Photo caption: From left to right - Dr Liam Murphy, Dr Amy Osborne, Dr Lisa Furlong, Associate Professor Tim Chambers, and Dr Matthew Hobbs.
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) recipients are among researchers and students supported through almost $1.5 million awarded by CMRF in 2026.
Their research spans critical care, the effects of nitrate in drinking water on pregnancy outcomes, sleep disturbance in neurodivergent children and communication difficulties in Parkinson's disease.
The largest UC award went to Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Liam Murphy, who received a $220,000 Emerging Researcher Fellowship for his project, Personalising haemodynamic support in circulatory shock patients, which aims to develop more personalised treatment for critically ill patients.
Dr Murphy is developing and validating a physics-based cardiovascular model using measurements already routinely collected in intensive care. The model could give clinicians a clearer, real-time picture of how each patient is responding to treatment, helping them decide which treatments are most likely to work.
"Accurately predicting and monitoring patient-specific response to these treatments is a major 'holy-grail' goal in the ICU," Dr Murphy says.
He says the fellowship will help take the research closer to benefiting patients in intensive care.
"I am very grateful to CMRF for investing in this research and helping us take the next step towards translating our work into something that could ultimately benefit patients in intensive care."
Other UC recipients received funding for research spanning public health, neurological conditions and child health, as well as professional development.
Dr Tim Chambers received a Major Project Grant of up to $120,000 for a national study examining whether nitrate exposure in drinking water is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Dr Kate Tyson received a PhD Scholarship worth $120,000 over three years to investigate treatment for communication difficulties in Parkinson's disease, with a particular focus on acquired stuttering.
Dr Matthew Hobbs and Dr Lisa Furlong each received $5,000 Travel and Personal Development Grants for professional development in epidemiology and speech and language research respectively, while Dr Amy Osborne received a $5,000 In Aid Grant for a pilot study exploring links between the oral microbiome and sleep disturbance in neurodivergent children.
Across its 2026 funding round, CMRF is supporting 14 researchers and 31 students in areas including mental health, public health, cancer, immunology, epidemiology and neurology.
UC's six recipients were celebrated at CMRF's 2026 Grand Awards Celebration on 1 October, alongside fellow grant recipients, research colleagues, donors, supporters and partners.
