Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 4 832 3116
- dianne.sika-paotonu@otago.ac.nz
University Links
- Position
- Associate Dean (Pacific) and Associate Professor Biomedical / Health Sciences (Immunology)
- Department
- Dean's Department (Wellington)
- Qualifications
- Cert AT(AIT) DPH(Otago) BSc BBMedSc PGCertEdPD PGDipHELT MBMEDSC(Hons) PhD(VUW)
- Research summary
- Immunology, Cancer, Acute Rheumatic Fever, Rheumatic Heart Disease, COVID-19, Pacific health
Research
Dianne Sika-Paotonu is an Associate Professor (Immunology) at the University of Otago, Wellington, and Associate Dean (Pacific) for the Division of Health Sciences, at the University of Otago. She is a Fulbright Scholar, having recently returned from the United States after working as an Immunology Scientist at Harvard University based in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and in the Health Sciences Centre at the University of Oklahoma.
Dianne is an experienced research scientist, educator and science communicator and commentator, teaching, supervising, and mentoring students and holding leadership roles within the tertiary sector for many years. Her areas of research focus include rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, cancer and early diagnosis, health equity and inequities, and infectious diseases, and she has established research collaborations leading as Principal Investigator across multiple projects nationally and internationally working with collaborators in overseas and into the Pacific region and beyond. Dianne’s leadership and scientific contributions to these interdisciplinary research projects are evidence based, equity focused, and inclusivity driven, utilising her Pacific health, scientific and immunological expertise.
Science communication and advocacy
Dianne regularly presents at scientific conferences, and over the years has received national and international awards relating to her research work and science communication efforts. She holds numerous service and leadership responsibilities and contributes to local, national and international groups, committees and boards, functioning as chair and/or convenor for many of these.
Dianne has a long-standing track record of advocacy and engagement efforts with many groups, while seeking to address health inequities in society more generally, as the basis for the scientific work she leads and supports.
PhD Research
Dianne completed her PhD in Biomedical Science specialising in Immunology at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research as a member of the cancer vaccines team undertaking work that explored modification of these vaccines to generate stronger immune responses against cancer. Her work showed that increased numbers of cancer-killing immune cells could be generated when synthetic compounds that mimic infected tissue were incorporated into the cancer vaccine preparation. Her work also highlighted the role of specific sub-populations of immune cells in generating these cancer-killing immune responses.
Dianne’s work overall aimed to improve of the potency of these cancer vaccines for the treatment of all cancers. Dianne also previously worked at the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth Western Australia as the Scientific Lead for the Penicillin Research programme within the Group A Streptococcal Disease team based at the Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases.
Awards
Dianne is an award-winning scientist, Fulbright Scholar, receiving national and international awards for her research work including the Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize, AAW Woman of the Year Award, USA, Liley Medal-Team Award, Cranwell Medal, MacDiarmid New Zealand Young Scientist of the Year – Advancing Human Health & Wellbeing, Colmar Brunton Research Excellence Award, Australasian Society of Immunology BD Science Communication Award, Asia Pacific Science Technology Studies Networks New Contributions to Science Technology & Innovation Award-Indigenous studies, and the Australasian Society of Immunology Buck Memorial Award, among others.
Dianne was also recipient of the Royal Order Award the Most Illustrious Royal Order of Queen Salote Tupou III-Commander, awarded by the late King George Tupou V of Tonga in recognition of scientific achievement.
Academic qualifications
She’s completed a BSc (Physiology), BBMedSc (Molecular Pathology), MBMedSc (1st class Hons - Molecular Pathology), DPH (Public Health), PGDipHELT (Higher Education Learning and Teaching), PGCert (Education & Professional Development), Certificate (Anaesthetic Technology) and PhD (Immunology).
Publications
Lawrenson, R., Lao, C., Stanley, J., Teng, A., Kuper-Hommel, M., Campbell, I., Krebs, J., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Gurney, J. (2024). Does diabetes affect breast cancer survival? Cancer Reports, e2040. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.2040
Kvalsvig, A., Brooks, A. E. S., Potter, J. D., Jeffreys, M., Bennett, J., Davies-Payne, D., Kennedy, J., Sika-Paotonu, D., Timu-Parata, C., … Hume, C., … Lorgelly, P., & Baker, M. (2024). Long Covid in Aotearoa NZ: Risk assessment and preventive action urgently needed. The Briefing, (26 March). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/long-covid-aotearoa-nz-risk-assessment-and-preventive-action-urgently-needed
Teng, A., Stanley, J., Jackson, C., Koea, J., Lao, C., Lawrenson, R., … Sika-Paotonu, D., & Gurney, J. (2024). The growing cancer burden: Age-period-cohort projections in Aotearoa New Zealand 2020-2044. Cancer Epidemiology, 89, 102535. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2024.102535
Lacey, J. A., Bennett, J., James, T. B., Hines, B. S., Chen, T., Lee, D., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Baker, M. G., … Moreland, N. J. (2024). A worldwide population of Streptococcus pyogenes strains circulating among school-aged children in Auckland, New Zealand: A genomic epidemiology analysis. Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific, 24, 100964. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100964
Bako, K. R., Mohammadnezhad, M., Sika-Paotonu, D., Sime, S., & Signal, L. (2023). Diabetes Cam: An objective methodology to study diabetes self-management. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.12.016
Sika-Paotonu, D., Beaton, A., & Carapetis, J. (2018). Epidemiology and global burden of rheumatic heart disease. In A. J. Camm, T. F. Lüscher, G. Maurer & P. W. Serruys (Eds.), The ESC textbook of cardiovascular medicine. (3rd ed.) Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med/9780198784906.003.0065
Chapter in Book - Research
Sika-Paotonu, D., Beaton, A., Raghu, A., Steer, A., & Carapetis, J. (2017). Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. In J. J. Ferretti, D. L. Stevens & V. A. Fischetti (Eds.), Streptococcus pyogenes: Basic biology to clinical manifestations. (pp. 771-826). Oklahoma, OK: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425394/
Chapter in Book - Research
Lacey, J. A., Bennett, J., James, T. B., Hines, B. S., Chen, T., Lee, D., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Baker, M. G., … Moreland, N. J. (2024). A worldwide population of Streptococcus pyogenes strains circulating among school-aged children in Auckland, New Zealand: A genomic epidemiology analysis. Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific, 24, 100964. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100964
Journal - Research Article
Lawrenson, R., Lao, C., Stanley, J., Teng, A., Kuper-Hommel, M., Campbell, I., Krebs, J., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Gurney, J. (2024). Does diabetes affect breast cancer survival? Cancer Reports, e2040. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.2040
Journal - Research Article
Teng, A., Stanley, J., Jackson, C., Koea, J., Lao, C., Lawrenson, R., … Sika-Paotonu, D., & Gurney, J. (2024). The growing cancer burden: Age-period-cohort projections in Aotearoa New Zealand 2020-2044. Cancer Epidemiology, 89, 102535. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2024.102535
Journal - Research Article
Bako, K. R., Reynolds, A. N., Sika-Paotonu, D., Signal, L., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2023). Identifying factors which enhance the self-management of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review with thematic analysis. Global Journal of Health Science, 15(1), 1-19. doi: 10.5539/gjhs.v15n1p1
Journal - Research Article
Cleverley, T., Meredith, I., Sika-Paotonu, D., & Gurney, J. (2023). Cancer incidence, mortality and survival for Pacific Peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 136(1586), 12-31. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz/
Journal - Research Article
Gurney, J., Stanley, J., Teng, A., Robson, B., Scott, N., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Krebs, J., & Koea, J. (2023). Equity of cancer and diabetes co-occurrence: A national study with 44 million person-years of follow-up. JCO Global Oncology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1200/GO.22.00357
Journal - Research Article
Lao, C., Gurney, J., Stanley, J., Krebs, J., Meredith, I., Campbell, I., Teng, A., Sika-Paotonu, D., Koea, J., & Lawrenson, R. (2023). Association of diabetes and breast cancer characteristics at diagnosis. Cancer Causes & Control, 34, 103-111. doi: 10.1007/s10552-022-01654-y
Journal - Research Article
Lawrenson, R., Lao, C., Stanley, J., Campbell, I., Krebs, J., Meredith, I., Koea, J., Teng, A., Sika-Paotonu, D., Stairmand, J., & Gurney, J. (2023). Impact of diabetes on surgery and radiotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research & Treatment. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10549-023-06915-1
Journal - Research Article
Bennett, J., Moreland, N. J., Zhang, J., Crane, J., Sika-Paotonu, D., Carapetis, J., Williamson, D. A., & Baker, M. G. (2022). Risk factors for group A streptococcal pharyngitis and skin infections: A case control study. Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific, 26, 100507. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100507
Journal - Research Article
Gurney, J., Stanley, J., Teng, A., Krebs, J., Koea, J., . . ., Sika-Paotonu, D., & Sarfati, D. (2022). Cancer and diabetes co-occurrence: A national study with 44 million person-years of follow-up. PLoS ONE, 17(11), e0276913. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276913
Journal - Research Article
Bennett, J., Zhang, J., Leung, W., Jack, S., Oliver, J., Webb, R., … Sika-Paotonu, D., Harwood, M., & Baker, M. G. (2021). Rising ethnic inequalities in acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, New Zealand, 2000-2018. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(1), 36-46. doi: 10.3201/eid2701.191791
Journal - Research Article
Oliver, J., Robertson, O., Zhang, J., Marsters, B. L., Sika-Paotonu, D., Jack, S., Bennett, J., Williamson, D. A., … Pierse, N., & Baker, M. G. (2021). Early release-ethnically disparate disease progression and outcomes among acute rheumatic fever patients in New Zealand, 1989–2015. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(7), 1893-1901. doi: 10.3201/eid2707.203045
Journal - Research Article
Filoche, S., Stone, P., Cram, F., Bacharach, S., Dowell, A., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Ormandy, J., … Thunders, M., & Dew, K. (2020). Uncovering social structures and informational prejudices to reduce inequity in delivery and uptake of new molecular technologies. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46, 763-767. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105734
Journal - Research Article
Hand, R. M., Senarathna, S. M. D. K. G., Page-Sharp, M., Gray, K., Sika-Paotonu, D., Sheel, M., … Batty, K. T. (2020). Quality of benzathine penicillin G: A multinational cross-sectional study. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives, 8(6), e. doi: 10.1002/prp2.668
Journal - Research Article
Hand, R. M., Salman, S., Newall, N., Vine, J., Page-Sharp, M., Bowen, A. C., … Sika-Paotonu, D., … Carapetis, J. (2019). A population pharmacokinetic study of benzathine benzylpenicillin G administration in children and adolescents with rheumatic heart disease: New insights for improved secondary prophylaxis strategies. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 74, 1984-1991. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkz076
Journal - Research Article
Cornwall, J., Robinson, B., & Sika-Paotonu, D. (2016). The availability of clinical anatomy in postgraduate nursing education in New Zealand. Anatomy, 10(2), 138-142. doi: 10.2399/ana.16.022
Journal - Research Article
Delahunt, B., Sika-Paotonu, D., Bethwaite, P. B., Jordan, T. W., Magi-Galluzzi, C., Zhou, M., … Srigley, J. R. (2011). Grading of clear cell renal cell carcinoma should be based on nucleolar prominence. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 35(8), 1134-1139. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e318220697f
Journal - Research Article
Petersen, T. R., Sika-Paotonu, D., Knight, D. A., Simkins, H. M. A., & Hermans, I. F. (2011). Exploiting the role of endogenous lymphoid-resident dendritic cells in the priming of NKT cells and CD8+ T cells to dendritic cell-based vaccines. PLoS ONE, 6(3), e17657. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0017657
Journal - Research Article
Petersen, T. R., Sika-Paotonu, D., Knight, D. A., Dickgreber, N., Farrand, K. J., Ronchese, F., & Hermans, I. F. (2010). Potent anti-tumor responses to immunization with dendritic cells loaded with tumor tissue and an NKT cell ligand. Immunology & Cell Biology, 88(5), 596-604. doi: 10.1038/icb.2010.9
Journal - Research Article
Delahunt, B., Sika-Paotonu, D., Bethwaite, P. B., McCredie, M. R. E., Martignoni, G., Eble, J., & Jordan, T. W. (2007). Fuhrman grading is not appropriate for chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 31(6), 957-960.
Journal - Research Article
Sika-Paotonu, D., Bethwaite, P. B., McCredie, M. R. E., William, J. T., & Delahunt, B. (2006). Nucleolar grade but not Fuhrman grade is applicable to papillary renal cell carcinoma. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 30(9), 1091-1096. doi: 10.1097/01.pas.0000209833.69972.2b
Journal - Research Article
Kvalsvig, A., Brooks, A. E. S., Potter, J. D., Jeffreys, M., Bennett, J., Davies-Payne, D., Kennedy, J., Sika-Paotonu, D., Timu-Parata, C., … Hume, C., … Lorgelly, P., & Baker, M. (2024). Long Covid in Aotearoa NZ: Risk assessment and preventive action urgently needed. The Briefing, (26 March). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/long-covid-aotearoa-nz-risk-assessment-and-preventive-action-urgently-needed
Journal - Research Other
Bako, K. R., Mohammadnezhad, M., Sika-Paotonu, D., Sime, S., & Signal, L. (2023). Diabetes Cam: An objective methodology to study diabetes self-management. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.12.016
Journal - Research Other
Oetzel, J., Sika-Paotonu, D., Penetito-Hemara, D., & Henry, A. (2022). Healthier Lives Implementation Research Network for Māori and Pacific community health providers in Aotearoa New Zealand: A study protocol with an observational mixed methods design. Implementation Science Communications, 3, 122. doi: 10.1186/s43058-022-00373-4
Journal - Research Other
Bennett, J., Anderson, A., 'Ofanoa, M., Anderson, P., Baker, M. G., Brown, R., … Eggleton, K., Harwood, M., … Malcolm, J., … Sika-Paotonu, D., … Wilson, N. (2021). Acute rheumatic fever: A preventable, inequitable disease: A call for action. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1535), 93-95. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other
Signal, V., Gurney, J., Inns, S., McLeod, M., Sika-Paotonu, D., Sowerbutts, S., Teng, A., & Sarfati, D. (2020). Helicobacter pylori, stomach cancer and its prevention in New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 50(3), 397-417. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2019.1650081
Journal - Research Other
Bennett, J., Moreland, N. J., Oliver, J., Crane, J., Williamson, D. A., Sika-Paotonu, D., … Baker, M. G. (2019). Understanding group A streptococcal pharyngitis and skin infections as causes of rheumatic fever: Protocol for a prospective disease incidence study. BMC Infectious Diseases, 19, 633. doi: 10.1186/s12879-019-4126-9
Journal - Research Other
Robertson, S. P., Harré Hindmarsh, J., Berry, S., Cameron, V. A., Cox, M. P., Dewes, O., … Matisoo-Smith, E., … Sika-Paotonu, D., … Merriman, T. R., … Wilcox, P. (2018). Genomic medicine must reduce, not compound, health inequities: The case for hauora-enhancing genomic resources for New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1480), 81-89. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other
Sarfati, D., Robson, B., Garvey, G., Goza, T., Foliaki, S., Millar, E., … on behalf of the participants of the Indigenous Peoples and Cancer Symposium, including Sika-Paotonu, D. (2018). Improving the health of Indigenous people globally. Lancet Oncology, 19(6), e276. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30336-X
Journal - Research Other
Sika-Paotonu, D., Robinson, B., & Maling, T. (2017). Engaging postgraduate students undertaking clinical pharmacology using GoSoapBox for problem-based learning [Syllabus selections: Innovative learning activities]. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(9), 575-576. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20170817-14
Journal - Research Other
Delahunt, B., Bethwaite, P. B., Miller, R. J., Sika-Paotonu, D., & Srigley, J. R. (2010). Re: Fuhrman grade provides higher prognostic accuracy than nucleolar grade for papillary renal cell carcinoma [Letter to the editor/errata]. Journal of Urology, 185(1), 356-357. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2010.08.045
Journal - Research Other