Dr Faatoese's research explores cardiovascular risk among Pasifika populations. Her teaching to medical students focusses on effective engagement and communication with Pacific patients and families.
Background
Dr Faatoese joined the Christchurch Heart Institute as a research assistant for the Hauora Manawa / Community Heart Study and then undertook her doctoral studies that focussed on cardiovascular risk profiles of Māori and non-Māori communities. This research explored the potential of novel biomarkers to stratify cardiovascular risk among Maori who bear a greater burden of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Leveraging from this foundation, Dr Faatoese leads the Pasifika Heart Study, a Pacific Island cohort from the Christchurch community in collaboration with a Pacific primary care clinic. Her biomarker research on cardiovascular risk factors includes circulating markers, genetics, and epigenetics.
Dr Faatoese is the Convenor of the Pacific Health teaching in the medical curriculum and is the Chair of the Pacific Health Teaching Sub-Committee.
Dr Faatoese is also the Associate Dean Pacific (Strategic) for the University of Otago, School of Biomedical Sciences, Dunedin. This role is to advocate for the pathways to success for Pacific students and building capacity and capability of Pacific academic staff within the faculty.
Hitchman, L. M., Faatoese, A., Merriman, T. R., Miller, A. L., Liau, Y., Graham, O. E. E., Kee, P. S., Pearson, J. F., … Cameron, V. A., Kennedy, M. A., & Maggo, S. D. S. (2022). Allelic diversity of the pharmacogene CYP2D6 in New Zealand Māori and Pacific peoples. Frontiers in Genetics, 13, 1016416. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1016416
Journal - Research Article
Faatoese, A., Carr, A., John, C., Fakahau, T., Maoate, B., Skidmore, P., & Cameron, V. (2022, August). From screening to intervention: Vitamin C in the Pasifika Heart study. Verbal presentation at the Metabolic & Cardiovascular Disease Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Hitchman, L. M., Faatoese, A., Merriman, T. R., Miller, A. L., Liau, Y., Graham, O. E. E., Kee, P. S., Pearson, J. F., … Cameron, V. A., Kennedy, M. A., & Maggo, S. D. S. (2022, August-September). Allelic diversity of the pharmacogene CYP2D6 in New Zealand Māori and Pacific peoples. Poster session presented at the 31st Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting (QMB), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Blattner, K., Faatoese, A., Smith, M., Maoate, K., Miller, R., & Richards, R. (2022). New Zealand postgraduate medical training by distance for Pacific Island country-based general practitioners: A qualitative study. Journal of Primary Health Care, 14(1), 74-79. doi: 10.1071/HC21090
Journal - Research Article
Sika-Paotonu, D., Azevedo, P. M., Faatoese, A., Wihongi, H., Nuku, H., Hudson, M., … Merriman, T., & Lennon, D. (2017, March). Culturally appropriate advisory and governance for the study of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in New Zealand. Poster session presented at the 10th Health Disparities Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Sika-Paotonu, D., Azevedo, P., Faatoese, A., Wihongi, H., Nuku, H., Hudson, M., … Merriman, T., & Lennon, D. (2017). Culturally appropriate advisory and governance oversight for the study of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in New Zealand. Journal of Immunology, 198(1, Suppl.), 125.30. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Faatoese, A., Sikaleti, S., Priest, P., & Chambers, S. (2016). Knowledge and attitudes to leprosy of pacific people living in New Zealand. Leprosy Review, 87(3), 368-377.
Journal - Research Article
Whalley, G. A., Pitama, S., Troughton, R. W., Doughty, R. N., Gamble, G. D., Gillies, T., Wells, J. E., Faatoese, A., Huria, T., Richards, M., & Cameron, V. A. (2015). Higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in two Māori cohorts: Findings from the Hauora Manawa/Community Heart Study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39(1), 26-31. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12300
Journal - Research Article
Faatoese, A. F., Pitama, S. G., Wells, J. E., & Cameron, V. A. (2013). Understanding cardiovascular disparities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand: Is there a way to reduce these disparities? In O. T. Jackson & K. A. Evans (Eds.), Health disparities: Epidemiology, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic risk factors and strategies for elimination. (pp. 77-102). New Yourk, NY: Nova.
Chapter in Book - Research
Faatoese, A. F., Pitama, S. G., Wells, E. J., Huria, T., & Cameron, V. A. (2013, August). Lipoprotein(a) levels and cardiovascular risk in Maori and non-Maori community samples. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Faatoese, A. F. (2013). Screening for cardiovascular disease: A comparison of Māori and non-Māori risk profiles. In C. Matthewson, M. Taumoepeau, G. Burnett & I. Iati (Eds.), Proceedings of the Pacific Postgraduate Symposium: Pacific Voices X. (pp. 21). Dunedin, New Zealand: Pacific Islands Centre, University of Otago. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Martin, A., Doughty, R. N., Chieng, N., Faatoese, A., Gamble, G. D., Poppe, K., Richards, A. M., Tikao-Mason, K., Troughton, R., Wells, E., Whalley, G. A., Cameron, V., & Pitama, S. (2013). Twelve lead electrocardiographic findings among Māori and non-Māori at risk of cardiovascular disease in NZ. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 22(7), (pp. 569). doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2013.04.052
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Stamp, L. K., Wells, J. E., Pitama, S., Faatoese, A., Doughty, R. N., Whalley, G., Richards, A. M., & Cameron, V. A. (2013). Hyperuricaemia and gout in New Zealand rural and urban Māori and non-Māori communities. Internal Medicine Journal, 43(6), 678-684. doi: 10.1111/imj.12062
Journal - Research Article
Faatoese, A., Pitama, S., Wells, J. E., Tikao-Mason, K., Robertson, P., Huria, T., Gillies, T., … Troughton, R., Sheerin, I., Richards, M., & Cameron, V. A. (2012). A Māori approach to a community-based study of heart health among Māori and non-Māori communities: Baseline findings in the Hauora Manawa/Community Heart Study. In C. Matthewson, M. Taumoepeau, G. Burnett & I. Iati (Eds.), Proceedings of the Pacific Postgraduate Symposium: Pacific Voices IX. (pp. 17). Dunedin, New Zealand: Pacific Islands Centre, University of Otago. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Faatoese, A. (2012, April). Aligning research protocols to cultural values in a study of heart health amongst Māori and non-Māori communities: The Haoira Manawa/ Community Heart Study. Verbal presentation at the HRC Pacific Health Research Fono: Pacific Edge: Transforming Knowledge Into Innovative Practice, Auckland, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Cameron, V. A., Faatoese, A. F., Gillies, M. W., Robertson, P. J., Huria, T. M., Doughty, R. N., Whalley, G. A., … Richards, M. A., Troughton, R. W., Tikao-Mason, K. N., Wells, E. J., Sheerin, I. G., & Pitama, S. G. (2012). A cohort study comparing cardiovascular risk factors in rural Māori, urban Māori and non-Māori communities in New Zealand. BMJ Open, 2(3), e000799. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000799
Journal - Research Article
Sheerin, I., Pitama, S., Wells, J. E., Faatoese, A., Richards, M., Troughton, R., Tikao-Mason, K., Huria, T., Robertson, P., Gillies, M., … Whalley, G., & Cameron, V. (2012). Loose tobacco, ethnicity, income and rurality. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 36(3), 291-292. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00873.x
Journal - Research Other
Faatoese, A., Pitama, S., Wells, J. E., Tikao-Mason, K., Robertson, P., Huria, T., Gillies, T., … Troughton, R., Sheerin, I., Richards, A. M., & Cameron, V. A. (2011, September). Genomewide association studies (GWAS) variants were not associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes (DM2) in Maori and non-Maori community cohorts: The Hauora Manawa Project. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Faatoese, A. F., Pitama, S. G., Gillies, T. W., Robertson, P. J., Huria, T. M., Tikao-Mason, K. N., … Whalley, G. A., Richards, A. M., Troughton, R. W., Sheerin, I. G., Wells, J. E., & Cameron, V. A. (2011). Community screening for cardiovascular risk factors and levels of treatment in a rural Māori cohort. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 35(6), 517-523. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00777.x
Journal - Research Article
Cameron, V., Faatoese, A., Gillies, M., Robertson, P., Huria, T., Doughty, R., Whalley, G., Richards, M., Troughton, R., Tikao-Mason, K., Sheerin, I., Wells, E., & Pitama, S. (2011). How to successfully undertake genetics research in partnership with indigenous Maori communities. Internal Medicine Journal.41(Suppl. 2), (pp. 4). doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2011.02486.x
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Pitama, S., Wells, J. E., Faatoese, A., Tikao-Mason, K., Robertson, P., Huria, T., Gillies, T., … Whalley, G., Troughton, R., Sheerin, I., Richards, M., & Cameron, V. A. (2011). A Kaupapa Māori approach to a community cohort study of heart disease in New Zealand. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 35(3), 249-255. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00702.x
Journal - Research Article
Pitama, S., Cameron, V., Huria, T., Tikao-Mason, K., Faatoese, A., & Whalley, G. (2011). Adjusting protocols in clinical research: Finding the point of cultural/clinical fusion. Journal of Primary Health Care, 3(1), 72-73.
Journal - Research Other
Faatoese, A., Gillies, M., Robertson, P., Doughty, R., Whalley, G., Richards, M., Troughton, R., Wells, E., Sheerin, I., Pitama, S., & Cameron, V. (2010, November-December). Comparison of rates of diagnosed and undiagnosed cardiovascular disease and its risk factors among Māori and non-Māori communities in New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress: A New Decade of Discovery (MedSciNZ), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Faatoese, A. (2010). A comparison of metabolic risk profiles among rural and urban Māori in New Zealand. In M. Taumoepeau, C. Matthewson, G. Burnett & P. Vakaoti (Eds.), Proceedings of the Pacific Postgraduate Symposium: Pacific Voices VII. (pp. 21). Dunedin, New Zealand: Pacific Islands Centre, University of Otago. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Pitama, S., Cameron, V., Huria, T., Gillies, M., Whalley, G., Doughty, R., Richards, M., Faatoese, A., Tikao-Mason, K., & Robertson, P. (2010). Hauora Manawa/Heart Health: The Community Heart Study. In R. Taonui (Ed.), Proceedings of Ngā Kete a Rēhua Inaugural Māori Research Symposium Te Waipounamu. (pp. 156-163). Christchurch, New Zealand: Aotahi School of Māori and Indigenous Studies, University of Canterbury. [Full Paper]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Faatoese, A., Pitama, S., Gillies, M., Robertson, P., Huria, T., Doughty, R., Whalley, G., Richards, M., Troughton, R., Wells, E., Sheerin, I., & Cameron, V. (2010). A comparison of metabolic risk profiles among rural and urban maori in New Zealand. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 19(Suppl. 2), (pp. S254). doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2010.06.622
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Cameron, V., Faatoese, A., Robertson, P., Gillies, M., Wells, E., Whalley, G., … Sheerin, I., Richards, M., Troughton, R., & Pitama, S. (2009). Cardiovascular risk factors and achievement of treatment targets in a rural Maori community. Proceedings of the ComBio2009 Conference. [CD-ROM] [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Faatoese, A., Wells, E., Pitama, S., Gillies, M., Doughty, R., Troughton, R., Richards, M., & Cameron, V. (2009). Screening for cardiovascular disease in Maori communities: The Community Heart Study. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 18(Suppl. 3), (pp. S198). doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2009.05.448
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Pitama, S., Cameron, V., Huria, T., Gillies, M., Whalley, G., Doughty, R., Richards, M., Faatoese, A., Tikao-Mason, K., & Robertson, P. (2008, September). Hauora Manawa/heart health: The Community Heart Study. Verbal presentation at the Ngā Kete a Rēhua Inaugural Māori Research Symposium Te Waipounamu, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Research Fellow