About

The Otago Medical Research Foundation is dedicated to supporting important medical research carried out in the Otago region, and encouraging young and gifted people to engage in research. The Foundation supports innovative, early stage medical research projects and student scholarships in Otago.

The object of the Otago Medical Research Foundation is "the furtherance of medical research in Otago". We fund world class research, for Otago’s highly talented medical community of scientists, students, practitioners and lecturers. Our recipients contribute invaluable medical knowledge that can be applied to medicine and prevention in future and in doing so we also retain top medical talent and intellectual property in Otago.

Medical research is a life changer. Our supporters are life changers.

The answers discovered in medical research lead to greater quality of life for society – through earlier diagnosis and improved treatment. Since the Foundation was established in 1967 it has identified and funded over $11 million worth of grants and scholarships, with much of the work undertaken now acclaimed around the world. The lives of millions of people have ultimately been improved by the research funded by the Otago Medical Research Foundation, made possible by our generous supporters.

It all starts somewhere

The Foundation helps to fund medical research projects and scholarships which are highly novel and scientifically worthy, but due to their early exploratory nature don’t attract the interest of larger funding agencies. However, in the world of medical research what the Foundation launches cannot be underestimated. Once that initial research has been completed and the answers discovered, it often opens up new areas of investigation for bigger entities to develop. So the research never stops and many of our esteemed alumni are now global leaders in their medical fields.

Everyone benefits from medical research

There is not one person who has not benefitted from answers found through medical research, whether that be personally, through parents or children, partners or siblings, work mates or their friends. We will all know many who wouldn’t be with us had it not been for the discoveries made, the earlier diagnosis and less invasive treatment that research unveils.