Health and Biomedical Sciences

Victoria researchers collaborate with scientists and businesses around the world on a range of projects to prevent, diagnose and cure human diseases. Our researchers are currently involved in projects using chemical genetics and proteomics to identify biochemical networks within cells, discovering novel natural drugs and testing them against cancer and autoimmune and infectious diseases, studying neurochemistry of drug abuse, and understanding decline in fertility in humans and other mammals.

Many of our chemists and biochemists collaborate with staff from the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, which is based on our Kelburn Campus, on projects related to the prevention and treatment of major diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and infectious disease.

Researchers at the Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health work with other health professionals, including those at Wellington Regional Hospital where the School is based, on projects to develop safer and more efficient ways of delivering healthcare.

Find out more about specific research projects in the health and biomedical sciences:

Anne La Flamme

There’s yet another strand to Dr La Flamme’s work with MS. Earlier this year she participated in the Great New Zealand Trek, an annual event which raises funds for MS research.

Searching for a Cure for Multiple Sclerosis

“The goal of our work is to find a cure for multiple sclerosis,” says immunologist Dr Anne La Flamme.

“And if it is not possible to find a cure for all MS sufferers then we aim for a treatment that will benefit the subset of patients with MS that do not respond to existing treatments.”
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Jozsepf Ekart

Jozsef Ekart with Fertility Associates’ powerful inverted microscope used for embryo grading.

Using Gene Analysis to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes

In New Zealand, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is responsible for nearly two percent of all children born.

Demand for IVF is high, and growing, but even in the world’s top fertility clinics, only 50 percent of transplanted embryos lead to pregnancy.
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Ronan O'Toole

Ronan O’Toole researching drug-resistant clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the Center for Tuberculosis Research, Johns Hopkins University.

Discovering New Drugs to Fight TB

A group of Victoria microbiologists, led by Ronan O’Toole from the School of Biological Sciences, is searching for innovative new compounds to help fight Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), which kills 1.7 million people each year.
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