Funding body gives strong support to Otago’s health research

Funding body gives strong support to Otago’s health research

University of Otago researchers have been awarded around $43.8M in new health research funding to support their world-class studies aimed at improving New Zealanders’ health and well-being.

In the latest Health Research Council (HRC) of New Zealand (note 6am tomorrow embargo), more than $100 million grants has been allocated nationally towards a range of programmes and projects to be undertaken by researchers throughout New Zealand.

Otago researchers gained 22 contracts, including five major multi-million-dollar, five-year programmes and 17 projects, each of which attracts more than one million dollars in funding.

Otago’s recipients are from across the University’s campuses in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington and each campus hosts at least one of the major new programmes to receive funding.

Success in funding round reflects excellence of Otago researchers

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, Professor Richard Blaikie, warmly congratulated all Otago’s HRC funding recipients, saying their outstanding success in the round is testament to their world-class research proposals.

“It is fantastic to see the recent commitment of increased HRC funding translate immediately into such a significant increase in the number of projects supported. It is heartening that the great promise of our researchers’ studies for improving the health and well-being of New Zealanders has been recognised and backed by the HRC and the Government. These staff are carrying on a proud Otago research tradition of contributing to knowledge and actions that will benefit patients, families, communities and the nation as a whole, and we wish them every success in their work,” Professor Blaikie says.

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