University of Otago, Christchurch Ōtautahi researchers investigating cures for cancer, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease and mental health have been awarded more than NZ$1 million dollars in grant funding from the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF).
UOC research projects were selected for eight of the eleven CMRF grants in this year's round - six Major Project, one Special Project and one Emerging Researcher Grants.
The grants are a huge boost – not only for UOC and the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, but also for Canterbury health research as a whole, at a time when research funding nationwide is stretched. At $1.5m it is the largest ever investment in grant finding by CMRF.
Dr George Wiggins, from the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine's Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, is a recipient of the Foundation's $220,000 Emerging Researcher Grant for his work investigating potential novel preventative therapies for women at high risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Dr George Wiggins
George says he's honoured to be awarded this generous grant, to continue his team's investigations into an area of research where new and effective prevention strategies are sorely needed.
"Traditional options for preventing these cancers for women carrying the BRCA1 and BRCA2 susceptibility genes include the likes of risk-reducing surgery. However, for many women, this strategy is unwanted due to reasons such as fertility and menopause concerns," George explains.
"Providing doctors with a non-invasive and easily accessible preventative therapy for women at high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer would have numerous benefits for the health system, patients and their whānau, including reducing inequity in health outcomes."
In Canterbury, approximately 1 in 250 individuals carry a high-risk pathogenic variant in one of the breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Women and their whānau that carry these pathogenic variants have up to a 72 per cent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer
George says due to his lab discoveries and collaboration with the world leading CIMBA Consortium, he is uniquely positioned to investigate potential novel and personalised preventative therapies.
"Through this collaboration we have published evidence that common DNA copy number variants modify the cancer risk for individuals with pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2," he explains.
"These studies provide crucial data to guide development of potential novel preventative therapies. To better assess and prioritise these candidate preventatives, we are developing models that better mimic women at high-risk of cancers.
"It's been shown that large genetic studies play a critical role in developing novel therapies, and our study has the potential to first benefit Cantabrians through future activation of local clinical trials."
University of Otago Faculty of Medicine – Christchurch Dean Professor Lutz Beckert says he is delighted with the success of all campus research staff.
"The generous support of CMRF is hugely important and much appreciated, allowing our talented researchers to commit to important work which will benefit not only our local community in Canterbury, Aotearoa and beyond," Lutz says.
"The work which George and his team are working on, as just one example, delivers on the promise of precision medicine. Accessible genetic testing has the potential to transform prevention strategies for women worldwide."
Melissa Haberfield, Chief Executive of CMRF, the largest independent not-for-profit funder of medical research in the South Island, says support is needed for early career researchers, now more than ever.
"The quality of life of those directly impacted by health conditions can be positively impacted through research findings, education and early intervention in terms of treatments," she says.
The grants will be awarded to the successful UOC recipients at a special function to mark the CMRF's 65th year later this month.
- Kōrero by Lorelei Mason
The CMRF Grants recipients
Special Project Grant
Professor Margreet Vissers and Dr Annika Seddon
Mātai Hāora – Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine at the University of Otago Christchurch
Investigating epigenetic modulation for targeted therapy in acute myeloid leukaemia. A preclinical study.
$85,000
We're using advanced gene editing tools (like CRISPR) to study how leukaemia cells behave when TET2 is working versus when it's not.
We'll then treat these cells with vitamin C to see whether it can restore normal gene function and help the cells mature properly. This project is at clinical trial stage.
This lab-based work will help us understand which patients might benefit most from high-dose vitamin C treatment. Our goal is to build a strong evidence base to determine whether the use of vitamin C may be helpful in the management of leukemia, particularly before bone marrow transplant.
One of our case studies showed remarkable clinical improvements with this treatment, strengthening the case for further investigation of this approach.
It has been funded by an estate bequest specifically requesting hematology research. It shows how personal donations can have a significant impact, with CMRF as the conduit.
Emerging Researcher Recipient
Dr George Wiggins
Department of Pathology and Mackenzie Cancer Research Group at the University of Otago Christchurch
Novel prevention and treatment strategies for breast and ovarian cancer
$220,000
Women at high-risk of breast and ovarian cancer need new and effective prevention strategies. Traditional options for cancer prevention include risk-reducing surgery, however this strategy is unwanted by many women due to a variety of reasons, such as fertility and menopause concerns. Providing doctors with a non-invasive and easily accessible preventative therapy for women at high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer would have numerous benefits for the health system (e.g. reduced inequity in health outcomes), and for the patients and their whānau.
Through discoveries in my laboratory, and collaboration with the world leading CIMBA Consortium, I am uniquely positioned to investigate potential novel preventative therapies for women at high-risk of breast and ovarian cancer. This comprehensive, innovative and potentially transformative research is a vital step towards reducing cancer diagnoses through the development of personalised preventative treatment(s).
In Canterbury, approximately 1/250 individuals carry a high-risk pathogenic variant in one of the breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Women and their whānau that carry these pathogenic variants have up to a 72% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Providing well-tolerated and accepted preventative therapies are essential to minimise the impact of disease on the individuals, their whānau and the health system.
Through collaboration with the world-leading international CIMBA Consortium, we have published evidence that common DNA copy number variant (CNVs) can modify the cancer risk for individuals with pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 (PMID:28145423;36203093). These studies provide crucial data that have the potential to guide the development of novel preventative therapies. It has been shown that large genetic studies play a critical role in developing novel therapies and therapeutics with clinical trials backed by these studies being twice as successful. In addition to discoveries that provide mechanistic insights, this study has the potential to first benefit Cantabrians through future activation of local clinical trials.
CMRF Major Project Grants
Dr Amanda Landers
Department of Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch.
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) is a funded, effective, and safe treatment that can slow weight loss, help patients tolerate cancer treatments, and potentially improve survival. Many New Zealanders with PC are not prescribed PERT as it can be difficult to distinguish EPI/PEI from cancer-related symptoms. Our simple symptom scoring tool helps identify EPI/PEI and differentiate this condition from other digestive symptoms. Our study will help validate the tool in PC, improving clinical decision-making, and ensuring patients receive appropriate PERT treatment.
Pancreatic Cancer (PC) has a dismal prognosis, with a 1-year survival rate of approximately 21% and median survival of 4.6 months. In 2023, over 750 people were diagnosed with PC in Aotearoa New Zealand (14/100,000). PC patients experience high rates of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (EPI/PEI) which leads to distressing symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal bloating/pain, and weight loss, impacting quality of life. EPI/PEI can be effectively treated with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), a funded and well-tolerated medication in Aotearoa New Zealand. Effective management of EPI/PEI with PERT has been associated with a 262% increase in median survival time. Our recent survey showed that 40% of New Zealanders living with PC had never heard of PERT.
Dr Teagan Edwards
Department of Paediatrics , University of Otago, Christchurch
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in children
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's Disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is an incurable condition leading to relapsing and remitting gut symptoms that can include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. It is increasingly common in children in NZ, with rates tripling in the Canterbury region over the last two decades. Those diagnosed in childhood often experience worse outcomes including adverse effects on growth, nutrition, and psychological well-being. Various treatments are available to reduce inflammation and maintain remission, however, better ways to detect and monitor active disease are required to enable earlier diagnosis and ensure optimised care and outcomes for these children.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of IBD worldwide, with over 20,000 New Zealanders suffering from this debilitating condition. Additionally, rates are expected to double by 2045. In 2016, IBD was estimated to cost New Zealand more than $245 million annually in health care costs and lost productivity. These costs continue to rise due to increasing incidence, greater need for disease monitoring, higher treatment costs, and the impact of poor health on the productivity of mostly young patients. Hence, there is an urgent need for effective ways to detect, assess and monitor IBD, particularly in children who suffer from a high burden of disease with multiple adverse effects.
Current methods for diagnosis and monitoring, including endoscopy with mucosal biopsies, are invasive and costly. However, researchers are yet to identify a non-invasive test that can replace these methods.
Dr Jenni Manuel
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch.
The impact of social and environmental factors on infant mental health treatment outcomes
Evidence shows that exposure to trauma and adversity in infancy can have serious, long-term effects on mental and physical health. This is because the infant brain develops rapidly and is highly sensitive to environmental influences. A safe, secure relationship with a primary caregiver can help buffer negative impacts of environmental adversity. This understanding has prompted the development of infant mental health services for children aged 0-4 years with therapy that targets the developing relationships of infants and caregivers.
A recent stocktake by the Infant Mental Health Association Aotearoa New Zealand found national data groups infants with older tamariki (0–9 years), limiting insight into infant mental health services, treatment factors, access, and impact. Whānau capacity to provide a safe, nurturing environment is influenced by privilege, mental health, parenting history, supports, and stressors. These factors can also potentially affect infant development and likely influence therapy engagement and benefits.
This study aims to examine how social adversities and protective factors, impact treatment outcomes of a publicly funded Ōtautahi infant mental health service Iti Kākanō. We also aim to explore equity of service provision and how to embed long-term data collection into routine practice.
An exploratory mixed method study will be conducted. Pre- and post-treatment data on attachment, child behaviour, and emotional regulation will be collected. Analyses will assess how infant and parent adverse life events, socio-economic deprivation, and minority adversities affect outcomes. In-depth interviews will explore parent/caregiver perspectives on service access and quality, cultural safety, and research acceptability.
It is expected this study will provide insights to improve infant mental health service provision in Aotearoa, as well as informing how we can embed long term data collection into other infant mental health settings.
Dr Simone Cree
Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch
Investigating Growth Differentiation Factor-15 as a predictive biomarker of cardiovascular disease in the Pacific Population in Canterbury
National health data has shown that Pacific peoples have the highest rates of hospitalisation from heart disease than their non-Pacific counterparts. The Pasifika Heart Study (PHS), Canterbury's largest collection of Pacific health data from Christchurch recorded high rates of risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure among participants.
This study will recruit 100 additional Pacific adults from Christchurch alongside comprehensive cardiovascular screening in collaboration with local Pacific health providers and test the role of an emerging blood biomarker- Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) in detecting heart disease in this cohort. GDF-15 has emerged as a promising biomarker in predicting cardiovascular disease such as coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure and warrants further investigation in our Pacific communities. This study will be the first ever data on GDF-15 among Pacific Peoples in Canterbury and aims to promote heart health research and participation in Pacific communities through early intervention.
Dr Gemma Moir-Meyer
Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch
Identifying novel genetic drivers of heart disease to improve health outcomes for Cantabrians
Heart disease is the main cause of avoidable hospital admissions in Waitaha Canterbury. Public health campaigns targeting smoking, diet and exercise, have helped to reduce lifestyle and environmental risk factors contributing to Cantabrians' heart disease. However, they only address half of the problem, because 50% of an individual's risk for heart disease is determined by their underlying genetics.
Furthermore, heart disease is also a considerable source of health inequity for Māori Cantabrians who comprise almost 10% of our population. Waitaha Māori experience more than twice as much heart disease than do non-Māori and have avoidable hospital admission rates 12% higher than our population average.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) arises from a buildup of atherosclerotic plaques in the circulatory system and is the single biggest killer in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). These plaques can also cause heart attacks when they block blood vessels in the heart, making CVD the leading cause of avoidable hospitalisations in Canterbury. About half of an individual's risk of CVD is due to environmental or lifestyle factors and the other 50% is due to underlying genetics. These genetic patterns can be leveraged to identify people at high risk of developing CVD before their symptoms appear. So far, relatively few of these genetic risk factors have been identified, but researchers have mostly focused on finding small 'spelling mistakes' in the DNA, termed DNA variants. This research will instead search out large DNA variants where entire sentences (or even pages) of genetic instructions have been deleted or copy-pasted to places where they do not belong. With new genetic risk markers, we have the potential to detect CVD before it becomes a health burden. This information will also uncover new targets for drug design, and aid the clinical management of patients, which will contribute to improved outcomes for Cantabrians with heart disease.
Dr Zoe Ordering
Department of Psychological Medicine , University of Otago, Christchurch
Development of a Cognitive Health Programme Following a First Episode of Psychosis
One in 14 people in Aotearoa New Zealand will experience a psychotic episode in their lifetime, usually before the age of 25. Non-Māori experience psychosis at half the rate of Māori, reflecting the impacts of colonisation. Most people with psychosis have significant cognitive challenges such as memory issues, trouble concentrating, or difficulties problem-solving, which impact a young person's ability to study, work, and stay connected with others.
Even though these challenges are common, most mental health services in Aotearoa do not routinely screen for them. Without simple ways to assess these cognitive difficulties, it is very difficult for clinicians to offer the right kind of support.
This study will test a short cognitive screening tool with young people receiving care at Tōtara House, an early intervention service in Canterbury. It will explore how practical and easy it is to use the tool in a mental health setting, as well as the experience and cultural appropriateness of the tool for young adults experiencing early psychosis.
