Meet some of our established and emerging researchers working in Pacific health within the Division of Health Sciences.
Meet our Pacific health researchers
Dr Allamanda Faatoese
Cardiovascular risk among indigenous and ethnic minority communities, University of Otago, Christchurch
Role: Pacific Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Qualifications: BSc PhD
Dr Faatoese was awarded the 2014 HRC Pacific Postdoctoral Fellowship which supported her interests in novel lipoprotein biomarkers and their associations with cardiovascular risk among Māori and non-Māori communities. This award and subsequent Heart Foundation NZ awards have enabled the recruitment of a Pacific Island cohort from the Christchurch community in collaboration with Pacific Trust Canterbury, the South Island's largest whanau ora Pacific Health provider.
Allamanda is currently Associate Dean Pacific (Strategic), School of Biomedical Sciences.
She has supervised three summer studentships:
- Vidya Yugaraja 2013–14, Funder: University of Otago, Full Circle Theme
- Sela Sikaleti 2014–15, Co-supervisor, Funder: Pacific Leprosy Foundation
- Brogan Maoate 2015–16, Funder: HRC Pacific Health Research Summer Studentship
More about Allamanda:
- Allamanda Faatoese's Health Sciences research profile and publications
- Hauora Manawa / Heart Health: The Community Heart Study
Dr Ella Iosua
Biostatistics consulting and research, University of Otago, Dunedin
Dr Iosua collaborates with the Division of Health Sciences' clinical and scientific staff, and other health researchers, in the development of high quality interdisciplinary research programmes, paying particular attention to excellence in terms of the statistical components of their design, implementation, analysis, and reporting.
The biostatistics team develop, evaluate, and implement new statistical methodology relevant to clinical, epidemiological, and health research, and provide advice and support to students and research workers in the Division of Health Sciences.
- Ella Iosua's Health Sciences research profile with publications
- Ella Iosua's experiences as a postdoc (SBRU website)
- Centre for Biostatistics
Dr Jesse Kokaua
Pacific health, University of Otago, Dunedin
Jesse is a Cook Islander living in Dunedin. He completed his PhD thesis on an application of Bayesian statistical models to analyse prevalence of mental disorder and service-use patterns among Cook Islanders in New Zealand. He is currently a member of research staff with Va'a o Tautai.
In November 2016 Jesse was awarded an HRC Pacific Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship investigating health implications from education for Pasifika people and their families. This study investigated to what extent health outcomes, particularly mental health outcomes, among Pasifika are related to education, and to tease out whether this is a direct or indirect association. The first part looked at health outcomes of graduates from University study in New Zealand. The second looked at health outcomes for Pasifika families associated with education.
Jesse co-supervised Acelini Hakopa's master's project on mental health. He has also co-supervised Eirenei Tauai's 2015-16 HRC Summer Studentship project on language's impact on mental health and also Damaris Dekker's project on preventable illness in Pacific children.
Jesse's PhD research explored an immigrant paradox where a migrant ethnic group appears to report healthier outcomes than a similar ethnic but non-migrant group. Jesse was supervised by Professor Elisabeth Wells, Dr Patrick Graham, and Professor Richie Poulton.
- Pacific Voices XII 2015 see pages 20–21 (PDF 530KB)
- Jesse Kokaua's Health Sciences research profile with publications
- Va'a o Tautai Pacific health research
Dr Kiki Maoate
Paediatrics and urology MB ChB(Otago) FRACS, University of Otago, Christchurch
Kiki has research interests in incidence of childhood Helicobacter Pylori infection in Pacific Islanders, study of long-term outcomes after herniotomy and orchidopexy in children and laparoscopic surgery.
Kiki is a paediatric surgeon and urologist at Christchurch Public Hospital and Children's Specialist Centre Ltd. He is also Associate Dean Pacific for University of Otago, Christchurch.
He was born in the Cook Islands and educated at the University of Otago and is a Senior Lecturer in paediatric surgery at the University of Otago, Christchurch, and an advisor on paediatric surgery, Fiji School of Medicine.
He is currently developing outreach services to the Pacific Island countries in conjunction with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (AUSAID), with the aid of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kiki plays an advisory role to the Ministry of Health on Pacific Island issues.
- KikI Maoate's University of Otago Christchurch research profile with publications
- Helping train Cook Island doctors (University of Otago, Christchurch website)
- Well known paediatric surgeon is first Pacific Island Associate Dean
Professor Rosalina Richards
Pacific health, sleep and wellbeing, University of Otago, Dunedin
Professor Richards is Director, Pacific Development (Acting), Co-Deputy Director of the Coastal Peoples Southern Skies Centre for Research Excellence and convenor for the Pacific and Global Health major in the Bachelor of Health Sciences.
"There are numerous health challenges currently facing Pacific populations. Growing a health workforce which is able to work effectively with Pacific families is an important part of responding to these challenges. It is an exciting time to be involved in Pacific Health Research, with a steadily building population of talented and committed Pacific Researchers, a growing collection of models and methodologies that allow Pacific experiences to be accurately and respectfully captured and a multitude of community strengths on which to base interventions to improve health and well-being."
Rosalina's background is in behavioural psychology and public health and she collaborates on research across a number of areas. She is currently Principal Investigator on a HRC Pacific Project about sleep health among Pacific families and part of the Big Data team of the Better Start National Science Challenge. As former co-Director of the Social and Behavioral Research Unit she has published across a variety of cancer prevention areas, including physical activity, nutrition, tobacco control and supportive care.
Rosalina co-supervised Acelini Hakopa's master's project on mental health. She also co-supervised Troy Ruhe's, Eirenei Tauai's, and Damaris Dekker's HRC 2015–16 Summer Studentship projects.
- Va'a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health
- Rosalina Richard's Health Sciences research profile with publications
- Rosalina presenting What does the public know about preventing cancer (video 16 minutes)
- Rosalina presenting at the DSM Future Face of Healthcare (video 14 minutes)
Dr Latika Samalia
Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin
Latika is Associate Dean Pacific (Academic), School of Biomedical Sciences, and is a member of the Otago Pacific Academic Caucus. She is a Professional Practice Fellow who teaches anatomy in several professional programmes: medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy and pharmacy. Her research interests include the clinical education of our health workforce. She was awarded the Prime Minister's Supreeme Award of the 2021 Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards.
- Latika Samalia's Health Sciences research profile with publications
- Dr Latika Samalia's teaching excellence recognised (Otago Bulletin)
- Caucus formalised for Pacific academic staff (Otago Bulletin)
Associate Professor Dianne Sika-Paotonu
Pathology and Molecular Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington
Associate Professor Dianne Sika-Paotonu is the Associate Dean (Pacific) at the University of Otago's Wellington campus. Associate Professor Sika-Paotonu is the first Tongan and Pacific biomedical scientist to be appointed to this role within the Division of Health Sciences at Otago. She leads the Pacific team at the Wellington campus to support Pacific students to ensure the successful completion of their selected study courses and programmes.
"I am committed to supporting the Wellington campus' ongoing commitment to strengthening pre-existing relationships with our Pacific communities locally and abroad, and also committed to establishing new partnerships locally and extending into the Region and beyond," she says.
Associate Professor Sika-Paotonu is also the scientific lead for penicillin research work based in New Zealand that seeks to support global efforts to reformulate Benzathine Penicillin G for the management of Rheumatic Fever.
Associate Professor Sika-Paotonu was the recipient of the 2019 HRC Sir Thomas Davis Te Patu Kite Rangi Ariki Fellowship, she will investigate the applicability of ctDNA as a diagnostic tool for early cancer detection.
Associate Professor Dianne Sika-Paotonu has won the 2022 Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize.
- University of Otago scientist wins Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize
- Pacific at University of Otago, Wellington
- The applicability of ctDNA as a diagnostic tool for early cancer detection (HRC website)
- Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu's Health Sciences research profile with publications
Faumuina Professor Fa'afetai Sopoaga
Pacific health, University of Otago, Dunedin
Roles: Professor
Qualifications: MB ChB MPH FNZCPHM FRNZCGP
In 2018 Faumina won the Prime Minister's Supreme Teaching Excellence Award with an endorsement in Supporting Pacific Learners.
Faumuina is the high chief title from Fagaloa, Samoa. She trained as a medical doctor with expertise in public health and general practice. She is leading development in the Pacific Health curriculum in Health Sciences, through the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, and has wide connections and networks with the Pacific community in New Zealand and the Pacific region. Her research interests are in health workforce capacity building, transitioning students to higher education and Pacific health curriculum. She is currently undertaking doctoral studies on “The health and wellbeing of Pacific students in Higher Education”.
Faumuina co-supervised three HRC 2015–16 Summer Studentships: Mel Mauiliu, Ryder Fuimaono, and James Devoe.
- University of Otago academic scoops top teaching award
- Faumuina Associate Professor Fa'afetai Sopoaga's Health Sciences research profile with publications
- Va'a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health
Dr Malama Tafuna'i
2019 HRC Pacific Clinical Research Training Fellowship recipient
Dr Malama Tafuna'i is investigating the prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in Samoan residents in New Zealand and Samoa.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is recognised as a public health issue in New Zealand (NZ). Māori and Pacific people in NZ carry this burden with a 3-5 times greater risk of developing End Stage Kidney Disease and commencing subsequent Renal Replacement Therapy than NZ European. Pacific people have been found to be 2.62 times more likely to develop CKD unrelated to diabetic nephropathy.
The prevalence of CKD in Samoan people has never been studied nor has the associated risk factors for its development been evaluated. This study proposes to compare and contrast the prevalence of CKD in Samoan people resident in New Zealand with Samoan people resident in Samoa. At the same time, it will look at the risk factors associated with CKD in Samoan people both in New Zealand and Samoa to try and understand any relationships between these and the development and progression of CKD.
Featured research
Ola Malohi Study
The Ola Malohi study is helping us improve support for students.
Heart of the family
The Pasifika Heart Study aims to find out how the risk profile of South Island-based Pacific Islanders differs from those living in Auckland.
Pacific youth wellness
Two studies are providing invaluable insights into the health and wellbeing of Pacific youth in New Zealand.