Research makes a difference: to our lives, to our economy, to our society and to our environment. At the University of Otago we have a strong history of research and scholarship from our foundation in 1869 and we are proud to be one of New Zealand's most research intensive universities.
Our research is relevant, innovative and connected. Relevant, because it addresses today's concerns while looking ahead to tomorrow's unimagined possibilities. Innovative, because it solves practical and theoretical problems in novel and creative ways. Connected, because it links our people and their knowledge to families and communities, to business and government, both here and globally.
You can learn all about this for yourself by reading our annual research publication He Kitenga and our Research Action Plan, viewing the work of our Research Centres and Groups or contacting one of our many experts or Leading Thinkers.
Professor Greg Cook
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation
Professor Greg Cook profile
Greg Cook is a world-leading expert and active researcher in the field of metabolism and energetics of microorganisms and the translation of this information into the development of new strategies to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. The exemplar for his research has been Mycobacterium tuberculosis, where he has made pioneering contributions to the development of new drugs that target membrane proteins involved in ATP synthesis and respiration. Greg has been widely recognised for his research leadership through various awards: University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal (2014), University of Otago's highest distinction; Fellow of the Royal Society New Zealand (2012); James Cook Fellow and 8th Sir William Dunn Fellow (Cambridge) (2012); Distinguished Orator Award, New Zealand Microbiological Society (2012) and Chair-elect, Gordon Research Conference (2019–2023).
Greg is an inaugural Sesquicentennial Distinguished Professor and was Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology (2019–2024) and Head of School and Principal Investigator, Queensland Institute of Technology (2024–2025). Greg’s research group was recognised for their contribution to the University and wider community as recipients of the University of Otago Research Group Award (2017) and Commercialisation researcher award (2023). Greg has co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and has an outstanding track record in postgraduate supervision, having trained and mentored more than 100 postgraduate students—including 45 PhD students as primary supervisor—and 30 postdoctoral and research fellows.
Greg has extensive experience in leading investigator-driven (Marsden, HRC) and large, multi-investigator, multidisciplinary, and cross-institutional research programmes. He served as Director of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery and the China–New Zealand Joint Laboratory on Biomedicine and Health (Chinese Academy of Sciences) (2020–2024) and directed successive MBIE Endeavour Research Programme Grants (2016–2026). Greg’s research has a strong commercial focus, having successfully attracted funding from major pharmaceutical companies and industry to advance small molecule inhibitors into preclinical drug development.
Executive Assistant to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor
As an Executive Assistant, Karen Bosworth is the first point of contact for the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation and provides a high-level of confidential executive support and advice. Karen manages the Deputy Vice-chancellor's appointments, meetings, and email correspondences.
Karen Bosworth
Email dvc.research@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 8835