Fifteen Research Projects Awarded To Support World-class Research Capability For Infectious Diseases

Te Niwha, the Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness Research Platform in their first commissioning round, have awarded fifteen research projects from across Aotearoa New Zealand. The funded research will contribute to ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand has world class research capability for current and emerging infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness.

The fifteen Te Niwha commissioned projects spread across biomedical, technology, public health and Mātauranga and have accountability, relationships, partnerships and leadership with communities to ensure strengthened impact.

The University of Otago and the Institute for Environmental Science and Research (ESR) are cohosts of the $36M MBIE strategic Science research platform. The Platform, alongside building and coordinating domestic research capability, is tasked with delivering an integrated and transdisciplinary research programme which continues to address COVID-19, current and emerging serious infectious diseases threats and ensure preparedness for future pandemics.

Professor Richard Blaikie, University of Otago Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Platform CoHost acknowledged the announcement of projects as a tremendous effort from the Te Niwha team and all researchers involved.

“As an integrated suite of research, designed with the needs of people and communities at heart, we look forward to seeing relationships flourish between projects, institutions and organisations involved.The past three years have taught us how important this work is.”

Platform Director Te Pora Thompson noted the large number of high-quality submissions and looked forward to the ongoing engagement with researchers and community.

“Te Niwha have formed a foundation of projects within each Research Priority Area and will look to build on these projects with ongoing commissioning to ensure we achieve the full research agenda potential.”

Te Niwha Chief Science Advisor Distinguished Professor Nigel French chaired the assessment panel and highlighted the strong science integrity and innovation of the projects awarded - these traversed research priority areas of prevention, surveillance, diagnostics and therapeutics.

The investment objectives of the platform to significantly lift Aotearoa’s infectious disease response and management capability by improving health outcomes and achieving equity particularly for Māori and Pacific Peoples was underlined by ESR General Manager Māori Impact Jymal Morgan.

Full project details including amount awarded and project partnerships will be available shortly on the Te Niwha full website at the beginning of October.

Prevention

Associate Professor Marama Muru-Lanning (Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland)

Pai atu te ārai atu i te mate i te rongoā i te mate | Prevention is better than cure.

Dr Julie Bennet (University of Otago) & Dr Anneka Andersen (Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland)

Hurts less, lasts longer: Applying Māori and Pacific patient-centred models to implement subcutaneous infection of high dose penicillin to prevent RH disease.

Dr Tim Chambers (University of Otago) & Mr Connor Redmile (Te Kura Taka Pini - Ngai Tahu)

A national burden of disease analysis of water-borne disease in Aotearoa New Zealand from community drinking water infrastructure.

Milly Stewart, Ben Black (Toitu te Ao) & Abby Leota (Positive Women)

How lessons learned from the HIV pandemic can be applied to future pandemics

Dr Gabby Short (Medical Research Institute of New Zealand)

A randomised controlled trial of the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of subcutaneous vs intramuscular administration of COVID-19 vaccination in community pharmacies in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr Jerram Bateman & Dr Karyn Maclennan (University of Otago)

Supporting antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake and adherence for people living with HIV in Aotearoa New Zealand (StART).

Surveillance

Dr Brent Gilpin (ESR) & Associate Professor Marama Muru-Lanning (Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland)

Making use of wastewater from aircraft and individual buildings for better infectious disease epidemiology and response.

Kyley Kerse (Medical Research Institute of New Zealand)

Addressing gaps in the surveillance and response to influenza-like illness: Community pharmacy-based feasibility study.

Dr Lucia Rivas & Maria Hepi (ESR)

Understanding the surveillance barriers and the health burden of emerging disease threats for Aotearoa: Vibrio as a case study.

Dr Una Ren, Tia Haira (ESR) & Dr Phillip Hill (University of Otago)

Community-based surveillance of severe bacterial pathogens to guide prevention and control.

Diagnostics

Dr Craig Billington & Dr Rachel Flemming (ESR)

Rapid point-of-use testing using CRISPR-Cas and related technologies.

Dr Amy Scott-Thomas & Professor Stephen Chambers (University of Otago)

Development of non-invasive “liquid-biopsy” methods for infectious disease using microbial cell-free DNA.

Therapeutics

Dr Natalie Netzler, Dr Claire Wang & Professor Peter Shepherd (Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland)

Broad-spectrum antiviral development of PI3K inhibitor compounds.

Dr Stephen Ritchie (Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland)

Addressing inequity in antibiotic use: Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship throughout Aotearoa to improve the health of New Zealanders.

Dr Max Bloomfield & Dr Genevieve Walls (Aotearoa Clinical Trials Trust)

Promoting equitable access to effective treatment for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in Aotearoa: Probenecid-boosted oral antibiotic dosing in the SNAP study (PR-O-SNAP).

Dr Colin McArthur, Dr Tom Hills & Dr Anthony Jordan (Medical Research Institute of New Zealand)

REMAP-CAP - identifying novel therapeutics for severe seasonal influenza while preparing for the next global influenza pandemic.

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