News archives
Masters’ Degree Scholarship at the Centre for Mathematics in Industry
Two Masters’ degree scholarships are being offered in the new Master of Sciences programme majoring in Industrial Mathematics and Statistics, beginning 2011. The scholarships are available through the National Research Centre of Growth and Development (NRCGD) and based at the University of Auckland Medical School. The thesis topic will be focussed on detailed aspects of the implementation on algorithms already developed for ‘targeted fetal growth’. One thesis will deal with data analysis (the candidate will need a statistical background); the other will concern the computational and mathematical extension of the existing theoretically-based algorithm.
For further information, please contact Professor Graeme Wake (g.c.wake@massey.ac.nz).
Professor Graeme Wake FRSNZ
Director, Centre for Mathematics in Industry
Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences
Private Bag 102-904, NSMC, Auckland, New Zealand
Tel +64 (0) 9 414-0800 ext 41053; Fax +64 (0) 9 441-8136
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Frank Bloomfield the new Acting Director of the NRCGD (July 2010): At the beginning of July, Associate Professor Frank Bloomfield stepped into the role of Acting Director of the NRCGD while the search continues for a new permanent Director (previously the position was held by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman). Frank replaces Dr Deborah Sloboda who has completed a 1-year term as Acting Director and now resumes the role of Deputy Director.
Frank is a neonatal paediatrian and a fetal and neonatal physiologist based at the Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland; he also has a clinical role at Auckland City Hospital.
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The National Research Centre for Growth and Development (NRCGD) is pleased to announce that Professor John Mattick AO FAA FRCPA (Hon) of the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience will present a public lecture on the central role of regulatory RNA in human evolution and development as the final event of the NRCGD’s 2010 Science Symposium.
For many years the received view in molecular biology was that ‘DNA makes RNA makes protein’, with RNA viewed simply as an intermediary. However, it has recently become evident that our cells produce enormous numbers of RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but instead regulate embryonic development. Non-coding RNAs also appear to be central to brain function and to be heavily involved in the mechanisms through which the environment can cause long-term effects on our health and that of our descendants. We are beginning to realise that what has previously been dismissed as junk may well hold the key to understanding human evolution, development, and cognition, as well as our individual idiosyncrasies and susceptibilities to disease. Professor Mattick’s work and ideas in this area have received coverage in major scientific journals including Science, Nature, and Scientific American, along with the likes of The New York Times.
Summary of details
Lecture title: (R)evolutionary Genetics: the Central Role of Regulatory RNA in Human Development
Speaker: Professor John Mattick AO FAA FRCPA (Hon)
Date: 5th August, 6pm
Location: Fale Pasifika, 20-26 Wynyard St, Auckland
Note: Please RSVP to info@nrcgd.org.nz
Further details available in the NRCGD press release.
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The 2010 NRCGD Annual Science Symposium is to be held in Auckland at Old Government House this year. The symposium, on the 4th and 5th of August, is a forum for NRCGD-funded students and scientists from across the country to get together and talk about their research and to build colloborations. For further details, please contact the directorate office: info@nrcgd.org.nz.
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The NRCGD's 2009 Annual Report for is now available for viewing online.
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Ministerial visit to LENScince classroom (May 2010): Mrs Heather Roy, the Associate Minister of Education visited LENScience at the Liggins Institute on the 3rd of May. Mrs Roy was given a tour of the Sir John Logan Campbell classroom and then introduced to Year 11 mentor students from Tamaki College, Onehunga High School and St Cuthbert’s College, all of whom are recipients of LENScience Mentor scholarships.
After talking with the students, Mrs Roy spent time with LENScience Director Jacquie Bay, NRCGD Acting Director Dr Deb Sloboda, Liggins Director Professor Wayne Cutfield and senior members of the LENScience team discussing the work of the NRCGD and issues in science and science education including the fostering of gifted and talented students.
At the end of the visit Mrs Roy commented that it was pleasing to see that new developments in biotechnology and science were being made accessible to schools in a way that allowed students to see the linkages between science and everyday life.
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Associate Director of the NRCGD interviewed on Radio NZ (Dec 2009): On December 10th, Professor Hugh Blair was interviewed on the Radio NZ National's 'Our Changing World' programme about Sheep Foetal Programming (nutrition in pregnant ewes and its impact on their lambs later in life), part of his groups research at Massey University and within the NRCGD. This interview can be heard on the Radio NZ National website.
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International funding for project to halt diabetes in children born prematurely (Dec 2009): Research based at The University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute has won funding from a joint New Zealand-Singapore research initiative into metabolic disease. The project, led by Liggins Institute Director Professor Wayne Cutfield in collaboration with Professor Chong Yap Seng at the National University of Singapore, aims to improve the future health of children who are born prematurely. » More details available in the Liggins Institute press release.
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Former aCORE Chairs honoured (Dec 2009): Professor Sir Peter Gluckman (NRCGD) and Professor Sir Paul Callaghan (of the MacDiarmid Institute), both former Chairs of the Association of Centres of Research Excellence (aCoRE), were honoured at a function in Wellington on December 2nd. Both men have been instrumental in the development and success of the CoRE model. The guest speaker for the event was the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Bill English, who read citations and presented greenstone mere to the two men in recognition of their roles as science leaders. The evening was attended by representatives of each of the eight Centres of Research Excellence and their Boards, as well as the Vice-Chancellors of their host institutions.
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Acting Director interviewed on Radio NZ (Dec 2009): On December 3rd, Dr Deborah Sloboda was interviewed on the Radio NZ National's 'Our Changing World' programme about the Implications of a Mother's Diet, the focus of her research at the Liggins Institute and within the NRCGD. This interview can be heard on the Radio NZ National website.
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Liggins Professor awarded David Barker Medal (Nov 2009): Professor Sir Peter Gluckman FRS, a leading investigator and founding Director of the Liggins Institute, received the prestigious David Barker Medal at the Sixth World Congress on the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease held in Chile recently. This is only the second time that this prestigious medal for outstanding leadership and scientific contributions in the field of ‘developmental origins’ has been awarded by the international learned society. Professor Gluckman was the inaugural Chair of the International Society for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) which was set up to promote research into the links between early human development and disease in later life. » More details available in the Liggins Institute press release.
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Liggins Institute wins award for research that improves the welfare of sheep used in animal testing (Nov 2009): A senior researcher at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) Three Rs award. Dr Mark Oliver receives the award in recognition of his long-term work on the refinement of indoor physiological studies of sheep, which has improved animal welfare. » More details in the Liggins Institute press release.
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NZAS Communicator Award (Nov 2009): Professor Ian Shaw of the University of Canterbury has won the NZ Association of Scientists Science Communicator Award for 2009; this award is presented to practising scientists for “excellence in communicating to the general public in any area of science or technology”. » More details on the New Zealand Association of Scientists website.
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New Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Nov 2009): Professor Hamish Spencer of the University of Otago has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand at the annual general meeting of the Society’s Academy. Academy chairperson Professor David Thorns indicated that “being elected as a Fellow is an honour given to our top scientists for showing distinction in pure or applied research or in the advancement of science and technology."
In addition, Professor Sir Patrick Bateson of the University of Cambridge (UK), and a member of the NRCGD Science Advisory Board, has been made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. » More details on the Royal Society of New Zealand website.
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NRCGD Science Symposium (Oct 2009): The NRCGD symposium held in Hamilton between 30 September and 2 October was a huge success, with 60 attendees presenting on a range of topics relevant to the Centre’s current projects. The Best Student Presentation Award went to Erin Daly for her presentation ‘An epigenetic analysis of first-trimester human placenta’; 2nd place went to Graham Howie for his presentation ‘Leptin receptor mRNA levels are reduced in pancreas of male rat offspring following maternal high fat nutrition’; and 3rd to Pritika Narayan for her presentation ‘Increased histone acetylation in Alzheimer’s disease brain’.
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LENScience Connect wins TUANZ award (Sep 2009): LENScience Connect, an innovative programme that brings NZ school students together with scientists and teachers at the Liggins Institute via satellite TV and interactive websites, has won the 2009 Telecommunications Users Association of NZ (TUANZ) Education Innovation Award. » More details in the Liggins Institute press release.
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Peter Gluckman's contributions celebrated (Aug 2009): A function celebrating the outstanding contributions of Professor Sir Peter Gluckman as Founding Director of the NRCGD and Liggins Institute was held at The University of Auckland on 4 August. » More details in The University of Auckland News 
[592 kb].
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NRCGD website relaunched (Jul 2009): The revamped NRCGD website has gone live. The website address has been changed from www.growthcentre.ac.nz to www.nrcgd.org.nz.
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Management changes (May 2009): Dr Deborah Sloboda has been appointed Deputy Director of the NRCGD, and will be Acting Director from 1st July. Six Associate Directors have also been appointed to the Directorate to represent the major areas of NRCGD activity: Jacquie Bay (Outreach programmes), Prof Hugh Blair (Animal sciences), Prof Wayne Cutfield (Clinical sciences), Dr Peter Dearden (Molecular sciences), Dr Susan Morton (Public policy) and Dr Deborah Sloboda (Experimental physiology). Together with Dr Roger Lins (Chief Operating Officer), this group comprises the executive body of the NRCGD, replacing the Executive Management Group.
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NRCGD Director appointed PM's Chief Science Advisor (May 2009): Professor Peter Gluckman has been appointed as the inaugural Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor. Peter will be stepping down as Director effective 30 June 2009, but will continue to be actively involved in NRCGD research. » More details in the University of Auckland press release.
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Science Advisory Board review (Mar 2009): The Science Advisory Board has conducted an extensive scientific review of the NRCGD. The SAB's report was very positive, giving the highest commendation to the Centre's scientific direction and leadership, its impact to date on science education and the public awareness of science, and to our current positioning with respect to the Centre's overall strategy and goals.
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2009 Major Projects announced (Nov 2008): The new NRCGD major research projects have been announced. Sixteen projects collectively spanning all NRCGD sites and research themes will commence in 2009.
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Professional Award (Oct 2008): Prof Christine Winterbourn (Otago) was presented with the 2008 Trevor Slater Award by the International Society for Free Radical Research. The award is the Society’s highest accolade, and recognises exceptional contributions by a highly distinguished scientist to the field of free radical research. Significantly, this is the first time that someone from outside the USA/Europe has won the award.
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New Executive Officer appointed (Aug 2008): Dr Roger Lins has been appointed Executive Officer of the NRCGD. Roger has a research background and led research development at Massey University before joining the Liggins Institute last September. He is replacing Dr Steve Hodgkinson, who is taking on a greater role in the Liggins Institute in relation to business development and liaison with Uniservices. Steve will continue an involvement with the NRCGD through his advisory role to the Association of CoREs (aCoRE). The NRCGD is the coordinating centre for aCoRE for the next 12 months.
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NRCGD sponsors students on overseas conference (Aug 2008): More details here [100 kb].
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Closer collaboration between Liggins Institute and AgResearch (Jun 2008): Read the Liggins Institute press release.
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New Appointment (Apr 2008): Prof Hugh Blair (Massey) was appointed Visiting Principal Investigator to the Chinese Academy of Science in Beijing. The purpose of this appointment is to promote the use of genomic tools for the genetic improvement of Chinese sheep breeds. More information can be found in an excerpt courtesy of Massey magazine.
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New Appointment (Apr 2008): Prof Jane Harding (Liggins) was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of The University of Auckland.
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Landmark NRCGD international meeting held (Apr 2008): The International Healthy Start to Life project, funded by the NRCGD, held its first meeting in Wellington. Read the Liggins Institute press release.