Heart Institute team.
Medical research has its benefits
Monday 16 April 2018
Taking part in research studies at the Christchurch Heart Institute, is an opportunity to receive on going and beneficial medical care that could be life-saving, say Research Nurses Stephanie Rose and Carol Groves.
Works of heart
Tuesday 13 March 2018
On a shelf in Professor Vicky Cameron’s office is something that looks like a piece of art, housed in a glass cylinder to protect it. The heart, striking in its intricate detail, is in fact made of coloured resin.
New study shows when ‘broken hearts’ are most deadly
Tuesday 27 February 2018
A University of Otago, Christchurch, summer student has identified the days when patients are most vulnerable to dying from a ‘broken heart’.
New Zealand-led heart failure findings debunk world medical view
Tuesday 27 February 2018
Thousands of New Zealanders can look forward to improvements in treatment and care of heart failure following new research findings that look set to alter the clinical approach and health care planning for heart failure globally.
Ambulance driver becomes patient in own ambulance
Wednesday 20 December 2017
Ambulance driver suffers heart attack in her own ambulance and is now part of the MENZACS genetic links to heart health study
Inherited heart disease: you're not doomed by your DNA
Thursday 26 October 2017
Dr Anna Pilbrow says we are not doomed by our DNA – and that having a healthy lifestyle can help offset genetic risks.
New urine test can save lives by detecting kidney disease much earlier
Thursday 19 October 2017
A new urine test being trialled by University of Otago, Christchurch scientists could one day save lives.
Six CHI researchers receive Heart Foundation grant awards
Tuesday 26 September 2017
The Christchurch Heart Institute (CHI) team is delighted that six of its researchers have been successful in being awarded grants in the 2017 Heart Foundation grant round
Up-and-coming Otago researchers’ excellence recognised through awards
Monday 11 September 2017
University of Otago researchers Dr Simon Jackson and Dr Anna Pilbrow were recently honoured with awards bestowed by the organising bodies of the prestigious Queenstown Research Week.
Canterbury quake damage increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Friday 8 September 2017
A Healthier Lives National Science Challenge study using New Zealand linked datasets reveals the impact of residential housing damage from the 2010/11 Canterbury earthquakes on hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease.
PhD study brings non-coding RNA out of the shadows
Tuesday 22 August 2017
PhD candidate Zoe Ward uses bioinformatics to explore how non-coding RNAs in our genetic material contribute to coronary heart disease risk
Free public talks by Christchurch Heart Institute and the Heart Foundation
Tuesday 15 August 2017
Tuesday 15 August 2017 at Christchurch Community House, 301 Tuam Street.
PhD aims to pre-empt acute kidney injury in heart failure
Tuesday 8 August 2017
PhD candidate, Evie Templeton, is working to identify microRNAs as early markers in the detection of likely kidney injury in heart failure
Professor Richard Troughton awarded Health Research Council Grant
Wednesday 21 June 2017
A Health Research Council grant awarded to Professor Richard Troughton is set to boost the IMPERATIVE-HF study by $730,000 over 36 months.
Major funding for innovative University of Otago health research
Thursday 15 June 2017
University of Otago researchers have been awarded more than $24M in new health research funding to support their world-class studies aimed at improving New Zealanders’ health and well-being.
University of Otago, Christchurch, geneticist awarded Queen’s Birthday honour
Tuesday 6 June 2017
Professor Vicky Cameron, a renowned geneticist and Deputy Dean of the University of Otago, Christchurch, has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this Queen’s Birthday honours list.
Christchurch Heart Institute and the Heart Foundation first to work with cardiovascular charity partnership
Thursday 1 June 2017
The Christchurch Heart Institute is working alongside the Heart Foundation as part of an innovative approach to cardiovascular disease (CVD) research, following a significant donation of $330,000 from Ryman Healthcare yesterday.
New Consultant Cardiologist joins the Christchurch Heart Institute team
Wednesday 24 May 2017
What must be a loss for Wales has become a gain for Christchurch with the arrival of Consultant Cardiologist Geoff Clare to the Christchurch Heart Institute team.
Christchurch Heart Institute team in City2Surf
Tuesday 14 March 2017
The Christchurch City2Surf 2017 event is on this Sunday (March 19) and the Christchurch Heart Institute team is gearing up to take part.
Participation in the event is one of a number of initiatives that are underway in an effort to increase the CHI’s profile in Christchurch.
Major support for Otago health research provided through latest lottery grants
Thursday 9 March 2017
University of Otago researchers have gained more than $2.6m in funding from the Lottery Grants Board to support studies aimed at improving the health status of New Zealanders.
Hormone could predict those at risk of hospital readmission or death after cardiac event
Friday 3 March 2017
Accurately predicting the likelihood of readmission or even death following a heart attack is now more possible, according to recently published findings by the Christchurch Heart Institute (CHI).
Research and Clinical Nurses support new strategy for discharge management of heart failure
Thursday 2 March 2017
Professor Richard Troughton, a Consultant Cardiologist and Researcher with the Christchurch Heart Institute, a University of Otago Research Centre based at Christchurch Hospital, is behind a plan that looks at reducing the likelihood of people with heart failure needing readmission to hospital for further heart failure events. Research and Clinical nurses are working collaboratively to bring this about.
New Deputy Dean for Christchurch campus
Wednesday 24 August 2016
Professor Vicky Cameron is a firm believer in scientists’ responsibility to share findings with the community - particularly their research participants. This is one of the reasons Professor Cameron is excited about becoming the Deputy Dean of the University of Otago’s Christchurch campus.
