Healthier Lives

Screenplay Storytelling9 September 2018Dunedin Hosted by the New Zealand Young Writers Festival, Screenplay Storytelling featured I’m Still Here (YouTube 25m 39s), a short documentary film about the role a unique gym plays in the rehabilitation of breast cancer survivors, produced and directed by Emma Schranz for her Master of Science Communication degree, jointly sponsored by […]

Unhealthy diet is the leading preventable risk for poor health in New Zealand. Diet-related diseases (and how we manage them) are becoming a pressing issue for the country. Leading New Zealand nutrition experts will be gathering on Tuesday, 4 September in Wellington to present the latest research, and discuss new ideas and approaches to tackling […]

He ora te whakapiri: Unleashing the potential of New Zealand life course research18 October 2018Wellington The Hon Dr Megan Woods, the Minister for Research, Science and Innovation will open He Ora te Whakapiri: Unleashing the potential of New Zealand’s life course research conference at Te Papa Tongarewa on 18 October this year. Hosted by the […]

Kiwis of all ages are living more and more of their lives online and on digital devices. Our smartphones, tablets and computers are not only being used for entertainment and connection, but also as essential tools for life. So it makes sense that researchers are now turning to the digital world to see if it […]

Kiwis of all ages are living more and more of their lives online and on digital devices. Our smartphones, tablets and computers are not only being used for entertainment and connection, but also as essential tools for life. So it makes sense that researchers are now turning to the digital world to see if it […]

A Healthier Lives project leader has been honoured in the recent Matariki Awards. Dr Matire Harwood was one of three finalists in the Te Tupu-ā-Rangi Award for Health and Science in the 2018 Matariki Awards. The category is for ‘healthcare and science experts dedicated to improving the physical and mental wellbeing of New Zealanders’. Dr […]

The Chair of the Healthier Lives governance group, Dr Jenny McMahon, has been made a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. The honour is one of six handed out this year for ‘outstanding leadership or sustained contributions to promoting and advancing science, technology, or the humanities in Aotearoa.’ President of Royal Society Te Apārangi […]

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women in New Zealand. There’s a great deal of information and support for sufferers. But what if you have breast cancer and you’re in a group not commonly associated with the disease? That’s the situation Emma Schranz found herself in eight years ago, when she […]

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women in New Zealand. There’s a great deal of information and support for sufferers. But what if you have breast cancer and you’re in a group not commonly associated with the disease? That’s the situation Emma Schranz (pictured above) found herself in eight years ago, […]

Long-term health conditions – such as type 2 diabetes – don’t have to mean the end of a fulfilling, full life. But diabetes is a long-term condition which, if not well managed, can lead to poor health outcomes and even shorter lives. Māori is one group within our community that suffers more than others from […]

Long-term health conditions – such as type 2 diabetes – don’t have to mean the end of a fulfilling, full life. But diabetes is a long-term condition which, if not well managed, can lead to poor health outcomes and even shorter lives. Māori is one group within our community who suffer more than others from […]

Research focused on predicting risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes for New Zealand’s unique populations has come up with one of the first tangible ‘products’ from the Healther Lives research portfolio. The research has produced new risk assessments to provide doctors with better tools to more accurately predict someone’s risk of CVD or diabetes. […]

The Healthier Lives project ctDNA for better cancer management has recently been highlighted in the media for its potential to reduce healthcare inequities for Māori and people living in rural communities. The research team, led by Professor Parry Guilford, is working on a blood test that detects circulating DNA (ctDNA) in the bloodstream of cancer […]

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has recently produced a report on the progress and achievements of the 11 National Science Challenges in 2016-17. The report, Highlights from the National Science Challenges, includes a summary of highlights to date and a case study from each of the National Science Challenges including the Healthier Lives […]

Members of the Healthier Lives International Science Advisory Panel (ISAP) travelled to New Zealand from 19-23 February 2018 to advise on the progress of Healthier Lives’ research and the most promising directions for future research.  The ISAP is made up of six eminent international scientists, each distinguished in their own field of research. Panel members […]

The concept of ‘big data’ is one that conjures up thoughts of conspiracy movies, shadowy agencies monitoring our every move and big-brother-style surveillance. But big data in reality can be a force for good – and the start of better health outcomes for Kiwis, if one large research project proves fruitful. A heart attack can […]

Healthier Lives is participating in two very significant studies to radically improve the early detection of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and to improve care following a coronary event (heart attack or angina): The Equitable Cardiovascular and Diabetes risk prediction project The Multi-Ethnic New Zealand Study of Acute Coronary Syndromes (MENZACS)¹. Both studies use New Zealand’s rich […]

The Healthier Lives National Science Challenge welcomes the launch last week of Te Kāika, an iwi-driven health village in Dunedin. Te Kāika is situated in a former primary school in Caversham, which has been transformed to become a health village that will provide high quality and affordable health and wellbeing services for Māori, Pasifika and low-income families […]

A major focus for all National Science Challenges in 2018 is to evaluate our progress so far and develop a research strategy for the next five year funding period. Healthier Lives is working closely with our partners and stakeholders to determine research priorities that will deliver the greatest impact in improving the health of New […]

Inequity is a problem in today’s health system. Why do some communities – notably Māori and Pasifika – have far worse access to health care and worse health outcomes than others in Aotearoa – and how can we fix this? This is an important issue that one Healthier Lives project is working to address. He […]

Inequity is a problem in today’s health system. Why do some communities – notably Māori and Pasifika – have far worse access to health care and worse health outcomes than others in Aotearoa – and how can we fix this? This is an important issue that one Healthier Lives project is working to address. He […]

Having treatment for cancer is a traumatic experience for anyone. But scientists are working towards making it easier, and more effective. Most of us will be affected by cancer in some way during our lifetimes; so we know that cancer treatments are invasive, often painful, and often come with a raft of unpleasant side effects. […]