Q&A with Christina Deng, 2025 20Twenties Young Alumni Award recipient

The opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives is what fuels Christina’s passion for research.

Christina graduated with an MSc with Distinction in Bioengineering in 2020 and completed her PhD in 2024. After finishing her PhD, she joined Otago’s Faculty of Dentistry as an Assistant Research Fellow and has been driving several projects that aim to improve patient care in dentistry and oral health.

Although in the early stages of her career, Christina is involved with multiple research grants, has mentored students and has built successful collaborations with clinicians and multidisciplinary teams. Christina’s vision is to make healthcare more effective, accessible and forward-thinking, so it can benefit patients and communities.

Q: How did you react when you heard you had received the award, and what does it mean to you?

I was genuinely surprised and incredibly honoured. There are so many inspiring young Otago alumni doing amazing things, so it means a lot to be recognised among them.

The award has given me confidence that the work I've been doing in health research is making a meaningful contribution, and it's encouraged me to keep pursuing research that can improve people's lives.

Q: What path have you followed since graduation?

After completing my PhD in Bioengineering at Otago in 2024, I joined the Faculty of Dentistry as an Assistant Research Fellow. Since then, I've been working on a range of research projects involving biomaterials, drug delivery, regenerative dentistry and oral cancer.

My work has included developing new biomaterials for treating oral diseases, creating 3D tumour models for drug testing and contributing to animal studies that support the translation of research into future clinical applications.

Q: What inspires and motivates you to work in the areas you are involved with?

I'm motivated by the idea that research can make a real difference to people's health and quality of life. Although scientific progress often happens in small steps, every experiment and every new finding brings us a little closer to better treatments.

I also enjoy solving complex problems and working with people from different disciplines, because that's often where the most exciting ideas come from.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

I hope to continue building my career as an independent researcher, developing innovative biomaterials and drug delivery systems that can address unmet clinical needs.

I'm also passionate about mentoring students and collaborating with clinicians and researchers to help translate research into practical healthcare solutions. Ultimately, I want my research to have a positive impact on patients both in New Zealand and internationally.

Q: Tell us about the highlights of your time at Otago, and how it has influenced you in your career.

One of the highlights of my time at Otago was the opportunity to work alongside researchers from many different disciplines. The collaborative environment encouraged me to explore new ideas and develop skills beyond my original field.

I was fortunate to have supportive supervisors and colleagues who challenged me to think critically, while giving me the confidence to pursue ambitious projects. Those experiences shaped not only my research skills but also my belief that collaboration, curiosity and perseverance are key to making meaningful scientific discoveries.