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News and media

All the latest news and media releases from the Health Research Council.
  • Record number of health delivery grants awarded

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    News
    We are pleased to announce a record 81 recipients in our second round of 2023 Health Delivery Research Grants. These grants, worth a combined total of more than $16.8 million in this round, are dedicated to increasing research engagement within healthcare settings.
  • NZ researchers win medals for game-changing studies into cervical cancer and rheumatic fever

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    Media Release
    The HRC has awarded its medals for excellence in health research at the Royal Society Te Apārangi Research Honours Aotearoa event in Wellington. And in a first for the HRC, two of its three medals have gone to researchers from the same team who are working with iwi and whānau to prevent cervical cancer and improve maternity and infant outcomes.
  • Trial into brain-based solution for chronic pain wins funding as part of $15M awarded to NZ researchers

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    Media Release
    With a fellowship of nearly $600,000 from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC), a University of Otago researcher will trial a novel brain stimulation technique for treating chronic low back pain – a leading cause of disability worldwide. Dr Divya Adhia is one of 76 recipients of the HRC’s Career Development Awards announced today.
  • Artificial intelligence and ethics in health research

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    News
    In our latest issue of HRC Ethics Notes, AUT Associate Professor Mangor Pederson explores the new ethical challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) poses to those involved in health research, with a particular focus on bias and transparency.
  • Study to improve disaster response and recovery for Hauraki Māori in wake of Cyclone Gabrielle

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    Media Release
    A Māori-led Women’s Refuge service has received an HRC community project grant to explore the experiences of Māori in the Hauraki rohe in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle. This is one of 13 grants awarded through our 2023 Ngā Kanohi Kitea Community Advancement Fund.
  • Better patient care at heart of NZ's $35M spend on new research programmes

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    Media Release
    Research to eradicate inequities in cancer survival for Māori has gained funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC). It’s one of several five-year research programmes awarded a combined total of $35 million announced today.
  • Research sector awarded $53.7 million to tackle a range of health issues

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    Media Release
    The Health Research Council has announced $53.7 million in funding for research into pressing health issues, including a large trial to help New Zealanders quit vaping and a project to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of young Māori released from prison and youth justice residences.
  • Harnessing the immune response to predict recovery from surgery

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    Media Release
    The Health Research Council has just awarded $4.2M to 17 emerging researchers. Among them is Dr Kathryn Hally who is on a quest to find immunological biomarkers that can be used to predict an adverse recovery from surgery.