Research Projects

This project will contribute to the reduction of preventable infectious diseases among Pacific youth through the development of culturally relevant public health information disseminated via social media network sites. The focus is Rheumatic Fever, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, COVID-19, sexually transmitted infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

This strategic project will produce an understanding of the capacity and capability of infectious diseases research in Aotearoa New Zealand including a detailed database of those involved and their specialities and gaps to be filled to ensure the country is best prepared for future pandemics or infectious disease outbreaks. The project will produce a Burden of Disease Index for 25 key diseases, including their cost to the country. The research team will also identify all infectious diseases funding, both from Crown and other sources.

This strategic project will produce an understanding of the capacity and capability of infectious diseases research in Aotearoa New Zealand including a detailed database of those involved and their specialities and gaps to be filled to ensure the country is best prepared for future pandemics or infectious disease outbreaks. The project will produce a Burden of Disease Index for 25 key diseases, including their cost to the country. The research team will also identify all infectious diseases funding, both from Crown and other sources.

This strategic project is an evaluation in collaboration with iwi, hapuu, Maaori providers, Pacific providers and whaanau to understand the effectiveness of currently delivered childhood immunisation services and initiatives for Maaori and Pasifika children (birth to five-years-old) and determine ways to increase immunisation rates.

Aotearoa/New Zealand’s indigenous flora is one of the most unique and diverse in the world, and likely harbours bioactive compounds with antiviral or antibacterial properties. A high proportion of this flora is endemic to NZ. Māori view indigenous flora as taonga (treasure) species that require kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and respect in terms of customary use.

Most countries, including NZ, had pandemic plans pre-COVID-19 that focused on an Influenza Pandemic – but they were largely silent on non-Influenza virus pandemics. Future pandemic preparedness needs to more explicitly consider a range of possible pandemic agents or pandemic scenarios.

The 2013 New Zealand Disability Survey estimated 24% of the total population of Aoteaora New Zealand were disabled. The survey also found Māori and Pacific peoples had higher than average disability rates.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed health-system barriers for those with disabilities.  Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori have since identified factors such as access to primary care and emergency services and delay seeking healthcare due to fear of contracting COVID-19 in health contexts.

This research project will transform the research team’s successful descriptive study of a nationally representative sample of Tāngata Whaikaha Māori into an ongoing panel survey exploring the determinants of infectious disease resilience and pandemic preparedness for Tāngata Whaikaha Māori.

This strategic Rapid Response Research project will address the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Fiji and the Pacific. The research team will be building capability and capacity for genomic testing in Fiji, generate a Fijian national antibiogram and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of WHO critical AMR pathogens to new antimicrobials.

The project addresses the risk from viral and other pathogens to receiving waters from mass on-farm burial of livestock.

Whakarakatira te tākata,
ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa nō hea.

Respect and treat all with dignity,
irrespective of who they are and
where they come from.

Mosquito-borne diseases, once confined to the tropics, are now appearing in places like Europe, North America, and Australia. With climate change, urbanisation, and extreme weather helping mosquitoes spread, the risk of new mosquito-borne diseases entering Aotearoa New Zealand is increasing. Already, mosquito-related illnesses are on the rise here, yet we know very little about the viruses carried by our local mosquitoes or what animals they feed on.