Those who’ve experienced mental illness are being asked
to help design health services, while the bugs in our
tummies are being put under the microscope to see how they
influence bowel cancer.
These are two of the eight
research projects now underway thanks to $824,037 in funding
announced today by the Canterbury Medical Research
Foundation.
The Canterbury Medical Research
Foundation’s Major Projects Grants fund a researcher to
complete a major project over a two-year period, with the
grant covering the cost of the researcher’s time,
materials and resources.
Canterbury Medical Research
Foundation Director Melissa Haberfield says investing in
world-class research is critical, and the Foundation is
proud to be supporting emerging talent as well as
experienced researchers.
“It is a privilege to be
able to financially support some of the brightest talents in
our region. The research this funding enables will result in
better health and wellbeing outcomes for the people of
Canterbury and the world,” says
Melissa.
Bowel Cancer – the gut vs the
bowel
Postdoctoral fellow Dr Annika
Seddon, a biochemist/cell biologist, has been granted
$110,000 to study bowel cancer. New Zealand has one of the
highest rates of bowel cancer in the world, with
approximately 3,000 people diagnosed every year and 1,200
deaths. Canterbury has almost twice the national average
with 113 cancers found per 100,000 people compared to a
national average of 65.7.
Annika says there is
mounting evidence to suggest gut bacteria and inflammation
play a role in bowel cancer. This research will investigate
if compounds produced by gut bacteria enhance production of
oxidants in immune cells and how these oxidants change
chemical signatures on the DNA of bowel cancer cells that
affect their function.
“We hope this research will
lead to new strategies for preventing or slowing the
progression of this devastating disease. The ultimate goal
is to save lives,” says Dr Seddon.
Dr Seddon says
the funding from the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation
is a major boost for New Zealand’s bowel cancer
research.
“This research wouldn’t be possible
without the support of the Canterbury Medical Research
Foundation. New Zealand’s incredibly high rate of bowel
cancer is a major health concern. This funding is enabling
us to better understand this disease in a New Zealand
context, which will have a major impact on prevention and
treatment.”
Mental Health –
user-designed services
Dr Kaaren Mathias
is a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury and an
expert on public health. She has been granted $109,557 to
research how those with mental distress (tangata whaiora)
and local communities co-design mental health
services.
Dr Mathias says for decades professionals
have designed mental health services with a
‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that has not met the needs
of tangata whaiora/those in mental distress.
“There
are so many negative stories about mental health, but there
are all sorts of strengths in communities we can build on.
I’m fascinated by how the resources that are already
within communities can be used to promote mental
health.”
Dr Mathias says the recent health system
reforms identified the importance of participation of
tangata whaiora and local communities in designing,
delivering and evaluating services, yet there is little
information about how this will happen or how it will
improve the quality and equity of care.
As part of
this research project Dr Mathias’ team will talk to people
who use and deliver mental health care on the West Coast and
in Canterbury.
“Thanks to this funding from the
Canterbury Medical Research Foundation we hope to discover
new ways of delivering mental health services, guide others
in how to increase participation in service delivery and
increase the quality and relevance of mental health care for
all.”
Other recipients of the Canterbury Medical
Research Foundation’s Major Projects Grants
are:
- Oliver Lyons, granted $90,902 for research
into reducing the incidence of strokes during keyhole heart
surgery. - Dr Martina Paumann-Page granted $110,000
for her research into new strategies to reduce cancer cell
invasion. - Dr Michael Currie granted $110,00 to
research new treatments for antimicrobial- resistant
bacteria (superbugs). - Dr Michael Maze granted
$73,586 for his research into pleural infection. - Dr
Ruqayya Sulaiman-Hill granted $109,000 to advance her work
on the
psychological impact of traumatic
events.
- Dr Christoph Goebl granted $110,000 for
his research exploring novel methods
for cancer
diagnosis and treatment prediction.
The Canterbury
Medical Research Foundation is the largest independent
not-for-profit funder of medical research in the South
Island offering Canterbury-based researchers more than $1
million annually.
“Over the last 62 years, the
Foundation has funded more than $32 million of health
research. This incredible investment in the health and
wellbeing of our community is made possible thanks to our
loyal supporters, donors and members whose gifts enable
world-class research to take place, leaving a lasting legacy
for future generations,” says Melissa
Haberfield.
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