A marae-based programme testing the use of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to help patients with persistent mild traumatic brain injury is one of four research studies to receive funding as part of the Health Research Council (HRC) He Ara Whakahihiko – Hauora Fund*.
He Ara Whakahihiko – Hauora Fund supports biomedical and clinical health research that fosters partnerships and collaborations between Māori-facing organisations, Māori health researchers and communities with industry and health providers.
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is an emerging therapeutic option, with preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting benefits in neuroplasticity, emotional processing and a reduction in symptoms.
Dr Patrick McHugh from Rangiwaho Marae in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne will recruit adults with persistent mild traumatic brain injury symptoms and lead them through a therapeutic pathway, which will include one session of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. His team will assess for post-concussive symptoms, mood, anxiety, sleep, and quality of life, alongside monitoring of safety and adverse events. They will also collaborate with Mātai Medical Research Institute for biomedical insights, including testing if ultra-high contrast magnetic resonance imaging can detect subtle brain changes not seen with standard imaging, and Māori health provider Tūranga Health.
Professor Dawn Coates and kaitiaki Māori from Kānuka Charitable Trust and Ngāti Kuia will lead a project exploring whether kānuka hydrosol – a gentle, water-based extract from the kānuka tree – has bioactive properties to support gum and oral health. The research, in partnership with the University of Otago’s Faculty of Dentistry and ALS Analytics Laboratories, will test if kānuka hydrosol is safe and can reduce harmful oral bacteria and biofilms.
Cytisine is a low-cost medicine that helps people quit smoking, but which is not available in New Zealand. Bianca Crichton from IO Limited in Waikato will use her grant to test a locally made cytisine tablet derived from kōwhai and naturalised plants and developed under Māori governance.
In a pilot study, Miss Crichton and her team will recruit 80 Māori who smoke to take either the new locally made cytisine or the established overseas product, without knowing which one they receive. The study team will collaborate with the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand and Rua Bioscience to assess safety, quitting rates, acceptability, and how easily the medicine can be delivered through stop-smoking services.
Māori experience higher preterm birth rates and poorer outcomes than non-Māori, reflecting the lack of integration of Māori perspectives and experiences into evidence that shapes policy, guidelines, and clinical trials. Dr Felicity Ware from Hāpai Te Hauora Tapui will use her grant to review existing evidence and engage with whānau Māori, Māori clinicians, and Māori researchers to better understand Māori experiences and priorities, and Māori participation in preterm birth research. Key partnerships with national and international perinatal and maternal health networks, including the Carosika Collective and the world-first adaptive platform trial in pregnancy and neonatal care (PLATIPUS) will enable implementation of evidence into practice.
*The HRC receives devolved funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund to invest in health research outcomes aligned with the fund’s policy intent. This is achieved through the HRC’s He Ara Whakahihiko – Hauora Fund.
Recipients of the HRC’s 2026 He Ara Whakahihiko – Hauora Fund
Professor Dawn Coates, Kānuka Charitable Trust
Preclinical oral health research on a taonga-derived hydrosol
24 months, $495,500
Miss Bianca Crichton, IO Limited
A Pilot Study Evaluating Kōwhai-Derived Cytisine for Māori Smoking Cessation
24 months, $495,500
Dr Patrick McHugh, Rangiwaho Marae
Tū Wairua: Reducing mild TBI symptoms through Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
24 months, $490,550
Dr Felicity Ware, Hāpai Te Hauora Tapui
Integrating Māori experiences and perspectives in preterm birth research
24 months, $493,996