News & Opinion

Superhero Saturday to help fight Superbugs

May 26, 2017

Customers visiting Briscoes or Rebel Sport stores this weekend could find themselves served at the checkout by Superman, Wonder Woman or possibly even Captain America with staff donning superhero outfits all in aid of fighting superbugs. The dress-up day is part of Briscoe Group’s charity partner Cure Kids’ appeal “Fight Against Superbugs’ to raise funds…

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Anti-TB drug resistance threatens to unwind the progress

May 26, 2017

There is no doubt that groundbreaking progress has been made in fight against tuberculosis (TB) in the past two decades, but it might be prudent to review if we are winning the fight in order to #endTB by 2030. Do we slip backwards when we fail to prevent every single transmission of new TB infection…

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CRISPR gene editing puts the brakes on cancer cells

May 26, 2017

Cancer cells are known for their fast and rapacious growth, but a new technique to slow them down may one day offer new treatment options. Scientists from the US have discovered a protein called Tudor-SN linked to the “preparatory” phase of cell life – when cells prepare to divide and spread. Read more

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New Gait Test Could Predict Early Dementia

May 25, 2017

In a new study, researchers at Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University are demonstrating that gait, or motion testing, while simultaneously performing a cognitively demanding task can predict dementia and eventually help with earlier diagnosis. To date, there is no definitive way for health care professionals to forecast the onset of dementia in a…

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Cloud giants form alliance to accelerate genome research

May 25, 2017

BGI Online is a cloud platform for genomics data analysis. At the Bio-IT World Conference and Expo in Boston this week, BGI announced that they will work alongside Broad Institute, Intel and Alibaba Cloud in an effort to bring cloud-based and free access to the to the latest version of the Genome Analysis Tool Kit…

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Supercomputer study unlocks secrets of brain and safer anaesthetics

May 22, 2017

Researchers have used a supercomputer to show how proteins in the brain control electrical signals, in a breakthrough that could lead to safer and more effective drugs and anaesthetics. In the seven-year study just released, RMIT University researchers – led by Professor Toby Allen and including Dr Bogdan Lev and Dr Brett Cromer – modelled…

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Health Research Matters May 2017

May 22, 2017

Click here to view the May newsletter

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Health researcher awarded HRC grant

May 22, 2017

Dr Kathryn Beck from Massey University’s School of Food and Nutrition has been awarded nearly $250,000 from the Health Research Council of New Zealand to find out how diet and lifestyle patterns affect older people. Dr Beck is one of 13 researchers to receive emerging researcher first grants valued at a combined total of $3.03…

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Up-and-coming Otago scientists gain Health Research Council funding

May 22, 2017

Two University of Otago staff have received emerging researcher first grants in the Health Research Council’s 2017 funding round announced today: Dr Moritz Lassé (Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch) Improving risk assessment for worsening kidney function in heart failure $170,877, 36 months Dr Damian Scarf (Department of Psychology) Extending brief alcohol interventions using…

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Kiwi scientists concerned over increasing rates of antibiotic resistance

May 17, 2017

A group of high powered health professionals, scientists and veterinary experts has published a report highlighting concerns around increasing rates of antibiotic resistance. The Royal Society Te Aparangi wants all New Zealanders to better understand the issue and its implication for our future health. Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation raised concerns about the…

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