Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon

image alt textResearch Associate Professor

BSc(Hons) PhD(Otago)

Email anna.pilbrow@otago.ac.nz

Christchurch Heart Institute
Department of Medicine
University of Otago, Christchurch
PO Box 4345
Christchurch
New Zealand

Current roles

  • Leader of the Omics Laboratory, Christchurch Heart Institute
  • Deputy Head of Department, Medicine

Research interests

Cardiovascular Genetics

Anna completed her PhD at the University of Otago, Christchurch in 2006 and undertook postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, USA from 2008–2010.

Since returning to Aotearoa in 2010, her research has focussed on understanding the mechanisms underlying our inherited susceptibility to heart disease. She has a particular interest in identifying molecules circulating in our blood that may signal the early stages of heart disease and contribute to a poor prognosis in heart patients.

Anna is currently leading a large international study to identify genetic variants that may influence progression from coronary artery disease to heart failure.

Awards

  • University of Otago Christchurch Four Year Fellowship, 2023
  • Heart Foundation of New Zealand Foundation100 Fellowship, 2021
  • Finalist, Division of Health Sciences, Otago University Students’ Association Supervisor of the Year Award, 2020
  • ThermoFisher Scientific Award for Excellence in Molecular Biology, Queenstown Research Week, 2017
  • Heart Foundation of New Zealand Senior Fellowship, 2014
  • University of Otago Early Career Award for Distinction in Research, 2014
  • Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship, 2011

Affiliations

  • Department of Medicine
  • Christchurch Heart Institute

Publications

Pilbrow, A. (2026, February). Can we use genetics to improve cardiovascular risk prediction? Verbal presentation at the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Pickering, J. W., Pilbrow, A. P., Fa'atoese, A., & Joyce, L. (2026). Addressing significant inequity. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 139(1631), 110-115. doi: 10.26635/6965.7313 Journal - Research Other

Deane, A. R., Myall, D. J., Pilbrow, A., Shoorangiz, R., Grenfell, S., Nolan, R., Livingston, L., … Keenan, R. J., … Dalrymple-Alford, J. C., Anderson, T. J., … Melzer, T. R. (2026). Altered cerebrovascular haemodynamics in Parkinson's disease: Insights from 4D flow MRI. npj Parkinson's Disease. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1038/s41531-026-01276-0 Journal - Research Article

Rolleston, A., Jones, G. T., Earle, N. J., Gibbs, S., Pilbrow, A., Faatoese, A., … Cameron, V. A., … Doughty, R. N. (2026). Considerations for study design and analysis for ethically and culturally safe DNA methylation research in Aotearoa New Zealand. SSM Population Health, 33, 101889. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2025.101889 Journal - Research Article

Keys, T., Greer, C., Adamson, P. D., Pickering, J. W., Pilbrow, A. P., Frampton, C., … Troughton, R. W., … Richards, A. M., Pemberton, C. J., & Chew-Harris, J. (2025). Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor for risk stratification from undifferentiated acute chest pain through to convalescence after acute coronary syndromes. European Heart Journal Open, 5(5), oeaf097. doi: 10.1093/ehjopen/oeaf097 Journal - Research Article

Back to top