Pūranga karere
Wednesday 12 May 2021
Video of Professor Tim Woodfield's Inaugural Professorial Lecture
"Let's get personal: orchestrating tissue development in personalised and regenerative medicine"
Coming soon on Vimeo.
Thursday 8 April 2021
EDOR Directors Rachael Taylor and Jim Mann attended the parliamentary launch of the Economic and Social Cost of Type 2 Diabetes report on 15 March 2021.
Wednesday 7 April 2021
Two thirds of New Zealanders believed there were ‘silver linings’ to the country’s Alert Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown imposed in March last year, a University of Otago survey has found.
Thursday 1 April 2021
The Economic and Social Cost of Type 2 Diabetes report found that around 600 amputations could be avoided in New Zealand each year if better foot screening and podiatry services were made available for everyone with type 2 diabetes.
Thursday 1 April 2021
A long-serving head of department was celebrated along with researchers, educators, staff and students who showed excellence and a commitment to the values of the Christchurch campus during its annual Academic Welcome ceremony.
Wednesday 31 March 2021
An impressive range of joint research projects between Chinese and New Zealand cancer, brain and modernisation of traditional medicine scientists may receive further support from the New Zealand-China Non-Communicable Diseases Research Collaboration Centre (NCD CRCC).
Tuesday 30 March 2021
Does streaming before dreaming make for a worse night’s sleep? That’s the question University of Otago researchers are hoping to answer when they monitor young people’s screen-use at bedtime to see if it impacts sleep quality.
Monday 29 March 2021
Te Tai o Poutini is to benefit from an interprofessional learning programme set up by the University of Otago and funded by the Ministry of Health which will bring about 50 senior students in a variety of health professions each year to the Coast.
Friday 26 March 2021
An Otago academic says it’s time to ask tough questions after an audit revealed “concerningly low” numbers of people scanning COVID-19 QR code posters.
Thursday 25 March 2021
Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research advisory board member, Dr Ofa Dewes, is calling for communities to work together to implement the findings of the Economic and Social Cost of Type 2 Diabetes report, launched at Parliament on 15 March 2021.
Tuesday 23 March 2021
Clear, honest communication and a good rapport with doctors are key factors in the high levels of satisfaction reported by patients with high risk pregnancies following consultation with specialist obstetricians, researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington, have found.
Thursday 18 March 2021
The prevalence of teenage depression in New Zealand has more than doubled since the 1980s, a new University of Otago-led study reveals.
Thursday 18 March 2021
For outgoing Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne leaving Otago after spending half of her life here is bittersweet.
Monday 15 March 2021
The Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre (EDOR), Healthier Lives - He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge, and Diabetes New Zealand have released a hard-hitting report into the cost of type 2 diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Monday 15 March 2021
EDOR researchers collaborate with many other research organisations. Here we profile the work being done in collaboration with the Riddet Institute, as part of the Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) funding.
Friday 12 March 2021
Increasing the amount of time schools devote to physical education each week could dramatically reduce the number of children who are doing only minimal levels of exercise, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington and Sport New Zealand have found.
Wednesday 10 March 2021
Aotearoa New Zealand’s next pandemic plan needs a completely different approach to our previous plan that was focussed on influenza, say researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington in a new article that identifies key lessons from the COVID-19 response for managing future major outbreaks and pandemics.
Tuesday 9 March 2021
Professor Harlene Hayne, the out-going Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago, will be recognised for her contribution to the institution with the conferring of an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
Tuesday 9 March 2021
The University of Otago is currently on track to record solid overall enrolment growth in 2021, with a surge in domestic enrolments more than offsetting the decline in international enrolments.
Monday 8 March 2021
The University of Otago’s Dr Khoon Lim and Mr Jeremy Simcock speak on TV’s NewsHub about their innovative fat grafting research, promising another option for reconstructive plastic surgery. Their research proposal recently won a Translational Research Grant and $50,000 funding from the University.
Thursday 4 March 2021
Taking another step towards an “artificial pancreas” to improve the health of people with Type 1 diabetes is the focus of a new University of Otago study.
Monday 1 March 2021
For some people, their innate sense of self doesn’t fit with their biological sex. Any distress this causes is particularly heightened during puberty, but medication used to help is controversial.
Thursday 25 February 2021
Ben Gray retired from general practice late last year, after 35 years.
Wednesday 24 February 2021
Taxpayers are footing an annual bill of up to $11.5 million – the cost of 760 hip replacements - for patients who need public hospital care after private inpatient treatment, a new University of Otago study reveals.
Thursday 18 February 2021
The development of new brain stimulation devices, new stimulation designs and artificial intelligence is accelerating advances in the field of brain stimulation research. University of Otago Professor Dirk de Ridder says he has never been so excited about the potential to develop new treatments for debilitating conditions.
Thursday 18 February 2021
Research by EDOR member Professor Louise Signal is again in the spotlight, with junk food marketing to children still going unchecked.
Thursday 18 February 2021
The ongoing impact of ‘quake brain’ is the focus of a newly-funded study that will look for ways to help those suffering from a decline in cognitive function.
Wednesday 17 February 2021
Two top New Zealand scientists are key members of a new international panel mapping future Covid-19 scenarios.
Friday 12 February 2021
Some women desperate for relief from the chronic pain of endometriosis have found using cannabis provides more effective relief from their symptoms than other over the counter or prescribed medication, a new study reveals.
Thursday 11 February 2021
On average, 12-year-old children snack on unhealthy food and beverages five times a day, according to new research from the University of Otago.
Wednesday 10 February 2021
The University of Otago is launching a formal inquiry into sixth year Medical Degree electives following failure to meet attendance requirements for overseas electives by a significant number of students in the 2019 MB ChB Trainee Intern Class.
Tuesday 9 February 2021
The Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit's Dr Karyn Maclennan is currently piloting a new, innovative and hands-on education programme targeted at tamariki.
Thursday 4 February 2021
New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown had mixed effects on smoking behaviours, a University of Otago study reveals.
Thursday 4 February 2021
Sue Crengle Promoted to Professor
Thursday 4 February 2021
A project summing up the financial cost of eating disorders in New Zealand took out the top prize at this years' University of Otago, Christchurch Summer Studentship programme awards.
Thursday 4 February 2021
With her eyes on the future and using her past experience to guide her, medical student Brenetta Pogi has big plans to make a difference to her community.
Wednesday 3 February 2021
Professor Jim Mann talks about nutritional therapy for type 2 diabetes, and what we need to be doing right now.
Wednesday 3 February 2021
University of Otago-designed computer software for helping surgeons monitor how their patients are doing during their time in hospital has been developed into a commercially available system.
Wednesday 3 February 2021
Anorexia Nervosa has not only a detrimental impact on the people who suffer from the eating disorder, but often a significant financial impact on their carers, new research from the University of Otago, Christchurch, reveals.
Wednesday 3 February 2021
A project summing up the financial cost of eating disorders in New Zealand took out the top prize at this year’s Christchurch Summer Studentship programme awards.
Friday 29 January 2021
EDOR researcher Barbara Galland has been promoted to Professor from February 2021.
Wednesday 27 January 2021
Health authorities should develop targeted health messages for vaping product and e-liquid packaging to encourage smokers to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes and to prevent non-smokers from taking up vaping, a researcher at the University of Otago, Wellington says.
Tuesday 26 January 2021
One year on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Otago Wellington has assembled a world-leading line-up of expert speakers for its annual Public Health Summer School in February.
Thursday 21 January 2021
A new six-week placement is giving Otago medical students hands-on experience in LGBTQIA+ healthcare.
Thursday 21 January 2021
Four Otago researchers have been named on the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list for 2020.
Wednesday 20 January 2021
A Christchurch-based researcher has secured funding to develop a groundbreaking alternative to invasive surgeries for cancer prevention.
Tuesday 19 January 2021
Doctors Koko Lwin and Teariki Puni are the latest graduates of the Cook Islands Fellowship in General Practice.
Wednesday 13 January 2021
The Government should be careful about banning people entering New Zealand from specific countries based on the presence of variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, given most countries are not testing for variants, University of Otago experts say.
Monday 21 December 2020
Professor Helen Nicholson will take up the role of Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago in 2021.
Thursday 17 December 2020
Almost a quarter of the $17.5 million in Marsden funding recently awarded to the University of Otago was shared among five researchers in the Dunedin and Christchurch based Pathology departments.
Tuesday 15 December 2020
When Rebecca Pascoe graduated from medical school last weekend there was an unanticipated but much appreciated person in attendance.
Monday 14 December 2020
Getting good quality sleep, exercising, and eating more raw fruits and vegetables predicts better mental health and well-being in young adults, a University of Otago study has found.
Monday 14 December 2020
Three researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington, have received grants from the Marsden Fund to conduct research into topics ranging from tissue grafting to youth substance use to energy use in a warming world.
Monday 14 December 2020
More young people are opting for skateboards as a mode of transport, with fewer choosing to get their driver licence, and more needs to be done to protect them on the road, a University of Otago study has found.
Friday 11 December 2020
Iuliano (Jono) Tinielu always wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a doctor.
Friday 11 December 2020
Even Amy Hensley – who lived every minute of it – seems a little surprised she managed to complete a medical degree while having two babies.
Tuesday 8 December 2020
Twenty-six University of Otago academics have been promoted to the position of professor this year.
Monday 7 December 2020
Bruce Smith, who is retiring as manager of the Otago Medical School, says he is proud to have played his part over a long career.
Monday 7 December 2020
Claims that tobacco drives foot traffic into convenience stores have been discredited in new research from the University of Otago.
Friday 4 December 2020
EDOR members comment on the recently released 2019/2020 NZ Health Survey, which shows no decrease in adult obesity rates and marked ethnic & socioeconomic inequalities.
Friday 4 December 2020
Despite being considered a form of torture, and policies to reduce or abolish it in place, the use of mechanical restraints in psychiatric settings continues, a University of Otago-led study shows.
Friday 4 December 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic-induced recession and rising unemployment may increase the occurrence of heart disease in New Zealand, particularly in middle-aged men.
Thursday 3 December 2020
With COVID-19 vaccines now on the horizon, a travel doctor and convenor of the travel medicine programme at the University of Otago, Wellington, is urging general practice staff to undertake further study to upgrade their travel medicine skills.
Tuesday 1 December 2020
A decision was made early to offer the 2020 Bioengineering Showcase as a hybrid-platform event with physical venues in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington, and including virtual participation using Zoom. The current covid-19 situation has invited innovative adaptation from us all!
Monday 30 November 2020
Professor Mike Lean shows how remission of type 2 diabetes using a dietary approach is possible.
Friday 27 November 2020
Professor Michael Schultz has no doubt about the value Anne Ryalls brings to the Department of Medicine.
Thursday 26 November 2020
A 2-week RACP Written Examination Refresher Course which usually brings about 220 Australasian registrars to Dunedin was instead successfully run online because of the COVID pandemic.
Thursday 26 November 2020
More than half a million New Zealand adults are taking cholesterol-lowering medications, but a new University of Otago study reveals many are not taking them consistently.
Thursday 26 November 2020
Associate Professor Ben Wheeler and Dr Sara Styles are involved in a number of initiatives aimed at improving the management of type 1 diabetes, a disease that primarily affect children.
Thursday 26 November 2020
A revolutionary compact 3D colour scanner invented by a University of Otago, Christchurch professor will soon be tested in a large scale international clinical trial.
Tuesday 24 November 2020
Eating dairy and a low-fat diet can reduce the risk of bowel cancer in New Zealand, a new University of Otago study reveals.
Tuesday 24 November 2020
Staff and students from the University’s Christchurch campus recently celebrated the 10 year anniversary of its Simulation Centre.
Friday 20 November 2020
New Zealanders who live outside the major urban centres are significantly more likely to experience adverse long-term health outcomes after a stroke than those managed in urban hospitals, research from the University of Otago, Wellington has found.
Thursday 19 November 2020
The results of the COVID Kai Survey are out and show that most people consumed more unhealthy snacks and drinks during New Zealand's lockdowns.
Thursday 19 November 2020
The Otago Staff Values were launched by Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne this week.
Tuesday 17 November 2020
Designated outdoor smoking areas in bars are facilitating experimentation and tobacco use among young adults, a new study has found.
Tuesday 17 November 2020
A revolutionary compact 3D colour wrist scanner invented by a University of Otago, Christchurch professor will soon be tested in a large scale international clinical trial.
Friday 13 November 2020
World Diabetes Day is more important than ever in 2020, with diabetes being a major risk factor for poor outcomes from a COVID-19 infection.
Friday 13 November 2020
Professor Sarah Derrett was awarded the top honour as the Otago Medical School’s Dunedin Campus celebrated teaching and research achievements last night.
Thursday 12 November 2020
Fresh COVID-19 vaccine progress is “fantastic” news, but it will take time to implement a vaccine in New Zealand, a University of Otago expert says.
Tuesday 10 November 2020
University of Otago researchers have secured $17.5 million in Marsden funding for 30 world-class research projects.
Friday 6 November 2020
Two EDOR Professors have commented on a recent study which shows that Māori patients receive fewer prescriptions for the common diabetes medication Metformin than non-Māori patients.
Thursday 5 November 2020
Research published today has confirmed the nationwide Alert Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown had a significant toll on New Zealanders’ well-being, especially for younger people – but the results were not all negative.
Thursday 5 November 2020
Ten University of Otago researchers carrying out Māori-specific research have received HRC funding.
Thursday 5 November 2020
The NZ MedTech Imaging Showcase will highlight the capabilities of NZ companies in the MedTech space. Find out how major companies, such as MARS Bioimaging, Volpara Health Technologies Ltd, ARANZ Medical and others are making their mark in the global arena.
Wednesday 4 November 2020
Professor Jim Mann has been interviewed by Radio NZ about the under-funding of public health services in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Tuesday 3 November 2020
EDOR researchers have found that nearly half of the energy intake in NZ preschoolers is from ultra-processed foods.
Monday 2 November 2020
New Zealand children consume almost half of their energy intake from ultra-processed food by 12 months old, with consumption rising even higher by the time they turn five.
Friday 30 October 2020
A University of Otago researcher has been awarded a grant to undertake vital research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) which she says disproportionately affects Māori in epidemic proportions.
Thursday 29 October 2020
The work of 22 University of Otago researchers has been recognised with Career Development Awards from the Health Research Council.
Thursday 22 October 2020
Dr Mona Elbalshy has been awarded a Freemasons Fellowship for her work into more affordable blood glucose monitoring, for the management of type 1 diabetes in children.
Thursday 22 October 2020
Both Taiwan and New Zealand have successfully eliminated COVID-19 with world-leading pandemic responses. By taking a particularly proactive approach, Taiwan’s response was probably the most effective and least disruptive of any country’s, researchers say.
Tuesday 20 October 2020
Receiving two Freemasons study awards on the same day was a real surprise for University of Otago Department of Paediatrics and Child Health researcher Dr Mona Elbalshy.
Thursday 15 October 2020
EDOR researchers have commented in the media this week on why obesity is not just about personal responsibility.
Wednesday 14 October 2020
Leading historian Professor Tony Ballantyne, FRSNZ, has accepted a new role at the University of Otago as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement), effective from next year.
Tuesday 13 October 2020
A University of Otago study has shown adults low in dietary vitamin C can improve their feelings of vitality by eating two kiwifruit a day for two weeks.
Monday 12 October 2020
If effective school zoning policies were widely applied, more adolescents would get valuable exercise walking or cycling to their nearest school, an Otago researcher says.
Friday 9 October 2020
Leading specialists in addiction treatment, public health, health promotion and epidemiology are calling on New Zealanders to vote for cannabis law reform in the current referendum.
Thursday 8 October 2020
The University of Otago announced this afternoon that Professor Harlene Hayne is leaving her role as Vice-Chancellor in April 2021. Professor Hayne has been appointed to the role of Vice-Chancellor at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.
Wednesday 7 October 2020
A world-first Otago study has revealed flash glucose monitors help youth with type 1 diabetes better monitor their blood sugar levels, but it does not improve glucose control.
Monday 5 October 2020
Medical students in Christchurch spent a week of September focusing on the importance of wellbeing both in their student lives and in their future clinician roles.
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.
Thursday 1 October 2020
Sir Eion Edgar, benefactor and advisory board chair for the Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre, is an avid supporter of health research. A recent interview offers insight into why supporting research is important to him.
Thursday 1 October 2020
University of Otago academics and alumnae have been named as finalists in the Women of Influence awards.
Wednesday 30 September 2020
A FREE hybrid event showcasing the latest achievements in bioengineering and medical technologies.
Monday 28 September 2020
University of Otago researchers are providing a cautious prediction that the majority of voters will support the End of Life Choice Act 2019 in next month’s assisted dying referendum.
Wednesday 23 September 2020
Professor Jeremy Krebs, Endocrinologist and EDOR researcher at the University of Otago, Wellington, was part of the research team who carried out a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital health programme for self-management of diabetes and prediabetes
Wednesday 23 September 2020
Instagram users who post self-harm content online are choosing ambiguous hashtags in an attempt to circumvent the social media platform’s ban on harmful content, a researcher at the University of Otago, Wellington, has found.
Friday 18 September 2020
People who smoke are increasingly using e-cigarettes to try to quit smoking, a study by researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington, has found.
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.
Thursday 17 September 2020
University of Otago alumnus Mark Brosnan is gifting $10,000 worth of surgical masks to the University’s Dunedin Department of Medicine.
Wednesday 16 September 2020
Tuesday 15 September 2020
Much has been said of late about Medical School admissions at the University of Otago and our Mirror on Society Policy.
Tuesday 15 September 2020
Ten University of Otago proposals have been awarded funding through the Health Research Council’s (HRC) new Health Delivery Research Investment round. The 32 research grants are the first of two funding announcements for the HRC’s new Health Delivery Research portfolio.
Tuesday 15 September 2020
Ten Otago proposals awarded funding from the Health Research Council’s new Health Delivery Research Investment round.
Friday 11 September 2020
Two University of Otago proposals have been awarded over NZ$27 million in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Endeavour Fund 2020 grants.
Friday 11 September 2020
Members of the department have made appearances in TV and newspaper articles over the past couple of weeks, giving a spotlight to their areas of research.
Tuesday 8 September 2020
Professor Jim Mann comments on the recent UNICEF report on child health, which ranks New Zealand second to worst out of 41 countries for childhood obesity.
Friday 28 August 2020
The number of people hospitalised because of assaults over the weekend reduced significantly following restrictions on late-night alcohol sales, new research from the University of Otago shows.
Thursday 27 August 2020
This week marks six months since New Zealand’s first COVID-19 case was identified on February 26.
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.
Monday 24 August 2020
Professor John Broughton (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu Ki Heretaunga), who has now retired from his position in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine (PSM).
Thursday 20 August 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged global co-operation and highlighted the importance of science-based policy in preventing the devastating impact on communities and economies by novel infectious diseases, according to the winner of the University of Otago’s highest honour.
Wednesday 19 August 2020
In infectious disease outbreaks, digital contact tracing alone could reduce the number of cases, but not as much as manual contact tracing, new University of Otago-led research published in the Cochrane Library reveals.
Tuesday 18 August 2020
An increased level of fructose intake during pregnancy can cause significant changes in maternal metabolic function and milk composition and alter the metabolism of their offspring, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, have found.
Friday 14 August 2020
Christchurch researchers investigating the ongoing impact of mosque attacks, a better test for Legionnaires’ disease, and ways of predicting dementia in Parkinson’s disease patients are among the recipients of more than $830,000 of Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF) funding.
Thursday 13 August 2020
A group of Otago Medical School student researchers were awarded scholarships this week, showing there’s a bright future for medical research in New Zealand.
Friday 7 August 2020
An initial test of the University of Otago’s contact tracing system for COVID-19 has produced promising results after most contacts identified in the emergency exercise scenario of a visiting international professor to the Dunedin campus were able to be tracked down.
Thursday 6 August 2020
Eight University of Otago graduates from across the University have been named Fulbright New Zealand award winners.
Thursday 6 August 2020
Researchers developing a faster and less painful way of diagnosing Legionnaires’ disease are among the recipients of almost $1million in Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF) grants.
Wednesday 5 August 2020
EDOR director Professor Rachael Taylor has been interviewed by RNZ on the use of intermittant fasting.
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.
Monday 3 August 2020
For the first time, the Gama Foundation has recognised two people at once for their efforts in being the ‘Critic and Conscience of Society’ – both University of Otago academic staff members.
Monday 3 August 2020
Welcome back to our tauira! We hope you are looking forward to semester two studies and catching up with your mates. If you need support, come and see us and/or apply for the tautoko hardship fund. Read more about the Māori response to COVID-19 and Urutā in this article too.
Thursday 30 July 2020
Associate Professor Kirsten Coppell and colleagues have published a review outlining measures needed to improve the monitoring of weight gain during pregnancy.
Tuesday 28 July 2020
Media coverage of the March 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings contributed to an increase in public support for gun control, a study by researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington has found.
Tuesday 21 July 2020
Two University of Otago academic paediatricians have become the first New Zealand-based researchers to have a chapter published in the prestigious Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Public Health.
Friday 17 July 2020
Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research members have been successful in the recent NZ Health Research Council funding round.
Thursday 16 July 2020
Rangatahi Māori are more likely to use cannabis or be dependent on it and more likely to be negatively affected by cannabis laws, compared to their non-Māori peers.
Wednesday 15 July 2020
While paracetamol was the most common substance of enquiry for calls to the National Poisons Centre in 2018, new research reveals most New Zealanders have large quantities of the painkiller stockpiled in their homes.
Friday 10 July 2020
Rape and sexual trauma may have long-lasting consequences for physical health as well as mental health, University of Otago researchers have found.
Wednesday 8 July 2020
International conferences held entirely online may well be the future, if the just-completed University of Otago Global Health Institute’s (OGHI) online COVID-19 Masterclass is anything to go by.
Wednesday 8 July 2020
Most people who smoke or have recently quit smoking support New Zealand’s goal of becoming a smokefree nation by 2025, researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington have found.
Tuesday 7 July 2020
Despite schools being encouraged to implement sun protective hat wearing policy to reduce children’s future risk of skin cancer, less than half participating in a University of Otago study had robust policy in place.
Wednesday 1 July 2020
A consumer tax on the saturated fat, salt and sugar content of food, accompanied by a 20 per cent subsidy on fruit and vegetables, would bring major benefits for the health sector, researchers from Otago, Auckland and Melbourne Universities say.
Tuesday 30 June 2020
University of Otago, Wellington infectious diseases expert Professor Michael Baker has received almost $5 million from the Health Research Council for a programme investigating the connection between infectious diseases and long-term conditions, something he was planning well prior to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Tuesday 30 June 2020
EDOR researchers publish a qualitative study of perceptions of infant and child sleep practices among Māori whānau
Tuesday 23 June 2020
University of Otago, Christchurch Dean and infectious disease expert Professor David Murdoch has been asked to formally support the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine development effort.
Thursday 18 June 2020
University of Otago researchers have discovered some of the secrets to longevity with new research revealing not smoking and being social engaged throughout older age are common traits of New Zealand centenarians.
Tuesday 16 June 2020
Controversy over public statues is nothing new, with protestors taking to New Zealand’s statues with a range of weapons including an axe, a concrete cutter and a hammer over recent decades, a study by researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, has found.
Friday 12 June 2020
Parents of pre-schoolers can take reassurance from new Otago research which shows early bedtimes aren’t vital for healthy development, as long as young children get enough sleep.
Friday 12 June 2020
Walking and cycling have many benefits and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but researchers say we need to think about what people eat to fuel their walking and cycling.
Friday 12 June 2020
BMI (Body Mass Index) is likely to be an inconsistent measure of obesity in Māori and Pacific patients, new University of Otago research reveals.
Thursday 11 June 2020
Just a few weeks since it was launched, the University of Otago student financial relief fund Pūtea Tautoko has provided NZD$659,156 in grants to support students facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thursday 11 June 2020
If you’ve got questions about COVID-19, an upcoming fortnight-long masterclass, running from June 22 until July 3, should be on your radar.
Wednesday 10 June 2020
The use of prescription medicines by pregnant women in New Zealand increased substantially between 2005 and 2015.
Wednesday 10 June 2020
Women use more diverse modes of travel and generate lower greenhouse gas emissions than men, despite men being more than twice as likely to travel by bike, a New Zealand study has found.
Tuesday 9 June 2020
Parents of school-aged children were very concerned that their children may catch COVID-19 if schools were reopened at Alert Level 3 despite no evidence supporting this view, a new University of Otago, Christchurch study reveals.
Monday 8 June 2020
Today, for the first time since February 28, New Zealand has no active cases of COVID-19.
Saturday 6 June 2020
University of Otago researchers have drawn from the world-class data of The Dunedin Study and similar Christchurch Health and Development Study, to provide broad analysis of the effects of cannabis ahead of New Zealand’s cannabis referendum in September.
Friday 5 June 2020
A post-graduate course on refugee and migrant health being run by the University of Otago, Wellington is offering primary health care professionals the opportunity to improve their training in the area, ahead of a likely increase in the number of refugees coming to the country.
Wednesday 3 June 2020
‘Quake brain’ is a real phenomenon that impairs people’s memory even years after the shaking stops, a world-leading study from the University of Otago, Christchurch has shown.
Wednesday 3 June 2020
Professor Jim Mann, Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre Co-Director, and EDOR member Associate Professor Rachael McLean, have contributed to the largest ever study of global cholesterol levels, published in the prestigious journal Nature.
Friday 29 May 2020
The health and safety of truck drivers and the impacts of evening television binge-watching will come under the spotlight in new University of Otago research being funded by the Health Research Council.
Friday 29 May 2020
The HRC announced their 2020 Emerging Researcher grant recipients this week and EDOR members feature in two of the eight grants awarded to University of Otago applicants.
Friday 29 May 2020
The tobacco industry is targeting a new generation of smokers with sophisticated marketing designed to associate smoking with rebellion, social prestige and attractiveness, researchers from the tobacco control research centre ASPIRE 2025, at the University of Otago, say.
Thursday 28 May 2020
After two years of declining numbers of HIV cases in New Zealand, there was a slight increase in 2019, but many of these cases were first diagnosed overseas.
Monday 25 May 2020
Māori and Pasifika who have not been able to quit smoking may need more support to move from smoking to vaping, researchers from the University of Otago and Māori public health collective Hāpai Te Hauora have found.
Friday 22 May 2020
Cancers are prevalent among Mururoa veterans who witnessed the French atmospheric nuclear explosions in 1973 while many of their children have fertility problems, new University of Otago research reveals.
Thursday 21 May 2020
Dr Andrew Reynolds was interviewed by Jesse Mulligan at Radio NZ about his study showing that unprocessed whole grains are more beneficial for adults with Type 2 diabetes.
Wednesday 20 May 2020
The next stage of the redevelopment of the University’s Christchurch Campus is about to begin.
Tuesday 19 May 2020
Teenagers interviewed about their views on the suicide portrayed in the controversial Netflix series 13 Reasons Why report being shocked by the graphic detail of the scene, which they saw as excessive, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, have found.
Monday 18 May 2020
Cannabis is harmful to the lungs, but in a different way to tobacco, causing significant respiratory symptoms such as bronchitis with evidence to suggest it can result in destructive lung disease – sometimes referred to as ‘bong lung’ – in heavy cannabis users.
Friday 15 May 2020
New Zealand’s move to Alert Level 2 means many Otago University health clinics will now be open to the public.
Friday 15 May 2020
The University of Otago is delighted to welcome back students to all its campuses and colleges after they played a major role, and made their own sacrifices, when the nation united against COVID-19.
Thursday 14 May 2020
Associate Professor Kirsten Coppell, EDOR researcher and public health physician, has co-authored a letter to the New Zealand Medical Journal on the meeting of two pandemics - COVID-19 and diabetes.
Wednesday 13 May 2020
University of Otago, Christchurch researchers and paediatricians are launching an urgent study to understand what information parents need to understand and feel reassured about COVID-19 and its potential impact on children.
Wednesday 13 May 2020
The advent of COVID-19 has resulted in University of Otago researchers, in collaboration with others in New Zealand, fast-tracking development of a smartphone application (app) to help improve care for people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (also called inflammatory bowel disease or IBD), as fewer of them will be able to meet with specialists.
Monday 11 May 2020
COVID-19 may well be the catalyst for significant change in how general practice operates in New Zealand in future, according to University of Otago general practice experts.
Friday 8 May 2020
Dying New Zealanders think they can and should be trusted to know what’s right and wrong for them when it comes to end of life decision-making.
Friday 8 May 2020
Two of Otago’s Medical Trainee Interns describe their time spent in COVID-19 lockdown in Peru and their anxious wait to come home.
Wednesday 6 May 2020
For more than 20 years, Otago's New Zealand Marine Studies Centre (NZMSC) has played a key role connecting communities with their local marine environment through a wide range of outreach and education programmes and resources. Now it is doing the same thing - online.
Wednesday 6 May 2020
The Otago Bulletin Board meets some of the staff able to return to campus in Alert Level 3.
Wednesday 6 May 2020
University of Otago, Christchurch researchers are part of an urgent international effort to understand how isolation and disruption of routines associated with COVID-19 are affecting people with mood disorders.
Thursday 30 April 2020
Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research member Dr Lisa Te Morenga, Victoria University of Wellington, is involved in a worldwide survey on how COVID-19 has changed the way we cook and eat.
Tuesday 28 April 2020
Development of a COVID-19 vaccine is at best 12 to 18 months away, according to University of Otago infectious disease specialist Professor David Murdoch.
Tuesday 28 April 2020
With a lack of CoVID-19 circulating in our community, fewer other viruses and bacteria than usual, and good systems for detection and contact tracing in place, it is as safe as it has ever been for children to attend school.
Friday 24 April 2020
The first wide-ranging survey of New Zealand military personnel shows many suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS) though greater length of service, psychological flexibility (resilience) and quality sleep may be protective factors.
Friday 24 April 2020
The University of Otago is committing $1.5 million as an initial investment to support Otago students facing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 global outbreak.
Monday 20 April 2020
Professor Doug Sellman of the University of Otago’s Christchurch campus runs a weekly te reo Māori class for his colleagues. These are continuing via Zoom during lockdown. Communications Adviser Kim Thomas is one of about 20 Christchurch staff taking part and shares her experiences with the Otago Bulletin Board.
Friday 17 April 2020
A University of Otago molecular biologist has received new Government funding of $235,746 for Covid-19 related research to develop an effective point-of-care test for the infectious disease.
Friday 17 April 2020
The use of prescription medicines during pregnancy that carry an increased risk of foetal harm was generally low, but increased in New Zealand over an 11-year period according to PhD candidate Dr Sarah Donald and other University of Otago researchers from the Pharmacoepidemiology Research Network.
Thursday 16 April 2020
What is the likelihood of a COVID-19 vaccine being developed and how long will the process take? Professor David Murdoch, Dean of the University of Otago, Christchurch, addressed these questions in a recent online summit.
Wednesday 15 April 2020
Professor Jim Mann has highlighted an important aspect of food security in New Zealand, as revealed in the flour shortages reported during COVID-19.
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.
Wednesday 15 April 2020
Plain packaging is making tobacco products less appealing and warning labels more noticeable, researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington, have found.
Wednesday 15 April 2020
The Government must impose tougher regulations on indoor firing ranges to keep shooters and their families safe from lead poisoning, says a public health researcher at the University of Otago, Wellington.
Monday 6 April 2020
Christchurch medical students are providing childcare to the families of health professionals as a way of contributing to the fight against Covid-19.
Friday 3 April 2020
Intermediate school-aged children who use a device just before bedtime and decide what time they go to sleep, achieve less sleep and feel more sleepier the following day than their peers.
Wednesday 1 April 2020
Personal protective equipment for front-line health workers is an ethical imperative, University of Otago ethicist Dr Elizabeth Fenton says.
