A mission to search for the origin-of-life on Titan, Saturn's largest moon, will be aided by University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka researchers, and provide insight into climate change on Earth.
Dr Courtney Ennis
Dr Courtney Ennis, of the Department of Chemistry, is "ecstatic" to receive a $941,000 Marsden Grant from Te Aparangi Royal Society for the work.
The grant is one of 20 awarded to Otago researchers, worth more than $14.4 million.
Dr Ennis and his team will investigate clathrates, icy minerals that incorporate significant quantities of methane in deep sea deposits.
"The exposure to warming ocean conditions and seismic activity could threaten to destabilise and release this potent greenhouse gas, so it is important for us to map its ice structure under variable conditions," he says.
The research will assist NASA's 2028 mission to Titan, Dragonfly, which is aiming to locate chemical species central to astrobiology and the source of life using a self-flying rotorcraft equipped with a range of advanced instruments.
"The chemical structure of clathrates not only could impact the methane budget of Earth's atmosphere but may provide insight to the origin-of-life, as these same materials have been identified on icy planetary surfaces such as Titan," he explains.
For the project, Dr Ennis will produce methane clathrate hydrate under variable pressure (from the very high to the very low) to determine changes in its crystal structure.
Once the nature of the clathrates is mapped, specialised setups at Otago's Ennis Laboratory and at NASA, will identify the strength of binding between methane and its clathrate host, determining under what conditions the methane is released.
"Upon exposure to space radiation, we believe amino acids could be formed, which are biopolymer building blocks essential for life. Our studies will include an investigation if clathrates have played a role in the chemical evolution of our Solar System."
He says the funding not only enables the continuation of an exciting research programme into planetary ice chemistry but will also allow postgraduate and early-career researchers to train on advanced facilities both at Otago and overseas, including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Otago's Director Research and Enterprise Dr Martin Gagnon is thrilled so many cutting-edge projects received grants.
"From microscopic pathogens and mitochondria to climate change and how best to learn CPR – this funding is testament to the excellent, and hugely varied work being done at the University every day. I look forward to following these projects with interest."
Standard Grants
Professor Peter Fineran, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Bacterial defences that block jumbo phages
$941,000
Professor Peter Fineran says:
Phages are viruses that infect bacteria, are the most abundant biological entities on Earth and affect bacterial evolution and ecosystems.
We have discovered that some phages, called jumbo phages, have a unique way of protecting themselves from bacterial defences by forming a protein-based nucleus that shields their DNA. This allows them to avoid common bacterial defence systems, like CRISPR-Cas. Since there is a diversity and abundance of jumbo phages, there must be many defence systems that protect bacteria against these phages. However, almost nothing is known about how bacteria defend themselves against jumbo phages, and defences with novel mechanisms await discovery.
To understand how bacteria are protected from jumbo phages we will take a novel approach by exploring natural bacterial plasmids, which are enriched for defence systems. By using powerful screening strategies we have established, we will identify new bacterial defence mechanisms that inhibit jumbo phages. Next, we will investigate how these defence systems work at the molecular level using genetics, imaging, biochemistry and structural biology.
This research will uncover the mechanisms by which bacteria can resist jumbo phages, which will help inform improved future therapeutic use of phages in medicine, agriculture and aquaculture, and may yield new biotechnological tools.
Dr Fabien Montiel, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
The proof is in the pancake: connecting fundamental physics to data-driven detection of the emergent state of sea ice in the changing polar oceans
$944,000
Dr Fabien Montiel says:
Sea ice has experienced dramatic changes in the polar oceans over the last four decades. While satellites can track overall extent, they cannot distinguish between ice types (consolidated sheets vs loose floes) - a critical limitation for understanding ocean-ice-atmosphere interactions and associated climate feedbacks. Pancake ice, characterised by small round floes formed in wavy waters, is emerging as the dominant ice type due to intensifying ocean waves.
We propose developing a new pancake ice detection method using recent breakthroughs in satellite wave observations of ice-covered seas. This research will combine mathematical modelling with laboratory experiments to elucidate the physics governing waves-pancake ice interactions, and machine learning-enhanced statistical inference to classify sea ice type as pancake ice from wave data.
This will illuminate historical pancake ice changes and identify potential new polar climate feedbacks, key to interpreting erratic sea ice extent trends and improving model predictions in a warming climate.
Dr Matthias Fellner, Department of Biochemistry
Unravelling the mystery of protein-based pigments in starfish
$941,000
Dr Matthias Fellner says:
Blue colouration is surprisingly rare in the animal kingdom but provides the species that exhibit it with unique opportunities for survival, even in challenging conditions.
Here we will investigate blue pigmentation in iconic starfish species and establish the molecular basis for its characteristics. We will test the hypothesis that blue colour in Linckia laevigata is controlled genetically by small changes to the amino acids in a pigment-binding protein, and for the first time, determine how atomic interactions affect colour tuning. To investigate whether our findings are generalisable to other blue starfish, we will determine whether the gene responsible for colour in Linckia is also found in the genome of New Zealand Common Cushion Star or Kapu Parahua, Patiriella regularis. We will then use this species as a New Zealand-specific model to uncover the atomic causes for protein-based blue colouration and to test the biological function of blue pigments, including examinations of their response to UV light exposure in controlled conditions.
This will provide us with a wealth of data regarding the molecular function, role and behaviour of this unique pigment, which will drive both 'blue sky' scientific discovery and provide opportunities for spin-off, commercially relevant investigations.
Dr Joe Yip, Department of Anatomy
Hormonal protection of bone during lactation: a novel treatment for osteoporosis?
$941,000
Dr Joe Yip says:
In 2024, a novel neuroendocrine pathway was discovered that protects lactating females from bone loss caused by increased calcium demands for milk production. Hypothalamic kisspeptin neurons, which typically produce the neuropeptide kisspeptin to regulate fertility, switch to secreting another peptide called CCN3 during lactation. CCN3 is emerging as a critical osteoanabolic factor promoting bone formation specifically in lactation. Key questions remain about how the expression and secretion of CCN3 are induced.
Since we have shown that prolactin exerts major regulatory control over kisspeptin neurons in lactation, we hypothesise that prolactin induces the switch to CCN3 synthesis and promotes release from these cells. If correct, it would mean that prolactin, the same hormone that drives milk production, is simultaneously acting in the maternal brain to protect the mother's skeleton from the deleterious consequences of lactation. To test this hypothesis, we will investigate CCN3 expression and bone density during lactation in mice selectively lacking prolactin receptors in kisspeptin neurons. Then, cutting-edge head-mounted in vivo miniscope imaging will be used to track real-time activity patterns of the kisspeptin neurons in conscious mice, using genetically encoded markers of neuronal activity.
This study will uncover the fundamental hormonal mechanisms driving this critical bone-preserving maternal adaptation.
Professor Michelle Glass, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Deciphering the hidden role of membrane lipids in receptor signalling for improved drug discovery
$941,000
Professor Michelle Glass says:
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important targets for treatment of human disease, but development of promising allosteric drug candidates has been limited by poor affinity and in vivo activity. Evidence is accumulating that membrane lipids play a hidden role in GPCR signalling and may hold the key to design of new drug candidates.
This project will apply complementary methods to decipher the precise role of lipid molecules in the signalling of cannabinoid CB1 GPCRs. Biochemical, pharmacological and computational methods will probe the relationship between varying membrane lipid compositions found across brain cell types and differences in receptor signalling behaviour. We will use advanced native mass spectrometry and cryoEM approaches to identify specific lipid molecules binding at these sites and, in combination with molecular dynamics simulations, establish their ability to regulate GPCR conformation and signalling in different brain cell types. Understanding receptor interactomes at this level of detail is at the cutting edge of molecular pharmacology.
Our project is a fundamental step towards rational design of specifically targeted CB1 drug candidates for treatment of human disease.
Professor Peter Mace, Department of Biochemistry
Helping plants see the light - plant specific regulation of the COP1 ubiquitin ligase
$941,000
Professor Peter Mace says:
COP1 is a conserved regulator of development found in both plants and animals. In animals, it functions largely independently of light. In contrast, plant COP1 is a central hub for light-dependent processes such as germination, flowering, and shade avoidance. Light-sensitive COP1 signalling requires plant-specific proteins that evolved as plants colonised land and adapted to complex red, blue, and UV light conditions. Plant-specific partners are critical for accurate light responses, but how they control COP1 activity remains unclear.
This project will uncover the molecular mechanisms behind plant-specific COP1 regulation, using biochemistry, structural biology, whole-plant studies, and evolutionary analysis. Understanding how plants historically adapted to environmental change will offer insights into future adaptation and reveal new mechanistic detail about a core developmental pathway.
Because this system regulates traits like flowering time and shade tolerance, the findings may open future opportunities for crop improvement. Even small shifts in these traits could enhance plant productivity and resilience, helping to reduce risks associated with increasing climate volatility.
Associate Professor Michael Knapp, Department of Anatomy
The past informs the future - the impact of climate change on Aotearoa New Zealand's vertebrate fauna
$941,000
Associate Professor Michael Knapp says:
Aotearoa New Zealand has recently been identified as one of three global hotspots of climate-driven biodiversity loss. Furthermore, a new risk assessment by the Department of Conservation concluded that almost a third of New Zealand biodiversity will be highly vulnerable to climate change by 2050. In contrast, the 'extinction filter' hypothesis predicts that island taxa, which have survived in situ throughout the severe cold-warm oscillations of the Quaternary (2.6 mya – present), are less likely to be driven to extinction by climate change alone.
By integrating state-of-the-art ecological niche modelling, palaeoecology, and genomic approaches, we will test these competing predictions. Our project, conducted in partnership with Māori hapū, will evaluate the risk of climate driven biodiversity loss for New Zealand's terrestrial vertebrate fauna.
It will lay the foundations for a broader New Zealand extinction risk assessment and provide essential data to direct New Zealand's limited conservation resources to where they are needed most.
Associate Professor Htin Lin Aung, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Tackling the escalating threat of drug-resistant tuberculosis in New Zealand
$941,000
Associate Professor Htin Lin Aung says:
Tuberculosis (TB) is a curable disease, and yet paradoxically it claims 5000 people's lives daily. In New Zealand, TB disproportionally affects Māori and Pasifika. Of growing concern is the rise of drug-resistant TB in New Zealand, which is becoming increasingly challenging to treat with currently available drugs.
This study aims to gain insights into the mechanisms of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agents of TB. This study will help lay the foundation for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of drug resistance in a disease that poses one of the world's most significant health challenges.
The study has the potential to lead to the creation, manufacture, and marketing of novel precision TB diagnostics, which can also serve as a platform technology for the detection of other pathogens and will in turn bring research funding, strategic partnerships, and profits or license income to New Zealand, contributing to economic growth.
Associate Professor Colin Fox, Department of Physics
Scalable Bayesian algorithms for multi-physics inverse problems with high-level representations
$683,000
Associate Professor Colin Fox says:
Subsurface imaging is essential for understanding groundwater systems, natural hazards, and resource management, yet current methods struggle to capture complex geological structures. Existing computational techniques rely on smooth function-based models, which are fundamentally unsuitable for identifying sharp features such as fractures, faults, and buried infrastructure.
This project will develop scalable Bayesian algorithms that integrate high-level, interpretable models—capturing the discrete structures that control subsurface flow and geophysical properties. By combining cutting-edge stochastic mathematics with recent advances in deep learning and fast computation, the team will create efficient inference methods that extract clearer, more accurate subsurface images from multi-physics measurements. These advances will be validated on selected groundwater systems in New Zealand, where direct observations are scarce and indirect imaging is essential.
The outcome will be a transformative shift in subsurface imaging, enabling more reliable decision-making in environmental management, infrastructure planning, and risk assessment.
Professor Rachael Taylor and Dr Rosie Jackson, Department of Medicine (Dunedin)
Tik-tok to Top Gun: are screens before bed really a problem for sleep in adolescents?
$853,000
Professor Rachael Taylor and Dr Rosie Jackson say:
Although everyone knows the importance of a good night's kip, many teens are chronically sleep deprived, with detrimental effects on health, wellbeing, education and daily functioning. In New Zealand and abroad, health guidelines endorse avoiding electronic media immediately prior to bed to promote good sleep. Two problems are evident with this guidance: 1) it is unrealistic, as evidenced by almost non-existent adherence, and 2) it is based on weak correlational data from questionnaires, which are unlikely to capture the complexity of modern screen usage.
Instead, experimental data using objective, accurate measures of screen use is needed to show how device use might truly impact sleep. Sleep outcomes will be measured using accelerometers in 80 youth (11-16 years) on nights when they have spent the hour before sleep undertaking passive (watching) or interactive (gaming, multitasking) screen time compared to nights where screens are not used. Synchronized assessment of heart rate and anxiety will improve understanding of interrelationships with physiological and psychological influences.
This work will help guide those developing tech solutions to improve sleep and more effective health policy. Enhanced teen sleep will improve physical and mental health, school attendance and educational outcomes, with flow-on benefits for productivity and economic growth
Dr Courtney Ennis, Department of Chemistry
Laboratory exploration of clathrate hydrate chemistry leading to the synthesis of amino acids: Assisting NASA Dragonfly's search for the origin-of-life on Titan
$941,000
Dr Courtney Ennis says:
The Dragonfly spacecraft will embark in 2028 to Saturn's largest moon Titan with a primary objective to locate chemical species central to astrobiology and the origin-of-life.
To assist in this mission, our laboratory research will explore chemical pathways toward proteinogenic amino acids within Titan's icy terrain. Compound (mixed) clathrate hydrates are molecular minerals thought particularly conducive to condensed-phase chemistry due to the proximity of methane and ammonia within its ice structure. Formed under high-pressure within Titan's interior before transported to the surface by geological processes, we propose that the exposure of clathrates to high-energy particle radiation provides an efficient pathway to the glycine precursor methylamine, as well as other related compounds.
To investigate this hypothesis, novel crystallographic studies of clathrates under high-pressure will be performed at x-ray and neutron facilities. To simulate Titan astrochemistry, electron irradiation of clathrate films will reveal the formation of biologically important compounds by way of advanced spectroscopic techniques. An ensuing detection of methylamine and its chemical analogues intermixed with clathrate material will provide new diagnostic signatures required for Dragonfly exploration.
If then discovered to reside on this outer Solar System body, our laboratory confirmed pathways for extraterrestrial amino acids will have profound implications toward astrobiology.
Dr Robert Smith, Department of Marine Science
How will climate change reshape phytoplankton blooms at oceanic fronts?
$944,000
Dr Robert Smith says:
Oceanic fronts are well-known to seafarers as 'lines in the sea' and are global hotspots for the growth of phytoplankton that underpin marine food webs. Understanding how physical processes control and disrupt phytoplankton growth at oceanic fronts is essential for addressing global challenges in fisheries management, carbon sequestration and predicting the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.
Explosive phytoplankton blooms recently uncovered at fronts bordering the Southern Ocean in the aftermath of synoptic (2-15 day) weather systems are challenging our understanding of the processes that underpin these productivity hotspots. Due to a lack of direct observations or simulations at time- and space-scales appropriate for phytoplankton growth, we have limited understanding of why these blooms occur and more pressingly, how they might change in a stormier future.
The proposed research will use ocean voyages, a cutting-edge autonomous profiler and numerical models to provide a mechanistic understanding of how fine-scale (0.2-20 km) physical processes shape phytoplankton growth at oceanic fronts and will reveal their vulnerabilities to future climate change.
Outputs from the research will assist central government to better prepare for climate-induced shifts in primary production, leading to more sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices, export revenues, and food security.
Professor Neil Gemmell, Department of Anatomy
Dissecting the Role of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations on Phenotype and Fitness Using Cutting-Edge Mitochondrial Base Editors
$941,000
Professor Neil Gemmell says:
Mitochondria are essential to all eukaryotic life (fungi, protists, plants, and animals). They reside within our cells and serve many functions but are best known for their role in cellular energy production. Normal mitochondrial function is achieved through the cooperative interaction of two genomes: one nuclear and one specific to the mitochondria (mtDNA). In humans and other species, mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been implicated in degenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, ageing, cancer, and infertility.
Despite the growing appreciation of the importance of mtDNA, few studies have yet determined how much of an organism's physical characteristics (phenotype) are governed by the mitochondrial versus the nuclear genome, and our understanding of the wider roles of mtDNA on organismal fitness and health is surprisingly sparse. Here, using new, cutting-edge mitochondrial DNA editing approaches established in fruit fly models, we seek to determine the importance of mtDNA mutations on metabolism, fertility, longevity, and behaviour.
Our work will enhance our understanding of the role of the mitochondrial genome on fitness, health, and ageing, potentially leading to new treatments for devastating mtDNA diseases and disorders, improvements in health and longevity, and the identification of new targets for genetic biocontrol.
Fast Start Grants - $360,000
Dr Conor Kresin, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
A novel framework for causal inference given continuous spatiotemporal data in the presence of arbitrary outcome spillover
Dr Conor Kresin says:
Existing methods for performing causal inference on continuous spatiotemporal data are ad hoc, burdened with excessive assumptions, and non-generalisable.
Previously deemed impossible, we will demonstrate that causal inference with observational spatiotemporal data in the presence of arbitrary outcome spillover is feasible without restrictive modelling assumptions. To do so, we will construct a general framework using results from point process theory, proving theoretical properties necessary to establish rigorous hypothesis testing.
This work will result in foundational advances in research applications as diverse as epidemiology and finance, allowing scientists to perform causal inference on previously inapplicable spatiotemporal data.
Dr Victoria Sugrue, Department of Anatomy
Epigenetic insights into the complex life history of eels
Dr Victoria Sugrue says:
New Zealand freshwater eels (Anguilla dieffenbachii and A. australis) are culturally significant but increasingly threatened species. Their remarkable lifecycles include programmed post-spawning death and a dramatic metamorphosis called silvering, which prepares adults for reproduction and a 2,500+ km migration to oceanic spawning grounds. Despite its ecological and biological importance, the triggers for silvering remain unknown and appear unrelated to chronological age.
This project will investigate the role of DNA methylation and biological aging in driving silvering and post-reproductive death. I will develop the first epigenetic clock for a semelparous species, enabling non-invasive age estimation in eels and testing whether accelerated biological aging underpins the timing of silvering. This may help explain why some eels transition earlier than others, independent of size or age. I will also compare DNA methylation patterns between migrating and non-migrating adults to distinguish normal age-related changes from those linked to silvering's unique developmental programme, identifying key genes involved in this transition.
By revealing how epigenetic mechanisms regulate extreme life-history transitions, this research will advance understanding of developmental plasticity and aging. It also delivers applied benefits by providing tools to support eel population monitoring and conservation, contributing to the long-term sustainability of these taonga species.
Dr Rebecca French, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
The Role of Pathogens in the Evolution of Brood Parasites
Dr Rebecca French says:
Avian brood parasitism, where birds lay their eggs in foster nests of a different bird species, creates a unique natural system that separates vertical (parent-to-offspring) and horizontal (environmental or host-to-host) pathogen transmission which is usually extremely difficult or impossible to untangle.
This project will untwine the contribution of host versus environment in shaping microbial diversity in brood parasites and determine whether protection against potentially harmful pathogens is a major evolutionary driver of brood parasitism. I aim to use this system to elucidate complex pathogen-host-environment dynamics, which will reshape our understanding of the interplay between parasites, hosts, and infectious agents. Using advanced molecular biology techniques, including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and microbial mutational spectra analysis, the project will characterize the infectome (the full diversity of infectious agents) within a brood parasite system. It will test hypotheses regarding pathogen sharing and diversity across biological parents, foster parents, and chicks.
This groundbreaking work will be the first to investigate pathogen transmission in New Zealand's cuckoos, offering critical insights into disease ecology, co-evolutionary dynamics, and zoonotic risks. The outcomes will enhance biosecurity strategies, conservation management, and understanding of ecological relationships, positioning the New Zealand shining cuckoo as a global model system for parasitism studies.
Dr Sam Taylor-Wardell, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
How do bacteria adapt to evade effective and ineffective antibiotic treatments?
Dr Sam Taylor-Wardell says:
To combat the rising global threat of antimicrobial resistance, we need to understand how bacteria respond and adapt to antibiotics. Current research approaches study bacterial populations as a whole, overlooking critical differences between individual bacterial cells. This means, we miss important details about how individual bacteria survive treatment and cause recurrent infections.
This research applies a cutting-edge bacterial single-cell approach to study how bacteria respond to antibiotics at an individual level. By studying the high-priority pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we aim to uncover how ineffective antibiotic treatments can unintentionally drive resistance.
Through revolutionising our understanding of bacterial adaptation, this work will identify new targets for therapies that could stop resistance before it arises.
Dr Nils Birkholz, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Bacterial adaptation to novel epigenetic signatures
Dr Nils Birkholz says:
Pathogenic bacteria pose a growing threat in healthcare and agriculture due to rising antimicrobial resistance and virulence. These traits may be impacted by epigenetic DNA methylation, as methylation in regulatory regions can influence gene expression. Bacteria can acquire resistance or virulence factors, as well as new methylation patterns, through foreign DNA uptake by horizontal gene transfer. However, how introduction of new epigenetic signatures into the cell impacts existing regulatory networks, and how the recipient adapts in response, is unclear.
This research will address this knowledge gap through a variety of phenotypic assays to explore fitness costs associated with introduction of a foreign methylation pattern and the potential for environmental pressures to mitigate these effects. Time-shift experiments, combined with genome, transcriptome and methylome sequencing, will track bacterial adaptation to the new methylation over time. This approach will identify and correlate mutations, gene expression changes, and shifts in fitness, deepening our understanding of bacterial adaptation to new epigenetic signatures introduced via horizontal gene transfer.
This research will offer valuable insights into the spread of mobile genetic elements, including those driving pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, the findings could inform future strategies for controlling pathogens in healthcare and agriculture.
Dr Jerusha Bennett, Department of Zoology
The gift of infection: using parasites to tackle marine pollution
Dr Jerusha Bennett says:
Marine pollution poses a significant threat to New Zealand's marine ecosystems. The striking images of deceased seabirds with plastic-filled stomachs illustrates the far-reaching impacts of this global crisis. Inside the stomach of every marine animal are toxic heavy metals, plastics and parasites that influence the health of Aotearoa's unique marine fauna.
While we know that individual members of this trio can each impact host health, we know little about how these stressors interact, and what are the net consequences of this combination for their hosts. For example, we know that parasites can absorb heavy metals, essentially protecting their hosts from absorbing too much. Therefore, parasites may actually be unexpected heroes, silently soaking up pollution that prevents their hosts getting sick. Do parasites also biofilter plastics, providing an extra layer of protection in an ocean of unprecedented pollution levels? Do plastics interfere with heavy metal filtration?
In this project, we will reveal the role of parasites as filters of heavy metals and plastics in a range of Aotearoa's seabird species.
By quantifying plastics and heavy metals in both seabirds and parasites, we will shed light on wildlife resilience in the face of a pollution heavy future.
Dr Tina Van Duijn, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
Analogical storytelling: a simple and memorable way of learning movement sequences to perform under pressure?
Dr Tina Van Duijn says:
Analogy instruction is a powerful strategy that sport coaches use regularly to enhance learning, long-term retention and skill performance under pressure. Analogies allow large amounts of complex information to be provided to a person in a way that reduces the mental workload needed to process the information. For centuries, Indigenous people have known that analogy and storytelling are effective tools to share knowledge.
Here, we will apply Māori and western concepts of skill learning in parallel, using a braided rivers approach. Collaborating with Māori educators, local knowledge holders and first aid experts, we will develop and refine culturally grounded, analogical teaching tools through wānanga (knowledge-sharing forums). Storytelling techniques, including pūrākau (analogical stories), waiata (songs) and whakatauākī/whakataukī (proverbs), will be used to help teach cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills. The effectiveness of the combined tools will be explored in a learning study, assessing novices' knowledge retention, and skill performance under pressure, as well as cultural relevance and willingness to act.
This research will contribute to our understanding of the potential mechanisms by which storytelling helps memory and performance of motor skills.
