Annual Grants

Our premier round of year-long, innovative early-stage research projects.

The Council of the Otago Medical Research Foundation selects grants, from applications received each year, to support medical research in the Otago area relating to human health or the basic sciences of relevance to medicine.

Funds (normally <$40,000 and for one year only) allow innovative research projects to be undertaken.

Annual Grants awarded in 2024

Funder: Mactodd Community Charitable Trust

Longer-term access to automated insulin delivery for Māori and Pacific adults

Principal investigator: Dr Alisa Boucsein (Research fellow), Department of Women's & Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago.

Co-investigators: Prof Ben Wheeler, Department of Women's & Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago & Associate Prof Ryan Paul, Te Huatakia Waiora School of Health, University of Waikato

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most common chronic diseases diagnosed in childhood and cannot be cured; therefore, people with T1D must incur considerable burden intensively managing their blood sugar levels for the rest of their lives. Advanced diabetes technology that can improve health outcomes and reduce burden of care is available in New Zealand, however, due to a number of reasons Māori and Pacific adults are less likely to receive funded insulin pumps or have access to modern blood sugar monitoring systems. Our goal is to improve access to this advanced technology for Māori and Pacific adults, and thereby to guarantee more equitable health outcomes.

 

Funder: Friends of the Foundation

Exploring the Link Between Infertility and Ovarian Cancer

Principal investigator: A/Prof Megan Wilson, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago.

Co-investigator: Bridget Fellows (PhD student), Department of Anatomy, University of Otago

Ovarian cancer is a serious health issue in Aotearoa, especially affecting Māori and Pacific women. Our research focuses on a protein called LHX9, crucial for ovarian health. We aim to understand how reduced levels of LHX9 contribute to ovarian cancer and infertility. We will use advanced techniques to study gene activity in mouse ovaries to uncover early changes leading to cancer. Our findings will help identify new strategies for prevention and treatment, offering hope for better health outcomes in high-risk communities.

 

Funder: Healthcare Otago Charitable Trust

Assessing HRD: A pathway to personalized PARPi therapy in ovarian cancer patients

Principal investigator: A/Prof Magdalena Ratajska, Department of Pathology, University of Otago.

Co-investigators: A/Professor Tania Slatter, A/Professor Heather Cunliffe, Department of Pathology University of Otago, Dr Simone Petrich Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Otago

When faulty, homologous recombination (homologous recombination defect, HRD) does not allow for accurate DNA repair, and cells accumulate further mutations. Importantly, HRD is present in different tumours, including ~50% of ovarian cancers. HRD cells are sensitive to specific drugs, such as PARP

inhibitors (PARPi), which block DNA repair enzymes, leading to cell death and thus, great clinical value. However, prolonged PARPi therapy may result in the development of some blood cancers; therefore, it should be given to patients whose benefit from therapy outweighs potential side effects. Therefore, we aim to rigorously evaluate the clinical value of two available HRD tests for prognostication in ovarian cancer patients.

 

Funder: Aotearoa Gaming Trust

An exercise in brain health: how does exercise liberate neurotrophic factors?

Principal investigator: Dr. Kate Thomas, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Otago.

Co-investigators: Dr Travis Gibbons, Northern Arizona University, USA, Prof Cliff Abraham Psychology Department, University of Otago, Prof Phil Ainslie, University of British Columbia, Canada

The number of New Zealanders living with dementia is expected to double by 2050. With no effective treatments available, we need interventions that delay the onset of neurocognitive decline. Exercise promotes the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key protein that maintains brain function. We have unique methods that allow us to characterise the production of BDNF and its movement in circulation into, out of and across the brain in response to high-intensity exercise in young, healthy adults. This insight will improve understanding of the potential of exercise to maximise BDNF availability and therefore improve healthy brain ageing.

 

Funder: Aotea Holdings Group

Activins: promising prognostic markers for prostate cancer

Principal investigator: Dr Karen Reader, Department of Pathology, University of Otago

Current methods for diagnosing prostate cancer can not accurately predict whether patients with moderate grade tumours require treatment (radiotherapy or surgery) or can be safely monitored. We have shown that the levels of two proteins (activin B and activin C) in prostate cancer biopsies are related to the tumour grade. The aim of our research project is to confirm if these proteins can be used to distinguish between moderate Gleason grade tumours and higher-grade tumours in patient samples from Dunedin. This could lead to the development of a more accurate test to help clinicians and patients decide between treatment and active surveillance.

 

Funder: Otago Community Trust

Identifying and assessing cellular immunity to measles after inhaled MMR vaccine

Principal investigator: Melanie Millier (Research Fellow), Department of Women's & Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago

Co-investigators: Prof. James Ussher, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Otago and Professor Peter McIntyre Department of Women's & Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago

In Auckland’s 2019 measles outbreak, young adults made up ~1/3 of total cases, with ~14% previously vaccinated with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Waning of antibodies since childhood vaccination increases the risk of future outbreaks from introduced cases. Cellular immunity is less understood in young adults with low antibodies but likely contributes to measles immunity in parallel with antibody production. The Otago-led ‘MAXXED’ clinical trial is currently investigating new ways of giving MMR vaccine, including an inhaled mist. An internationally unique opportunity exists to include cellular immunity investigations to the antibody testing. Findings will be novel, while contributing to a more complete understanding of measles immunogenicity following inhaled MMR vaccine.

 

Funder: Otago Community Trust

The immune cell landscape enabling a novel intervention in inflammatory bowel disease

Principal investigator: Dr. Nicholas Fleming, Department of Pathology, University of Otago.

Co-investigators: Assoc. Prof. Anita Dunbier, Department of Biochemistry, Prof. Michael Schultz, Department of Medicine, Mr. Gregory Gimenez, Department of Pathology, University of Otago

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a significant and growing health burden for Aotearoa/New Zealand, which currently affects at least 20,000 Kiwis. IBD patients have a limited range of treatments available, which they vary greatly in response to. Recently, a new and promising drug has been developed that has potential to cooperate with existing options and allow more patients to control their disease. However, this new combination treatment may only work for some people. Here, we will test a novel combination treatment as well as a genetic marker that we propose will predict response to the therapy.

Previous Annual Grant funding rounds