university of otago leading thinkers initiative 2007 annual report

31 march 2008

2007

university of otago leading thinkers initiative annual report leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

This is the third annual report to the Tertiary Education Commission on the operation of the Leading Thinkers initiative at the University of Otago. The report is required by the Capital Injection Agreement concluded in June 2005 between the Government and the University within the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence framework.

Although generated in response to that agreement, this report is equally addressed to the University’s private donor partners.

The agreement with the Government contains certain specific reporting requirements, and the form of the report follows those requirements as listed below, followed by individual project reports and a selection of news media coverage.

Overview 1

A brief narrative, including matters relevant to reaching both the Project Conversion Criteria and the Programme Conversion Criteria, and assessing in general terms the success of the Leading Thinkers Initiative as a whole. 1

Summary of the principal outcomes of the Leading Thinkers Initiative and its impact on the University. The summary surveys the Leading Thinkers Initiative in terms of its overall status and impact on the University and includes specific comments about individual projects as may be appropriate or useful. 1

A brief description of all the Leading Thinkers Projects approved for inclusion in the Leading Thinkers Initiative. 2

Confirmation of the University’s continued support for, and ability to carry out, the Leading Thinkers Initiative. 8

Audited annual accounts of that portion of the Trust’s activities relating to the Leading Thinkers Initiative, each to incorporate Statement of Financial Performance, statement of Financial Position and Cash-flow Statement, together with explanatory notes and detailing the distributions of the Trust by Leading Thinkers Project, and other expenditure items. 9

A summary of the total funding provided to each Leading Thinkers Project from the University, the Trust and Third Party Donors, either directly or via the Trust. 26

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Overview

LEADING THINKERS

An investment in people The Leading Thinkers Initiative at the University of Otago is designed to add to the human capital of the University and the nation. It is a set of individual projects, mostly endowed chairs, which are each joint ventures between private donors, the Government of New Zealand and the University.

The name is intended to state directly what the initiative is all about - attracting and retaining leaders in research and ideas, enriching all disciplines and with sufficient mass to create a step up for the University.

Individual donors likewise seek “leading thinkers” – albeit for the slightly different purpose of delivering particular project outcomes - and so a fruitful partnership can be formed.

The whole programme was designed to comprise about 25 individual projects and to require a total investment of $50 million. The mechanism is that the Government matches private donations, according to an agreement signed in 2005, up to $25 million. Projects are subject to a robust internal approval process and all meet a set of criteria that ensures they are in the interests of both the University and the wider public.

THE YEAR

Meeting a target 2007 was the year in which the setting up phase of the Leading Thinkers Initiative was completed. The total number of projects reached 27, the total monetary sum committed by private partners reached $26.7m, and the full available Government matching contribution of $25m was drawn. We were pleased that this was all completed well before the contracted deadline of March 2008.

Having agreements signed and funds available is only the start of course, and not the point of the exercise. The real outcomes from the programme are realised once projects become established. In this respect, steady progress can be reported. Seventeen projects were operational by the end of the year, with several more appointments made or imminent. Some individual projects are now well established and some have significant momentum. The list of projects reveals the satisfyingly good spread of project areas.

We are very pleased indeed with having chosen to invest in people and we are extremely grateful to our partners, both private and Government, for joining us in this investment. Our intention is to justify their faith in our ability to deliver the sought outcomes.

As previously reported, the cumulative effect of Leading Thinker projects certainly seems to be greater than that arising from a set of individual projects. The human capital of the University has been increased, the direction of the university has been reinforced, and our role in society has also been reinforced and enhanced.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics – Associate Professor Martin Kennedy Donor – Jim & Mary Carney Charitable Trust Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genes influence a patient’s response to drugs. This new research area has created great excitement through the promise of understanding genetic differences that contribute to risk of side effects or failure of drug treatment, and the possibility of better tailoring medications to each patient, leading to improved safety and effectiveness.

Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance – 2007 Recipient: Dr Katrina Rank Donor – Caroline Plummer Memorial Trust The Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance honours Caroline Plummer (1978-2003). Caroline completed a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Diploma for Graduates in Dance, and was awarded the University of Otago Prestige Scholarship in Arts. The Fellowship acknowledges Caroline’s outstanding scholarship at the University of Otago, her passion for dance, and her vision for community dance in New Zealand.

Ron Lister Chair in Geography & Centre for Development Studies – Professor J.A. (Tony) Binns Donor – Anonymous Former University of Otago Foundation Chair of Geography, Professor Ron Lister, served as the Head of the Geography Department for nearly thirty years and inspired many students with his passion for the integrative discipline which aims to establish knowledge of relationships between and among human and natural systems. To pay tribute to his vision and enthusiasm, a benefactor has assisted with the establishment of the Ron Lister Chair in Geography and Centre for Development Studies.

Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases – Professor Kurt Krause Donor – Dr John Thrash (USA) The Centre is multidisciplinary and advances understanding of the molecular basis of some of the world’s worst human diseases. The laboratory’s work involves minutely probing the molecular structure of proteins inside infectious viruses and microbes to seek out weaknesses that can be exploited. Using state-of-the-art X- ray equipment recently installed in the Biochemistry Department, the laboratory’s aim is to identify and closely examine sites of interest within these protein structures.

Howard Paterson Chair in Theology & Public Issues – Appointment to be made Donors – Paterson Charitable Trust, Presbyterian Synod of Otago & Southland, Ian and Annette Tulloch New Zealand’s first research centre tackling social issues such as poverty, social welfare and the environment from a theological perspective will soon be established. The professorial appointee to the Chair will direct a centre charged with undertaking and promoting informed theological and ethical analysis of the challenges facing contemporary New Zealand society.

New Zealand Institute for Cancer Research Trust Chair in Cancer Pathology – Professor Mike Eccles Donor – New Zealand Institute for Cancer Research Trust New Zealand has some of the worst cancer statistics in the OECD. But groundbreaking genetic research promises to kill rogue cells that cause cancer. Professor Eccles’ work seeks understanding about cancer diagnosis and treatment through first understanding the biology of the disease.

Chair in Early Modern Philosophy – Professor Peter Anstey Donor – Anonymous Professor Anstey, joining us from Australia, adds further critical mass to philosophy at Otago. His research focus is John Locke and those philosophers who underpin modern western political systems.

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Stuart Chair in Science Communication – Professor Lloyd Davis Donor – Stuart Residence Halls Council New Zealand’s first Chair in Science Communication. The Chair builds on existing science education activities such as the prestigious Diploma in Natural History and Filmmaking and the NZ Marine Studies Centre at Portobello and is grounded in the idea that the University sharing its knowledge with the public will benefit New Zealand and in the observation that the Southern Hemisphere is short of places committed to better understanding of science. Professor Davis will lead an associated Centre for Science Communication.

Stuart Chair in Scottish Studies – Professor Liam McIlvanney (to start July 2008) Donor – Stuart Residence Halls Council The country’s only Chair in Scottish Studies was appropriately launched on St Andrews Day 2006 at the University established by Scottish settlers as New Zealand’s first, and in the presence of the British High Commissioner. The endowment will not only foster research and study into Scottish history and culture but will, importantly, provide understanding about the Scottish impact on New Zealand’s identity and development. Together with the Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies, this Chair will be a key partner in the Centre for Scottish and Irish Studies.

AgResearch Chair in Reproduction & Genomics – Professor Neil Gemmell (to start June 2008) Donor – AgResearch Ltd This Chair strengthens the research partnership between New Zealand’s most research-intensive university and the largest Crown Research Institute. A joint Centre for Reproduction and Genomics will be set up at the same time. The Chair will add capability in the field of reproductive science, clearly important to New Zealand, and the physical proximity of the University’s Dunedin campus and AgResearch at Invermay will make collaboration especially fruitful.

Chair in Viral Pathogenesis – Appointment to be made Donor – Anonymous The University of Otago’s new Chair in Viral Pathogenesis will be a critical weapon in the battle against emerging infectious diseases. The new professor will seek to better understand animal viruses that could evolve to new strains and present a great threat to human life.

Cure Kids Chair in Child Health Research – Professor Stephen Robertson Donor – Child Health Research Foundation (Cure Kids) This position, within the Dunedin School of Medicine, explores the genetic determinants underlying childhood diseases. Principal amongst these conditions are congenital malformations in which the laboratory has established itself a specialist niche that is recognised internationally. Professor Robertson is a clinical geneticist and contributes to teaching and treatment as well as research. His special interest is understanding the genetics of malformations that afflict children.

Alexander MacMillan Chair in Childhood Issues – Appointment to be made Donor – Alexander MacMillan Trust This endowment enables the Children’s Issues Centre at the University of Otago to be further developed as a nationally and internationally recognized authoritative source of multidisciplinary research on the wellbeing and rights of children and young people, and a significant influence on public policy.

Gama Research Fellowship in Bipolar Disorder – Virginia Maskill Donor – GAMA Foundation This fellowship focuses on the way in which families interact with sufferers from bipolar disorder. This covers both how families are affected by the disorder and how they can help the sufferer. The Fellowship supports the research work of Leading Thinker Professor Peter Joyce in the University’s Christchurch School of Medicine.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Community Trust of Otago Centre for Trace Element Analysis – Dr Claudine Stirling Donor – Community Trust of Otago The Centre uses capital spending to both unlock the research capability of researchers already in the country and make the University of Otago (and thus New Zealand) a more attractive place to work for those now overseas. The world-class Centre takes scientific detective work to a new level, and already the list of topics shows remarkable range across topics as diverse as climate change and the metabolism of the human body. The clean laboratory is now fully operational.

Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship – Professor Brendan Gray Donor – Dunedin City Council The University of Otago and the Dunedin City Council have joined forces to establish the Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship. Professor Gray is based in the University’s School of Business and will introduce students to the skills needed to succeed in developing new or innovative businesses and will lead and expand academic developments in the area.

Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies – Professor Peter Kuch Donor – Eamon Cleary Charitable Trust Professor Kuch enables the University of Otago to provide national leadership in the area of Irish Studies. This Chair is an integrated multi-disciplinary programme drawing upon existing expertise in Irish literature, Celtic spirituality, economic history, Irish music, and recognised strengths in studies of community, cultural diversity, anthropology and issues of national identity. The Chair will be a key partner in the Centre for Scottish and Irish Studies.

Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research & Education – Professor Jim Mann Donor – Eion & Jan Edgar Charitable Trust With the looming global obesity and diabetes epidemic, the world-leading work of the ENCDR in understanding and combating these diseases is more vital than ever.

Karitane Senior Research Fellowship in Early Childhood Obesity – Dr Rachael Taylor Donor – KPS Society Limited Dr Taylor will work within the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and Education supporting the Centre’s Director, Professor Jim Mann, and will contribute in an obvious way to furthering child and thus adult good health.

McKenzie Medical & Surgical Repatriation Fellowship – Currently vacant Donor – F & J McKenzie Charitable Trust New Zealand faces real problems attracting our brightest and best surgeons and physicians back to clinical, research and teaching positions following postgraduate overseas study. This Fellowship offers our “best and brightest” the chance to return to New Zealand to well-supported academic research and teaching positions, by offering them protected time to get their research underway for a period of three years.

Polaris II Research Vessel Donors – Community Trust of Otago, Mace Charitable Trust, Eion & Jan Edgar Charitable Trust, Callis Charitable Trust The University purchased the fishing vessel Polaris II in 2006 for conversion to a research vessel and it was relaunched during 2007. This project qualifies as a long term investment in human capital because of the exceptional range of disciplines and of individual researchers who will access it to further their research output, over 20 researchers from 7 departments being identified at the time the University itself decided to invest a significant sum of its own capital. The research is important to our own marine nation and will also contribute to the world at large. A marine research Memorandum of Understanding with Auckland University was signed in conjunction with the boat purchase.

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University of Otago Legal Issues Centre – Appointment to be made Donor – GAMA Foundation Justice John Hansen said in an address at the University of Otago that New Zealand needed a “radical rethink as to how we solve disputes. The law is no longer a profession – it is a business”. The new Centre is intended to take part in that rethink, acting as critic and conscience of the legal profession and helping to reorient the legal system so that it works better for people.

McAuley Chair in International Health – Professor Philip Hill Donor – Mercy Hospital Ltd (Sisters of Mercy) This Chair, a New Zealand first, will build on the University’s established strength in such fields as public health, human nutrition and infectious diseases, and will help fulfil the commitment to international progress, including the needs of people in the developing world.

TD Scott Chair in Urology – Appointment to be made Donor – Trevor Scott and the TD Scott No 2 Family Trust This Chair will undertake research in a field of men’s health that many consider to be a neglected area of medicine. There are currently very few academic urologists in New Zealand and the appointee will be expected to stimulate and lead research as well as attracting postgraduate students and enhancing undergraduate teaching.

Cure Kids Chair of Paediatric Research – Professor Brian Darlow Donor – Child Health Research Foundation (Cure Kids) This endowment establishes a Research Chair in Paediatrics at the University of Otago, Christchurch, with the aim of enhancing research capabilities in both Neonatal Medicine and General Paediatrics and establishing a sustainable research programme in General and Ambulatory Paediatrics.

New Zealand Law Foundation Chair in Emerging Technologies – Appointment to be made Donor – New Zealand Law Foundation The Chair will research leadership in New Zealand on legal, regulatory and policy issues arising from emerging technologies and will foster thoughtful and balanced public discussion.

Chair in Peace and Conflict Studies – Appointment to be made Donor – Aotearoa New Zealand Peace and Conflict Studies Centre Trust This Chair will form a national academic centre contributing to the well-being and reputation of New Zealand and the Pacific region through research and contributions to the practice of conflict resolution and to the conditions which make the peaceful resolution of issues more likely. The Centre is conceived of, and will be managed, as a national asset from which all New Zealanders can benefit, with expertise sought after both nationally and internationally.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

OVERALL PROGRESS

Overall progress is summarised (where appropriate against the contracted targets and the project and programme conversion criteria) as follows:

There are 27 projects for which agreements have been signed and funds committed, completing the programme. The required minimum number of projects is 21 and the maximum 30, and so this condition has been met.

We have previously mentioned the potential problem with measuring the quality of the Leading Thinkers through the proxy of PBRF scores, as required by the agreement. The problem is one of individual privacy and this may not be alleviated by grouping the scores. Nevertheless, the University is very confident that the criteria are indeed being met and that a satisfactory resolution of this measurement problem will thus be found in due course.

There were 8 projects where initial appointments had not been made by the end of 2007.

Again, we report that two appointments were yet to be made where the agreement with the donor was more than one year old. However, one of those positions has since been filled and there is no sense that the programme is compromised by these several delays.

As already noted, the drawdown of funds was completed well ahead of time.

PROGRAMME AS A WHOLE

The Leading Thinkers Initiative has significant bulk. 27 new projects in the University cannot help but have an impact. New people arrive and new activities and collaborations occur. There is a feeling that the University is moving forward. The focus on investing in people is perceived positively. There is no doubt that the programme as a whole has the size and coherence to advance the University of Otago and the national interest.

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leading thinkers initiative

  leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

10 March 2008

The agreement between the Crown and the University concerning the Leading Thinkers Initiative contains a requirement that the University confirm its continued support for, and ability to carry out, the programme.

This is to provide such confirmation.

During 2007 the total number of projects grew to 27 and private donations reached a total of $26.7 million, so the $25 million Crown commitment in matching funds was able to be drawn in full, well before the March 2008 deadline. We are very grateful to both our private partners and the Government for providing the opportunity that the Leading Thinkers Initiative presents, and we certainly intend to justify their faith in the University of Otago to deliver the expected outcomes.

Not surprisingly, we continue to support the programme with enthusiasm. Every individual project provides value to the University and the combined effect is, as I said last year, even greater than the sum of the parts. We are very conscious of the benefits that we believe flow also to the wider community, and indeed to the nation, from this programme.

Our own investment, in both people and money, is not slight. Nevertheless, supporting this programme represents very good value and I confirm our willingness and ability to meet these demands.

Professor David Skegg Vice-Chancellor

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13.1.5 – Audited annual accounts of that portion of the Trust’s activities relating to the Leading Thinkers Programme, each to incorporate Statement of Financial Performance, Statement of Financial Position and Cash Flow Statement, together with explanatory notes and detailing the distributions of the Trust by Leading Thinkers Project and other expenditure items.

University of Otago Foundation Trust Directory 10

University of Otago Foundation Trust Trustees Report 11

University of Otago Foundation Trust Statement of Accounting Policies 12

University of Otago Foundation Trust Income Statement 14

University of Otago Foundation Trust Statement of Movements in Equity 15

University of Otago Foundation Trust Balance Sheet 16

University of Otago Foundation Trust Statement of Cash Flows 17

University of Otago Foundation Trust Statement of Commitments and Contingencies 18

Notes to and forming part of the University of Otago Foundation Trust Financial Statements 19

University of Otago Foundation Trust Reconciliation of Surplus 21

University of Otago Foundation Trust Reconciliation of Trust Equity 22

University of Otago Foundation Trust Audit Report 24

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Income Statement 26

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Statement of Movements in Equity 27

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Balance Sheet 28

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Statement of Cash Flows 29

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Summary of Individual Funds 30

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Statement of Accounting Policies 31

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Notes to the Financial Statements 33

University of Otago Foundation Trust Leading Thinkers Projects Statement of Commitments and Contingencies 35

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Directory as at 31 December 2007

Registered Address Financial Services Division University of Otago Leith Street Dunedin

Trustees BROWN, Lindsay John SKEGG, David Christopher Graham PATRICK, Alexander John ELLISON, Edward Weller HIGGS, Stephen James STALEY, Susannah Adair

Accountants Financial Services Division University of Otago

Solicitors Gallaway Cook Allan

Auditors Audit New Zealand on behalf of the Auditor General

Business Location Dunedin

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UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Trustees Report as at 31 December 2007

The University of Otago Foundation Trust is a charitable trust, which receives and administers donations, bequests and sponsorship monies for the University of Otago.

The University of Otago Foundation Trust plays a vital role in the university by providing funding for research, scholarships and prizes.

This Trust was established on 20 August 2002. Investment of the funds held by the University of Otago Foundation Trust has been delegated to the University of Otago Investment Committee.

The long term outlook is to achieve at least an 8% return on investment. From this return 3% will be added to capital for inflation proofing with 5% being distributed as required.

The 2007 net return on the monthly average Trust Fund balance was 3.1% (2006 13.1%). This reduction was the result of a difficult investment environment towards the end of the year and which was a global phenomenon.

Despite this difficult investment environment the University of Otago Foundation Trust had an excellent year in 2007. New donations of $5.954 million were received. The Leading Thinkers Project contributed an additional $9.691 million matching funding from the Government.

The University of Otago Foundation Trust distributed $2.415 million to the University during the 2007 year a decrease of $38 thousand from $2.453 million in 2006.

Investments increased by $14.299 million to $48.590 million from a total last year of $34.291 million.

Loans from the University to the University of Otago Foundation Trust for the Leading Thinkers projects increased by $9.691 million to $25 million from $15.309 million last year. These loans, the funding of which is received by the University from the Government, will be forgiven once certain conditions are met. The DCC loan was reduced by $250 thousand during the year to $250 thousand.

The cashflow reflected the increased cash donations, which were used to purchase further investments.

Pledged donations as at 31 December 2007 were $9.160 million a decrease of $1.135 million from 2006. These donations will be received over the next seven years with the majority due to be received in the next two years.

L J Brown Chairman

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Statement of Accounting Policies for the Year Ended 31 December 2007

The Reporting Entity

The University of Otago Foundation Trust was established as a Charitable Trust on 20 August 2002.

The Trust Deed (s4) provides that “the purposes and objects of the Trust shall be: i) The advancement of knowledge and sound learning; ii) The dissemination and maintenance of knowledge and sound learning including through teaching and research; iii) The carrying on of any other charitable object which may seem to the Trustees capable of being conveniently carried on or calculated directly or indirectly to advance the objects of this Deed, provided that all funds expended must be for or lead to public benefit in New Zealand; in each case in connection with the University”

The University of Otago is the beneficiary of the University of Otago Foundation Trust and appoints the Trustees.

The financial statements of the University of Otago Foundation Trust are for the year ended 31 December 2007. The financial statements were authorised for issue by the University of Otago Foundation Trust Board on 14 March 2008.

Basis of Preparation of the Financial Statements

The accompanying financial statements are presented in accordance with New Zealand Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (NZ GAAP). They comply with New Zealand Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (NZ IFRS) and other applicable Financial Reporting Standards, as appropriate.

This is the first set of financial statements prepared using NZ IFRS and comparatives for the year ended31 December 2006 have been restated to NZ IFRS accordingly. Reconciliations of equity and net surplus/(deficit) for the year ended 31 December 2006 under NZ IFRS to the balances reported in the 31 December 2007 financial statements are detailed in note 7.

The accounting policies set out below have been applied consistently to all periods presented in these financial statements and in preparing an opening NZ IFRS statement of financial position as at 1 January 2006 for the purposes of the transition to NZ IFRS.

The accounting principles followed by the Trust are those recognised as appropriate for the measurement and reporting of income statements and balance sheets on a market value and historical cost basis.

The financial statements are presented in New Zealand dollars and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars ($000).

The financial statements include: ~ Income Statement ~ Statement of Movements in Equity ~ Balance Sheet ~ Statement of Cash Flows, and ~ Statement of Commitments and Contingencies.

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Accounting Policies

The following accounting polices, which materially affect the measurement of financial performance and financial position have been applied.

a) Revenues: Investment income from the University of Otago Common Fund is allocated on a pro rata basis to the Trust based on the realised and unrealised gains on the investments held in the University of Otago Common Fund.

Donations include pledged donations that are recognised in full in the Income Statement when the pledge agreement is signed. When the payment is made they are recorded against the asset. Pledged donations are recorded at their face value. Refer to note 1 for the discounted value of the pledges.

b) Investments: Investments are valued at fair value. The fair value of investments traded in active markets is based on quoted market prices at the balance sheet date. The quoted market price used is the current bid price plus (or less) the portion of any discount (or premium) on purchase allocated over the time to maturity, with all gains and losses going through the Income Statement. The purpose of investment is for capital appreciation and to earn income.

c) Statement of Cash Flows: Cash means cash balances on hand, held in bank accounts, and demand deposits of three months or less. The Trust does not have any specific cash holdings. All cashflow movement reflects monies within the fund managed by the University of Otago Investment Committee.

Operating Activities include cash received from all income sources and record the cash payments for the supply of goods and services. It also includes payments to the University as fund distributions.

Investing Activities are those activities relating to the acquisition and disposal of non-current assets. All surplus funds are invested in the University of Otago Common Fund.

Financial Activities comprise activities that change the debt structure of the University of Otago Foundation Trust.

d) Taxation: The University of Otago Foundation Trust is exempt from the payment of income tax as it is treated by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) as a charitable organisation. Accordingly, no charge for income tax applies or has been provided for.

e) Goods and Service Tax (GST): All items in the financial statements are stated exclusive of GST, except for receivables and payables, which are stated on a GST inclusive basis. Where GST is not recoverable as input tax then it is recognised as part of the related asset or expense.

The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the IRD is included as part of receivables or payables in the statement of financial position.

The net GST paid to, or received from the IRD, including the GST relating to investing and financing activities, is classified as an operating cash flow in the statement of cash flows.

f) Distributions to the University: Distributions to the University are recognised when expenses are incurred by the University.

g) Loans: Borrowings are recognised at their amortised cost.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Income Statement For the Year Ended 31 December 2007

Last Year Note This Year This Year $000’s $000’s $000’s

Income

14,139 Donations received 5,069

3,212 Investment Income 1,405

17,351 Total Income 6,474

Less Expenditure

2,453 Distributions to University of Otago 2,415 2,415 Direct Costs 14 Professional & Consulting Fees 2 17 3 Insurance 2 87 University of Otago Administration Fees 5 160 9 Trustee Fees 15 113 194

2,566 Total Expenditure 2,609

14,785 Net Surplus 3,865

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

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UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Statement of Movements in Equity For the Year Ended 31 December 2007

Last Year This Year $000’s $000’s

13,849 Balance as at 1 January 2007 28,634

14,785 Net Surplus recognised for the year 3,865

28,634 Balance as at 31 December 2007 32,499

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Balance Sheet As at 31 December 2007

Last Year Note This Year This Year $000’s $000’s $000’s

Assets

Current Assets 3,635 Pledged Donations 1 2,445 7 GST refundable 14 3,642 Total Current Assets 2,459

Non-Current Assets 34,291 Investment in University of Otago Common Fund 3 48,590 6,660 Pledged Donations 1 6,715 40,951 Total Non-Current Assets 55,305

44,593 Total Assets 57,764

Liabilities

Current Liabilities 10 Accrued Expenses 15 140 University of Otago Current Account - 15,309 Loan ex University - Govt. Matched Contributions 4 25,000 500 Loan ex University - DCC 4 250

15,959 Total Current Liabilities 25,265

28,634 Equity 32,499

44,593 Total Funds 57,764

L J Brown A J Patrick Date 14 March 2008 Date 14 March 2008 Chairman Trustee University of Otago Foundation Trust University of Otago Foundation Trust

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

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UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Statement of Cash Flows For the Year Ended 31 December 2007

Last Year This Year This Year $000’s $000’s $000’s

Operating Activities Cash was provided from 2,019 Donations received 5,954 2,019 5,954 Cash was applied to (87) University of Otago Admin Fee (160) (12) Direct Costs (24) (9) Trustee Fee (12) (2,313) Distributions to University of Otago (2,555) (2,421) (2,751) (402) Net Cash Flows from Operating Activities 3,203

Investing Activities Cash was provided from 2,421 Distribution from Investments 2,751 2,751 Cash was applied to (10,374) Purchase of Investments (15,645) (15,645) 7,953 Net Cash Flows from Investing Activities (12,894)

Financing Activities Cash was provided from 8,355 Loan ex University – Govt. Matched Contributions 9,691 0 Loan ex University – DCC 0

8,355 Net Cash Flows from Financing Activities 9,691

0 Total Cash Flows 0 0 Opening Balance 0 0 Closing Balance 0

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Reconciliation of the Net Surplus from Operations with the Net Cash Flows From Operating Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2007

14,785 Net Surplus from Operations 3,865

(3,570) Add (less) movements in pledged donations 1,135 (11,533) Add (less) movements in fair value of investments (1,404) 5 Increase/(decrease) in accounts payable 4 140 Increase/(decrease) in Current account (140) (250) Increase/(decrease) in Loan to University (DCC) (250) 21 Decrease/(increase) in accounts receivable interest accrued - Decrease/(increase) in GST receivable (7)

(402) Net Cash Flows from Operating Activities 3,203

GST The net component of operating activities reflects the net GST paid and received with the Inland Revenue Department. The GST (net) component has been presented on a net basis as the gross amounts do not provide meaningful information for financial statement purposes.

Statement of Commitments and Contingencies as at 31 December 2007

There are no material commitments as at balance date other than those disclosed in the financial statements.

Pledged donations involve the Trust committing to hold a separate fund and may bestow naming rights of a chair to the donor.

There are no contingent assets or liabilities at balance date.

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

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UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Notes to and forming part of the Financial Statements as at 31 December 2007

Note 1. Pledged Donations The donation is recognised upon the pledge being made and the contract documents signed. The fair value will be the face value. All of the pledges have been made and the University expects that these pledges will be honoured.

Total pledged donations outstanding long term are $6.715 million. The Net Present Value of these pledges at an interest rate of 6.95% is $5.363 million.

Analysis of pledged donations $000’s

Less than one year 2,445 Less than one year but not more than five years 5,775 Greater than five years 940 9,160

Note 2. Required Disclosures Income Statement This Year Last Year Professional & Consulting Fees include: $000’s $000’s Audit Fees 7 5 7 5

Note 3. Investments and Term Loans and Advances All funds held on behalf of the University of Otago Foundation Trust are pooled within the University of Otago Common Fund. As at 31 December 2007, the value of these investments recorded at market value is $48.590 million ($34.291 million for the year ended 31 December 2006).

The University of Otago Foundation Trust has 39.8% (31.7% for the year ended 31 December 2006) of the University of Otago Common Fund which invests in various investments as follows:-

This Year Last Year Bank Deposits 7% 14% Shares in NZ Companies 21% 25% Shares in Australian Companies 13% 13% Corporate Bonds and Notes 46% 39% Government, Local Body and SOE Stock 13% 9%

The net return including unrealised gains achieved during the period was 3.1% (13.1% for the year ended 31 December 2006).

Foreign Exchange Risk The University of Otago Foundation Trust has exposure to currency risk from transactions in foreign currency undertaken by the University of Otago Common Fund. However the University of Otago Common Fund Asset Allocation and Investment Guidelines restricts investments to New Zealand and Australia to minimise this risk.

Interest Rate Risk The University of Otago Foundation Trust has exposure to interest rate risk from transactions in the University of Otago Common Fund. The University of Otago Common Fund Asset Allocation and Investment Guidelines sets out the guidelines for fixed interest investments to minimise the interest rate risk.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Note 4. Loans The Loans have been advanced from the Government and the Dunedin City Council to the University and then advanced by the University to the University of Otago Foundation Trust to fund Leading Thinkers projects. These loans are interest free and repayable on demand. The Government loan will be progressively forgiven once certain conditions are met. The DCC loan will be progressively written off once certain conditions are met.

Note 5. Related Party Information The University of Otago Foundation Trust has paid $160 thousand in administration fees to the University of Otago for the year ended 31 December 2007 ($87 thousand for the year ended 31 December 2006).

The University of Otago Foundation Trust distributed $2.415 million to the University in 2007 (2006 $2.453 million).

All investments are held in the University of Otago Common Fund, a fund of the University of Otago which is managed by the University of Otago Investment Committee.

Note 6. Impact of the Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards The University of Otago has determined that the University and Group are public benefit entities as defined by NZ IFRS as the focus of the University is to provide educational and research services to the community. The University of Otago Foundation Trust reported in compliance with NZ IFRS (with Public Benefit Entity exemptions) for the first time for the year ended 31 December 2007.

Note 7. Reconciliation of Equity The following table shows the changes in capital, resulting from the transition from previous NZ GAAP to NZ IFRS as at 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2006

Explanatory notes – Reconciliation of Equity

a) Unrealised Gains: Those investments that are bonds and equities have been reclassified as Financial Assets at fair value through the Profit and Loss statement.

b) Pledged Donations: The donation is recognised as income in its entirety upon the pledge being made and the contract documents signed.

The fair value will be the face value. All of the pledges have been legally contracted and the University expects that these pledges will be honoured.

 university of otago

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST Reconciliation of surplus for the year ended 31 December 2006 The following table shows the changes in the University of Otago Foundation Trust surplus, resulting from the transition from previous NZ GAAP to NZIFRS for the year ending 31 December 2006

Effect on Previous transition to Note NZ GAAP NZ IFRS NZ IFRS $000 $000 $000

Income Investment income a 1,544 (1,544) - Realised gains a 724 (724) - Income from University of Otago Common Fund a 3,212 3,212 Trust Donation b 10,569 3,570 14,139

Total Income 12,837 4,514 17,351

Expenditure Direct Costs - 113 113 Consumables and General 113 (113) - Distributions to the University 2,453 - 2,453

Total Expenditure 2,566 - 2,566

Net Surplus 10,271 4,514 14,785

Explanatory notes – Reconciliation of surplus a. Investments are now shown in the Balance Sheet as Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. The investment income now includes unrealised gains or losses on equities and bonds. b. The donation is recognised in its entirety upon the pledge being made and the contract documents signed. The fair value will be the face value. All of the pledges have been made and the university expects that these pledges will be honoured.

The majority (64%) of the pledged amounts have been received. Of the remaining pledges, the majority (65%) will be received over the next three years (2008-2010).

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 - 7

6,660 3,642 3,635 $000 44,593 40,951 34,291 NZ IFRS - - 941 7,601 6,660 3,635 3,635 $000 11,236 on effect NZ IFRS transition to As at 31 December 2006 at 31 December As

- - - 7 7 $000 33,357 33,350 33,350 Previous NZ GAAP 2 21

4,270 2,475 2,452 $000 21,554 19,079 14,808 NZ IFRS - - - 6,722 4,270 4,270 2,452 2,452 $000 on effect NZ IFRS transition to As at 1 JanuaryAs 2006 - - 2 23 21 $000 14,832 14,808 14,808 University of Trust Foundation Otago University Previous NZ GAAP

b a b Note T T RUS I O N G O F UN DAT Total Non-Current Assets Non-Current Total Total Current Assets Current Total Assets Total

Pledged Donations Assets Non-Current of Fund Common Otago in University Investment

GST Refundable Portion Pledged Donations – Current Assets Current Receivable Accounts

UNIVERSI TY O F OTA t E qui ty Trus i o n f R e co n c ili at in the changes The following shows table

 university of otago 10 500 140

$000 44,593 28,634 28,634 15,959 15,309 NZ IFRS - - - - - $000 11,236 11,236 11,236 on effect NZ IFRS transition to As at 31 December 2006 at 31 December As

10 500 140 $000 33,357 17,398 17,398 15,959 15,309 Previous NZ GAAP - - 750

7,705 6,955 $000 21,554 13,849 13,849 NZ IFRS - - - - - 6,722 6,722 6,722 $000 on effect NZ IFRS transition to As at 1 JanuaryAs 2006 - - 750 7,127 7,127 7,705 6,955 $000 14,832 of Trust Foundation Otago University Previous NZ GAAP

a, b a, Note

Total Equity Total Total Current Liabilities Current Total Liabilities and Equity Total

Equity Equity

Loan ex University – DCC University Loan ex Loan ex University – Govt. Matched Contributions Matched – Govt. University Loan ex Account of Current Otago University Accruals and Payable Accounts Current Liabilitie s Current

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

 university of otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTS INCOME STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007

Last Year Note This Year This Year $ $ $

Income

10,476,913 Donations received 1 4,805,000

2,876,732 Investment income 1,228,536

13,353,645 Total Income 6,033,536

Less Expenditure

2,107,052 Distributions to University of Otago 2,160,504 2,160,504 Direct Costs 11,720 Professional & Consulting Fees 8,211 0 Audit Fees 6,184 2,270 Insurance 2,100 226 Other Costs 92 72,887 Admin Fee 4 141,051 7,500 Trustee Fees 13,193 94,603 170,831

2,201,655 Total Expenditure 2,331,335

11,151,990 Net Surplus 3,702,201

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

 university of otago

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTs STATEMENT OF MOVEMENTS IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007

Last Year This Year $ $

11,792,640 Balance as at 1 January 2007 22,944,630

11,151,990 Net Surplus 3,702,201

22,944,630 Balance as at 31 December 2007 26,646,831

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTS BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007

Last Year Note This Year This Year $ $ $

Assets

Current Assets 3,635,000 Pledged Donations 1 2,445,000 6,143 GST refundable 11,921 3,641,143 Total Current Assets 2,456,921

Non-Current Assets 28,577,453 Investment in Common Fund 2 42,738,130 6,660,000 Pledged Donations 1 6,715,000 35,237,453 Total Non-current Assets 49,453,130

38,878,596 Total Assets 51,910,051

Liabilities

Current Liabilities 8,334 Accrued Expenses 13,220 117,027 University of Otago Current Account 0 15,308,605 Loan ex University - Govt. Matched Contributions 3 25,000,000 500,000 Loan ex University - DCC 3 250,000 15,933,966 Total Current Liabilities 25,263,220

Term Liabilities

22,944,630 Equity 26,646,831

38,878,596 Total Funds 51,910,051

A J Patrick Date 26 March 2008 Trustee University of Otago Foundation Trust

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

 university of otago

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTS STATEMENT OF CASH FLOws FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007

Last Year This Year This Year $ $ $

Operating Activities Cash was provided from 6,656,913 Donations received 5,690,000 2,894,604 Investment Income 1,228,536 9,551,517 6,918,536 Cash was applied to 72,887 University of Otago Admin Fee 141,051 10,134 Direct Costs 17,479 7,500 Trustee Fees 13,193 1,990,025 Distributions to University of Otago 2,277,531 2,080,546 2,449,254

7,470,971 Net Cash flows from Operating Activities 4,469,282

Investing Activities Cash was applied to 15,825,971 Purchase of Investments 14,160,677

(15,825,971) Net Cash flows from Investing Activities (14,160,677)

Financing Activities Cash was provided from 8,355,000 Loan ex University - Govt Matched Contributions 9,691,395 0 Loan ex University - DCC 0

8,355,000 Net Cash flows from Financing Activities 9,691,395

0 Total Cash Flows 0

0 Opening Balance 0

0 Closing Balance 0

RECONCILIATION OF THE NET SURPLUS FROM OPERATIONS WITH THE NET CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007

11,151,990 Net Surplus from operations 3,702,201

(3,570,000) Add (less) movements in Pledged Donations 1,135,000 (250,000) Increase / (decrease) in Loan to University (DCC) (250,000) 117,027 Increase / (decrease) in Current Account (117,027) 17,872 Decrease / (increase) in Accounts Receivable (5,778) 4,082 Decrease / (increase) in Accrued Expenses 4,886

7,470,971 Net Cash flows from Operating Activities 4,469,282

GST (net component of operating activities reflects the net GST paid and received with the Inland Revenue Department. The GST (net) component has been presented on a net basis, as the gross amounts do not provide meaningful information for financial statement purposes.

The Statement of Accounting Policies and the Notes to the Financial Statements form part of and are to be read in conjunction with this statement.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

30,644 2007 885,957 700,166 892,014 146,887 669,609 - 31 Dec 1,502,263 1,390,625 2,254,784 3,298,064 3,261,863 2,141,410 2,347,235 1,757,809 2,375,784 1,181,706 2,256,392 1,676,937 1,958,996 1,236,621 1,101,222 2,041,219 1,824,080 1,116,009 1,205,397 1,841,276 1,641,868 9,160,000 (250,000) Total Cl Bal Cl Total 26,646,831 42,736,831 (25,000,000)

Cl Bal - Cl Pledged (100,000) (870,000) (700,000) (900,000) (750,000) (250,000) (840,000) (500,000) (500,000) (900,000) (800,000) (850,000) Donations (1,200,000) 31 Dec 2007 (9,160,000)

70,000 Total Equity Total 100,000 100,000 300,000 250,000 900,000 330,000 250,000 100,000 100,000 325,000 500,000 300,000 100,000 200,000 400,000 Received 1,500,000 5,825,000 Instalments

(940,000) Received Received Donations (1,000,000) (1,500,000) (1,250,000) (4,690,000) New Pledged New

Pledged Op Bal - (200,000) (800,000) (900,000) (330,000) (500,000) (840,000) (600,000) (600,000) (325,000) (500,000) 1 Jan 2007 1 Jan Donations (1,200,000) (1,000,000) (1,500,000) (1,000,000) (10,295,000)

Loan ex University - Govt. Matched Contributions Matched - Govt. University Loan ex Pledge Donations 30,644 785,957 700,166 892,014 146,887 851,706 569,609 Pledge 2,372,263 1,290,625 2,254,784 3,298,064 3,261,863 1,841,410 2,347,235 1,507,809 1,475,784 2,006,392 1,676,937 1,858,996 1,236,621 1,101,222 1,541,219 1,524,080 1,016,009 2,005,397 1,841,276 2,491,868 (325,000) Loan ex University - DCC University Loan ex Less Less Plus Bal before Cl 41,601,837

1,310 4,369 9,159 5,884 1,011 5,397 Net Net 28,403 24,219 31,074 14,719 45,851 78,981 32,416 77,459 58,475 35,026 31,815 77,622 60,105 63,479 56,968 38,989 34,536 24,080 16,009 (9,119) (8,132) 108,836 108,773

Income 1,057,715 Investment

(35,576) (50,400) (30,663) (36,138) (38,580) (69,997) (86,786) (80,123) (39,550) (23,036) (60,200) (100,000) (167,310) (100,000) (126,000) (229,535) (178,000) (708,610) (2,160,504) Distributions

Loan (250,000) ex DCC (250,000)

Loan 166,000 600,000 150,000 350,395 ex Govt ex Govt 1,175,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,250,000 9,691,395

25,000 1,030,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 1,250,000 4,805,000 Contributions

29,633 857,554 711,523 911,339 183,208 142,519 308,993 889,888 227,727 506,684 Op Bal - 1,344,774 2,301,803 3,189,228 3,189,228 2,269,776 1,678,869 1,479,338 2,265,556 1,794,833 1,850,640 1,202,689 1,122,433 1 Jan 2007 1 Jan 28,458,235

A L FUN D s T T RUS I O N G O F UN DAT Y O F IN D IVI U Initiatives Leading Thinker Pharmacogenomics Carney Centre Fellowship Plummer Caroline UNIVERSI TY O F OTA SUMM A R TH E P ERI OD EN D ING 31 C EMBER 2007 F O R DATE YEAR TO ACTUAL Studies Development Centre Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Disease in Infectious Research Molecular for Centre Centre for Theology for Centre & Society Chair in Applied Earth Science Applied in Chair Pathology in Cancer Chair Philosophy in Early Modern Chair Communication Stuart in Science Chair Stuart Studies in Scottish Chair & Genomics in Reproduction Chair Pathogenesis Viral in Chair Research Health in Child CHRF Chair Alexander McMillan Chair in Childhood Studies Chair McMillan Alexander GAMA Research Fellowship in Bipolar Disorder Disorder in Bipolar Fellowship GAMA Research Analysis Element Trace of For Centre Otago Trust Community Dunedin in Entrepreneurship City Chair Eamon ClearyEamon Irish Studies Chair and Education Diabetes Research for Edgar Centre KPS Research Fellow. In Childhood Obesity In Fellow. KPS Research Fellowship Repatriation Medical McKenzie Vessel Science Ocean in Geography Chair Lister Ron Care in Palliative Chair Link Health South of Centre Legal Otago Issues University Health in International Chair McAuley in Urology Chair TD Scott Research in Paediatric CHRF Chair in Emerging Chair Technologies Foundation Law Centre NZ Peace Aotearoa Funds Total

 university of otago

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTs STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICies FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES

THE REPORTING ENTITY

The University of Otago Foundation Trust was established as a Charitable Trust on 20 August 2002 .

The Trust Deed (s4) provides that “the purposes and objects of the Trust shall be:

i) the advancement of knowledge and sound learning;

ii) the dissemination and maintenance of knowledge and sound learning including through teaching and research;

iii) the carrying on of any other charitable object which may seem to the Trustees capable of being conveniently carried on or calculated directly or indirectly to advance the objects of this Deed, provided that all funds expended must be for or lead to public benefit in New Zealand;

in each case in connection with the University.”

The financial statements of the Foundation Trust are for the year ended 31 December 2007.

The financial statements were authorised for issue by the Foundation Trust Board on the 11 March 2008

The University of Otago is the beneficiary of the Foundation Trust and appoints the Trustees.

BASIS OF PREPARATION OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The accompanying financial statements are presented in accordance with New Zealand Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (NZ GAAP). They comply with New Zealand Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (NZ IFRS) and other applicable Financial Reporting Standards, as appropriate.

This is the first set of financial statements prepared using NZ IFRS and comparatives for the year ended 31 December 2006 have been restated to NZ IFRS accordingly.

The accounting policies set out below have been applied consistently to all periods presented in these financial statements and in preparing an opening NZ IFRS statement of financial position as at 1 January 2006 for the purposes of the transition to NZ IFRS.

The accounting principles followed by the Trust are those recognised as appropriate for the measurement and reporting of income statements and balance sheets on a market value and historical cost basis.

The financial statements include:

- Income Statement

- Statement of Movements in Equity

- Balance Sheet

- Statement of Cash Flows, and

- Statement of Commitments and Contingencies.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The following accounting policies, which materially affect the measurement of financial performance and financial position have been applied.

(a) Revenues:

Investment income from the common fund is allocated on a pro rata basis to the Trust based on the realised and unrealised gains on the investments held in the common fund.

Donations include Pledged Donations that are recognised in full in the Income Statement when the pledge agreement is signed. When the payment is made they are recorded against the asset. Pledged donations are recorded at their face value. Refer to note 2 for the discounted value of the Pledges.

(b) Investments:

Investments are valued at fair value. The fair value of investments traded in active markets is based on quoted market prices at the balance sheet date. The quoted market price used is the current bid price plus (or less) the portion of any discount (or premium) on purchase allocated over the time to maturity, with all gains and losses going through the Income Statement. The purpose of the investment is for capital appreciation and to earn income.

(c) Statement of Cash Flows:

Cash means cash balances on hand, held in bank accounts, demand deposits three months or less.

Operating Activities include cash received from all income sources and record the cash payments for the supply of goods and services, also includes payments to the University as fund distributions.

Investing Activities are those activities relating to the acquisition and disposal of non-current assets. All surplus funds are invested in the Common Fund.

Financial Activities comprise activities that change the debt structure of the Foundation Trust.

(d) Taxation:

The Foundation Trust is exempt from the payment of income tax as it is treated by the Inland Revenue Department as a charitable organisation. Accordingly, no charge for income tax applies or has been provided for.

(e) Goods and Service Tax (GST):

All items in the financial statements are stated exclusive of GST, except for receivables and payables, which are stated on a GST inclusive basis. Where GST is not recoverable as input tax then it is recognised as part of the related asset or expense.

The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is included as part of receivables or payables in the statement of financial position.

The net GST paid to, or received from the IRD, including the GST relating to investing and financing activities, is classified as an operating cash flow in the statement of cash flows.

(f) Distributions to the University:

Distributions to the University are recognised when expenses are incurred by the University.

(g) Loans:

Borrowings are recognised at their face value.

 university of otago

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTs NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2007

Note 1. Pledged Donations The donation is recognised upon the pledge being made and the contract documents signed. The fair Value will be the face value. All of the pledges have been made and the University expects that these pledges will be honoured.

Total Pledged Donations outstanding long term are $6.715 million. The Net Present Value of these pledges at an interest rate of 6.95% is $5.363 Million.

Analysis of pledged donation payments $000’s

Less than one year 2,445 Later than one year but not more than five years 5,775 Later than five years 940

9,160

Note 2. Investments and Term Loans & Advances All Foundation Trust funds are pooled within the University of Otago Common Fund. Leading Thinkers are a subsection of the Foundation Trust. As at 31 December 2007, the value of these investments are recorded at Market value as $42,738,130 (2006 $28,577,100).

The Foundation Trust has 39.77% (2006 31.70%) of the University of Otago Common Fund which invests in various investments as follows:-.

This Year Last Year Bank Deposits 7% 14% Shares in NZ Companies 21% 25% Shares in Australian Companies 13% 13% Corporate, Bonds & Notes 46% 39% Government, Local Body and SOE Stock 13% 9%

The net return including unrealised gains achieved during the period was 3.1% (13.1% for the year to 31 December 2006).

Foreign Exchange Risk The Foundation Trust has exposure to currency risk from transactions in foreign currency undertaken by the University of Otago Common Fund. However the University of Otago Common Fund Asset Allocation and Guidelines restricts investment to New Zealand and Australia to minimise this risk.

Interest Rate Risk The Foundation Trust has exposure to interest rate risk from transactions in the University of Otago Common Fund. The University of Otago Common Fund Asset Allocation and Guidelines sets out the guidelines for fixed interest investments to minimise the interest rate risk

Note 3. Loans The Loans have been advanced from the Government and the DCC to the University and advanced to the Otago Foundation Trust to fund Leading Thinker projects. These loans are interest free. The Government loan and will be progressively forgiven once certain conditions are met.The DCC Loan will be progressively written off once certain conditions are met.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Note 4. Related Party Information The Foundation Trust Leading Thinker Projects have paid $141,051 in administration fees to the University of Otago for the year ended 31 December 2007 ($72,887 for the year ended 31 Dec 2006 ).

The Leading Thinkers received $1,228,546 interest income from the University of Otago Common Fund for the year ended 31 December 2007 ($2,876,732 for the year ended 31 Dec 2006 ).

The Leading Thinkers distributed $2,160,504 to the University for the year ended 31 December 2007 ($2,107,052 for the year ended 31 Dec 2006).

The total value of investments of the Leading Thinkers held in the University of Otago Common Fund was $42,738,140 at 31 December 2007 ($28,577,100 at 31 Dec 2006).

Note 5. Impact of The Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards The University of Otago has determined that the University and Group are public benefit entities as defined by NZ IFRS as the focus of the University is to provide educational and research services to the community. The Foundation Trust reported in compliance with NZ IFRS (with Public Benefit Entity exemptions) for the first time for the year ended 31 December 2007.

 university of otago

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO FOUNDATION TRUST LEADING THINKERS PROJECTs STATEMENT OF COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCies AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2007

There are no material commitments as at balance date other than those disclosed in the financial statements

Pledged donations involve the Trust committing to hold a separate fund and bestow naming rights of a research chair to the donor.

There are no contingent assets or liabilities at balance date

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

13.1.6 - A summary of the total funding provided to each Leading Thinkers project from the University of Otago, the Foundation Trust and Third Party Donors, either directly or via the Trust.

Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 100,000 Total Internal Income 2,180

TOTAL INCOME 102,180

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 46,447 Total Salaries - General 19,041 Total Staff-Related Costs 2,852 Total Consumables and General 6,549

TOTAL EXPENSES 74,889

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 27,291

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 27,291

Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 35,576 Total Internal Income 12,067

TOTAL INCOME 47,643

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 29,079 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs 907 Total Consumables and General 1,801 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 31,787

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 15,856

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 15,856

CARRY FORWARD (9,434)

 university of otago

Ron Lister Chair in Geography and Centre for Development Studies

INCOME Total Sundry Income - Total Distribution from Trust Funds 110,600

TOTAL INCOME 110,600

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 78,934 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs - Total Consumables and General 12,670 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent - Total Depreciation - Total Scholarships -

TOTAL EXPENSES 91,604

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 18,996

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 18,996

Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 167,310 Total Internal Income -

TOTAL INCOME 167,310

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic - Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs - Total Consumables and General 54,165 Total Occupancy Costs 462 Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 54,627

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 112,683

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment 135,761

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS 135,761

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions (23,078)

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Howard Paterson Chair in Theology and Public Issues

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 30,663 Total Internal Income -

TOTAL INCOME 30,663

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic - Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs - Total Consumables and General 30,978 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 30,978

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) (315)

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions (315)

New Zealand Institute for Cancer Research Trust Chair in Cancer Pathology

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 100,000 Total Internal Income 197

TOTAL INCOME 100,197

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 70,958 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs 5,012 Total Consumables and General - Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 75,970

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 24,227

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 24,227

 university of otago

Chair in Early Modern Philosophy

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 126,000 Total Internal Income 4,349

TOTAL INCOME 130,349

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 111,101 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs 9,958 Total Consumables and General 2,438 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 123,497

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 6,852

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 6,852

Stuart Chair in Scottish Studies

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 36,138 Total Internal Income -

TOTAL INCOME 36,138

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic - Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs - Total Consumables and General 36,138 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 36,138

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) -

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions -

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Cure Kids Chair in Child Health Research

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 229,535 Total Internal Income 89,609

TOTAL INCOME 319,144

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 185,429 Total Salaries - General 49,036 Total Staff-Related Costs 10,113 Total Consumables and General 6,485 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 251,063

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 68,081

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 68,081

Alexander McMillan Chair in Childhood Studies

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 38,580 Total Internal Income -

TOTAL INCOME 38,580

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic - Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs - Total Consumables and General 38,580 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 38,580

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) -

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions -

 university of otago

Gama Research Fellowship in Bipolar Disorder

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 69,997 Total Internal Income 5,825

TOTAL INCOME 75,822

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 143,226 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs 732 Total Consumables and General 2,166 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 146,124

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) (70,302)

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions (70,302)

Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 86,786 Total Internal Income 3,150

TOTAL INCOME 89,936

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 90,446 Total Salaries - General 227 Total Staff-Related Costs 4,518 Total Consumables and General - Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 95,191

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) (5,255)

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions (5,255)

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 178,000 Total Internal Income 4,521

TOTAL INCOME 182,521

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 118,118 Total Salaries - General 5,632 Total Staff-Related Costs 11,940 Total Consumables and General 3,224 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

EXPENSES 138,914

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 43,607

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 43,607

Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and Education

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 80,123 Total Internal Income 39,027

TOTAL INCOME 119,150

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 63,744 Total Salaries - General 14,561 Total Staff-Related Costs 10,133 Total Consumables and General 13,406 Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 101,844

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 17,306

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 17,306

 university of otago

Karitane Senior Research Fellowship in Early Childhood Obesity

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 39,550 Total Internal Income 1,217

TOTAL INCOME 40,767

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 30,312 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs 3,134 Total Consumables and General - Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 33,446

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 7,321

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 7,321

McKenzie Medical and Surgical Repatriation Fellowship

INCOME Total Distribution from Trust Funds 23,036 Total Internal Income 293

TOTAL INCOME 23,329

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic 6,289 Total Salaries - General - Total Staff-Related Costs 1,178 Total Consumables and General - Total Occupancy Costs - Total Internal Rent -

TOTAL EXPENSES 7,467

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 15,862

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment -

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS -

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 15,862

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Polaris II Research Vessel

INCOME Total Sundry Income 133 Total Distribution from Trust Funds 708,610 Total Internal Income 271,168

TOTAL INCOME 979,911

EXPENSES Total Salaries - Academic - Total Salaries - General (10,354) Total Staff-Related Costs 1,287 Total Consumables and General 41,368 Total Occupancy Costs (2,817) Total Internal Rent 1,957 Total Depreciation 5,613

TOTAL EXPENSES 37,054

Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 942,857

FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS Total Additions - Equipment 525,069

TOTAL FIXED ASSET ADDITIONS 525,069

Surplus/(Deficit) after Fixed Asset Additions 417,788

CARRY FORWARD - Carry Forward Accounts 446,100

 university of otago

13.1.7 – Such other information as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Administrator.

There have been no material changes to the University of Otago Foundation Trust Initial Investment Policy and Guidelines to the year ended 31 December 2007.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

appendices Reports from appointed and active Leading Thinkers

Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics

Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance

Ron Lister Chair in Geography Development Studies Research Centre

Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases

New Zealand Institute for Cancer Research Trust Chair in Cancer Pathology

Chair in Early Modern Philosophy

Stuart Chair in Science Communication

Cure Kids Chair in Child Health Research

Gama Research Fellowship in Bipolar Disorder

Community Trust of Otago Centre for Trace Element Analysis

Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship

Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies

Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and Education

Karitane Research Fellowship in Childhood Obesity

Polaris II Research Vessel

Cure Kids Chair in Paediatric Research

Media Coverage of Leading Thinkers Initiative

 university of otago the carney centre for pharmacogenomics

Associate Professor Martin Kennedy Director, Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics Department of Pathology Division of Health Sciences University of Otago, Christchurch

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research and activities update

The core research areas around which the Centre developed have continued to be productive, as evidenced by multiple publications and conference presentations in psychiatry, clinical pharmacology, gastroenterology and respiratory medicine. There are continued strong research activities in the pharmacogenomics of depression and inflammatory bowel disease, and more generally in areas of personalized medicine including management of rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Members of the Centre have been consistently successful in obtaining research grants from external sources. Amongst the new initiatives to receive funding is a study from Professor Douglas Sellman and colleagues in the National Addiction Centre, which focuses on treatment of the depressed alcoholic – a major issue in addiction medicine – and involves pharmacogenetic analyses of recruited patients. It is important to note that our core Carney Centre funding enables us to maintain research momentum despite setbacks. A new project that received seeding support from the Carney Centre is about to be implemented. This involves trialling clinical application of beta-adrenoceptor genotyping in difficult asthma, and is a collaboration between Professor Robin Taylor (Dunedin School of Medicine) and Associate Professor Kennedy. This study aims to explore the contribution of beta adrenergic receptor pharmacogenetics in withdrawal of beta agonists in asthma patients who prove particularly difficult to treat. The study protocol has been approved, and we are about to begin recruiting patients for this study from around Australasia.

New and ongoing research publications and disseminations

During the past year a website (www.pgx.org.nz) was established to provide a source of information for the public and researchers alike, and acts as a point of contact for interested parties.

Associate Professor Kennedy was asked to join the editorial board of the British journal, Personalized Medicine, a role which will provide opportunities for further raising awareness of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine research activities from this part of the world.

Research funding

Treatment evaluation of Sellman, Adamson, Health Research $840,038 alcohol and mood: the Deering, Kennedy, Council of NZ TEAM study HRC 07/138 Joyce

HRC Program renewal Joyce, Kennedy et al. Health Research $3,345,053 Mental Health Clinical Research* Council of NZ * only 10% is dedicated to pharmacogenetics research, the rest is for clinical mental health research.

Genetics and pharmacogenetics Kennedy Paykel Trust maurice & Phyllis $22,328 of complex disease (equipment grant)

Peripheral gene expression markers of Kennedy, Black, Joyce uORG $28,985 antidepressant response

Charles Hercus Health Research roberts Health Research $500,000 Fellowship. Genetics of susceptibility Council of NZ and management in inflammatory bowel disease.

 university of otago

Collaborations

International Dr Jean-Frédéric Colombel & Dr Franck Broly, Centre hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de, Lille,France. Pharmacogenetics of azathioprine-induced myelosuppression. Dr David Nolan & Dr Simon Mallal, Royal Perth Hospital and Murdoch University, Perth, Australia. Pharmacogenetics of azathioprine hypersensitivity reactions. Professor Juergen Reichardt, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia. Functional analysis of genetic variants that impact on thiopurine response. Dr Stefan White, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. Polymorphic copy number duplications and drug responses. Dr Bill Newman & Dr Sudeep Parameshwar, Department of Clinical Genetics, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK. Genetics of thiopurine responsiveness. Dr Anthony Marinaki & Dr Jeremy Sanderson, Thiopurine Research Unit, Kings College, London. Genetics of thiopurine responsiveness.

National Dr Rod Lea (ESR –Wellington) – Pharmacogenomics and drugs of abuse Dr Sharon Browning (U of Auckland) – Statistical analysis in pharmacogenomic studies

University of Otago The Carney Centre is based around a large number of local scientific collaborations formed by Associate Professor Kennedy and Dr Roberts with the following groups:

University of Otago, Christchurch Professor Peter Joyce – Pharmacogenomics of antidepressants Professor Evan Begg – Utility of pharmacogenetics in clinical practice Associate Professor Murray Barclay, Dr Richard Gearry – Pharmacogenetics of thiopurine drugs in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease Dr Lisa Stamp – Pharmacogenomics of methotrexate treatment in rheumatoid arthritis Professor Doug Sellman – Pharmacogenetics in the treatment of depressed alcoholics Professor Peter George - Pharmacogenetics of thiopurines and beta agonists Professor Mark Richards and Associate Professor Vicky Cameron, Pharmacogenetics of cardiovascular disease Dr Dee Mangin – Genetic effects in the cessation of fluoxetine treatment

University of Otago, Dunedin Professor Robin Taylor – Pharmacogenetics of asthma. Associate Professor David Clark & Dr Mira Harrison-Woolrych – Combining pharmacogenetics with pharmacovigilance. Dr Tony Merriman – Genetic analysis of complex phenotypes

Other contributions to the research environment

Oral presentations – Associate Professor Martin Kennedy: 2007 Departmental Seminar, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch; “Psychiatric genetics: a short history and a peek into the future” 2007 5th Annual Pharmacogenomics Meeting, Wellcome Trust/CSHL, Hinxton, UK. 19 October; “Gene expression changes caused by paroxetine – new clues for antidepressant action?” 2007 Specialty Laboratories, Valencia, California, USA 22 October; “Novel mutations causing resistance to thiopurine drugs” 2007 Festschrift for Associate Professor David Clark, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago; “Pharmacogenetics in the era of personal genomes”

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Conference session chair – Associate Professor Martin Kennedy 2007 Nutrigenomics Session, Annual Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting, Queenstown, 31 August 2007 3rd Annual Carney Pharmacogenomics Symposium, 11 Sept. Convenor and chair of several sessions

3rd Annual Carney Pharmacogenomics Symposium One-day symposium held in Christchurch Tuesday, 11 September 2007. Invited speakers were Dr Grant Montgomery and Dr Graham Radford-Smith, University of Queensland.

Community Involvement

Associate Professor Kennedy appointed Member of Editorial Advisory Board, Personalized Medicine, UK. June 2007. Publisher is Future Medicine, UK.

Associate Professor Kennedy – invited speaker, University of the Third Age, Godley, Christchurch. “Genes: finding Godot?” 3 Sept 2007

Dr Rebecca Roberts was the recipient of two prestigious awards this year: University of Otago Early Career Award for Distinction in Research Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship

Plans for the coming year

Clinical pharmacogenetics (Evan Begg, Sharon Gardiner). Short term salary support for Sharon Gardiner to complete clinical pharmacogenetics studies in Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Christchurch Hospital.

Beta adrenoceptor genotyping – is it useful in the management of difficult asthma? (Taylor, Kennedy). Ongoing collaborative project with Professor Robin Taylor (Dunedin) to evaluate the clinical utility of beta adrenoceptor haplotyping.

Methotrexate pharmacogenomics (Roberts, Barclay, Stamp, Begg, Kennedy) Lisa Stamp and Rebecca Roberts are initiating studies to explore the pharmacogenomics of methotrexate response in rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease respectively.

The Centre has been striving to implement high-throughput genetic testing for research projects, and to this end have had a successful year acquiring funding for major equipment from the University of Otago ($280,000 awarded to Kennedy/Cameron for shared equipment). A new Applied Biosystems Genetic Analyser in currently on order and it is expected to be installed and operational within UOC laboratories, Christchurch, by February 2008. This shared equipment will be run by the Carney Centre, predominantly for SNP genotyping, as well as DNA sequencing, and it will greatly enhance pharmacogenomics study.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

Pharmacogenomics continues to develop as a research field which is significantly influencing our approach to medical treatment. More than anything, it is clear that application of pharmacogenomics principles can help enlighten about the mechanisms of drug action and variability in drug responses. Although transition of pharmacogenetic tests to the clinic has proven slow, we must not overlook the considerable valuable knowledge that is accruing by the study of gene structure and expression, and the relevance of these things to pharmacology. As our understanding of the human genome continues to grow, we need to ensure that this body of knowledge is interpreted and applied to the goal of further personalizing medicine. It is exciting that the extraordinary pace of technology improvement means personal genome sequences will be accessible within a decade, but sobering that we have not yet begun to debate how best to manage the use and abuse of such powerful information. The Carney Centre will continue to play a key role in researching and promoting awareness of these issues, with the ultimate goal of improved healthcare for the individual.

 university of otago

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

Students:

Dylan Glubb PhD Pharmacogenomics of antidepressant action 2005- Tony Harley PhD Plasma proteomics of depression and its treatment 2006- Alice Johnstone (ESR) PhD neurogenomics of drug abuse 2006- Xiaoyan (Sarah) Deng PhD gene regulation by antidepressant drugs 2007- (FRST Top Achiever Scholarship) Sharon Gardiner PhD Pharmacogenetics, drug metabolism and clinical practice 2003-2007 Magdalena Kegel* bPharm regulation of VEGF and its receptor by antidepressants 2007

*Magda was a visiting student from University of Gotheborg, Sweden, with us for about 5 months doing a research dissertation.

Carney Centre graduate students have been steadily productive. Sharon Gardiner submitted and was awarded her PhD thesis entitled “Pharmacogenetics, drug metabolism and clinical practice”. As part of her thesis, she authored (with Evan Begg) a comprehensive article on the clinical application of pharmacogenetic tests for drug metabolising enzymes. This substantial paper is almost certainly the most extensive treatise on this subject, and is already receiving considerable attention. Michael Bland submitted his PhD earlier this year, entitled “Genetic and Functional Analysis of Novel Serotonergic Candidate Genes in Psychiatric Disorders”, and this is under examination. Michael is now working as a postdoctoral fellow at Oxford University. New PhD student, Sarah (Xiaoyan) Deng, won a prestigious Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship to work on gene regulation by antidepressant drugs. In addition, visiting overseas student, Magdalena Kegel. Magda, completing a degree in pharmacy at the University of Goteborg, Sweden, spent six months in Christchurch completing a research dissertation entitled “Regulation of VEGF and its receptor by antidepressants”.

The Centre has provided support for key personnel over the past year. In addition to 0.2FTE funding of the director, the Centre funds a full time research technician, Nicholas Bockett, who works on a range of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics projects. In May of this year, however, Nicholas took leave without pay to travel overseas, and he will be absent for a full year. We did not immediately reappoint someone to this position as we were anxiously awaiting the outcome of a Charles Hercus Fellowship application by Dr Rebecca Roberts, a key Centre researcher, and hoped that the Centre could provide bridging salary in the event that her application was not successful. We recently learnt that Rebecca was awarded the Charles Hercus Fellowship, and so have immediately re-appointed Sharon Gardiner for a short period (approx 0.15 FTE) to complete her clinical pharmacogenetics research studies prior to taking parental leave.

Published research articles

Porter, R.L., Mulder, R.T., Joyce, P.R., Miller, A.L., Kennedy, M.A. (2008) Tryptophan hydroxylase gene (TPH1) and peripheral tryptophan levels in depression. J Affect Disorders (Accepted). Littlejohn, M.D., Palmer, B.R. Pilbrow. A., Richards, A.M., Frampton, C.M., Troughton, R.W., Cameron, A.V, Kennedy, M.A. (2007) Ile164 variant of beta 2-adrenoceptor does not influence outcome in congestive heart failure but may interact with beta-blocker treatment. European Journal of Heart Failure (Accepted). [Impact Factor = 3.2] McHugh, P.M., Rogers, G.R., Loudon, B., Glubb, D.G., Joyce, P.R., Kennedy, M.A. (2007) Proteomic analysis of embryonic stem cell-derived neural cells exposed to the antidepressant paroxetine. Journal of Neuroscience Research. (In press) [Impact Factor = 3.5] Stuffrein-Roberts, S., Joyce, P.R., Kennedy, M.A. (2008) Role of epigenetics in mental disorders. ANZ Journal of Psychiatry 42, 97-107. Roberts RL, Gearry RB, Hollis-Moffatt JE, Miller AL, Reid J, Abkevich V, Timms KM, Gutin A, Lanchbury JS, Merriman TR, Barclay ML, Kennedy MA. (2007). IL23R R381Q and ATG16L1 T300A are strongly associated with Crohn’s disease in a study of New Zealand Caucasians with inflammatory bowel disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 102, 1-8 [Impact Factor = 5.6]. Johnstone, A., Brennan, K., Schenk, S., Kennedy, M., Lea, R., Fitzmaurice, P. (2007). Benzylpiperazine (BZP) a recreational drug of abuse? Current knowledge and future direction. J. Psychopharmacology 21, 888-94 [Impact Factor = 3.2]

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Gearry, RB, Roberts, RL, Burt, MJ, Frampton, CMA, Chapman, BA, Collett, JA, Shirley, P, Allington, MDE, Kennedy, MA, Barclay, ML. (2007) Effect of inflammatory bowel disease classification changes on NOD2 genotype-phenotype associations in a population-based cohort. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 13 (10): 1220- 1227 [Impact Factor = 3.0] Joyce, P.R., Light, K.J., Rowe, S., Kennedy, M.A. (2007) Bipolar disorder NOS: a comparison with bipolar disorder I/II and major depression. ANZ Journal of Psychiatry 41, 843-849. Roberts, R.L., Gearry, R.B., Barclay, M.L., Kennedy, M.A. (2007) IMPDH1 promoter mutations in a patient exhibiting azathioprine resistance. Pharmacogenomics J. 7, 312-317 [Impact Factor = 4.0] Beaglehole, B., Luty, S.E., Mulder, R.T., Kennedy, M.A., Joyce, P.R. (2007) Low red cell folate levels are associated with response to nortriptyline in major depression. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 19, 204-207 [Impact Factor = 0.44] Kennedy, M.A. (2007) Pharmacogenomics: single genes, whole genomes and global networks. Personalized Medicine 4, 87-94

Conference posters presented Harley, J.A., Kennedy, M.A., Joyce, P.R. The Search for the Black Bile: Peripheral Biomarkers of Depression. 62nd Annual Convention & Scientific Program - Reinventing Biological Psychiatry: Discovery, Diagnosis and Treatment. San Diego, USA May 17-19.

Gearry, R., Nolan, R., Roberts, R., Barclay, M., Kennedy, M., Patterson, A., Lucas, A., Nolan, D. HLA, TPMT and ITPA genotypes and susceptibility to azathioprine hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) in inflammatory bowel disease patients. Australian Gastroenterology Week, Perth, Australia, 24-27 Oct, 2007.

Johnstone A.C., Brennan K.A., Schenk S., Kennedy M.A., Fitzmaurice P.S. and Lea R.A. Neurogenomics of drugs of abuse: methamphetamine and benzylpiperazine. IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, Melbourne, Australia. July 12-17, 2007.

Lisa Stamp, Mei Zhang, John O’Donnell, Peter Chapman, Chris Frampton, Murray Barclay, Martin Kennedy, Rebecca Roberts HLA-G -/-14bp polymorphism is not associated with response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. American College of Rheumatology meeting. (ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting) Nov. 6-11, Boston, MA.

Glubb, D. Rogers, G.R., Joyce, P.R., Kennedy, M.A. Functional effects of polymorphisms in the promoter of HES6, a candidate gene for antidepressant response. World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, New York Oct 7-11.

Glubb, D. Rogers, G.R., Joyce, P.R., Kennedy, M.A. Functional effects of polymorphisms in the promoter of HES6, a candidate gene for antidepressant response. Joint Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory/ Wellcome Trust Pharmacogenomics Meeting, 17-20 October, 2007, Hinxton, United Kingdom.

McHugh, P.M., Joyce, P.R., Kennedy, M.A. Sepiapterin reductase (SPR)—A novel candidate gene for antidepressant response? World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics, New York Oct 7-11.

McHugh, P.M., Joyce, P.R., Kennedy, M.A. Sepiapterin reductase (SPR)—A novel candidate gene for antidepressant response? Joint Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory/ Wellcome Trust Pharmacogenomics Meeting, 17-20 October, 2007, Hinxton, United Kingdom.

Roberts, R.L., Gearry, R.B., Bland, M.V., Sies, C.W., George, P.M., Burt, M., Kennedy, M.A., Barclay, M.L. Promoter insertion in an inflammatory bowel disease patient with ultra-high TPMT activity. Joint Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory/ Wellcome Trust Pharmacogenomics Meeting, 17-20 October, 2007, Hinxton, United Kingdom.

Patents lodged USPTO Provisional patent filed 13 Aug 2007. Method of identifying individuals at risk of thiopurin drug resistance and intolerance. Roberts, R.L., Kennedy, M.A., Gearry, R.B., Barclay, M.L.

NZ PCT filed 08 November 2007. NZ appl # 534555 (Ref P26481).Method of identifying individuals at risk of thiopurine drug resistance and intolerance. Roberts, R.L., Kennedy, M.A., Gearry, R.B., Barclay, M.L. Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance

 university of otago caroline plummer fellowship in community dance

Dr Katrina Rank Caroline Plummer Fellow in Community Dance (2007) School of Physical Education Division of Sciences University of Otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

My Body is an Etching project

Over 40 people participated in the My Body is an Etching project between August to November 2007. Many came to the project from the community dance classes while others responded to articles in the free local press. Participants, whose ages ranged from 14 to 69, were from English speaking backgrounds, tended to be well- educated and in a mid-socio-economic group. This is quite interesting in itself, because community dance is often thought about as an activity that takes place with and for people of less privileged backgrounds. Often those middle-aged, educated, arts-oriented people searching for a more abstract experience miss out.

All participants kept visual diaries (incorporating paintings, drawings, photographs with diary entries, and poetry), which they shared throughout the creative period. The journals and ongoing conversations surrounding their content were pivotal to the hermeneutic development of the work. They described description of activities, feelings, observations, reflections, abstract notions and other ways of documenting experience. Several diary entries were later used within the sound score for the film and the exhibitions at Salisbury Gallery and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

As the creative development period progressed, site visits became instrumental to the work developed in the studio enabling a satisfying combination of calm serenity and playfulness. The movement score comprised of simple movements, reflective moments and occasional wild energetic bursts of energy beautifully matched the majestic Dunedin beaches.

Beach Environment Dance

The scale of the sea/sky/air Expansive movements – being part of the landscape, not on it but within it.

The rhythms of the sea and breeze Simple sustained rhythm, interrupted by internal body rhythms – heart beating faster, natural gait

Motion of the waves Swaying as though one were a piece of seaweed pulled by the tide

The quality of light Action that cuts through air, that walks through air, that walks in air, that feels air and light around a three dimensional body

The erratic behaviour of sand Kicking up a storm as sleeping patterns become visual markings in the sand, some light tracings, others deep gouges

Associations of actions performed at Throwing a ball, drawing, running, waving the sea

A presentation of the work in progress was shown at the Barkley Theatre at the Otago Museum on Sunday 16 September. A short lecture was given, followed by still images of the process, the dance itself, performed by six of the dancers and then a short conversation between the dancers and the audience. Dr Rank believes that participant’s contributions at this time, in both the capacity as performers and as informed individuals who speak to their experience, was empowering and affirming. Several shared that this presentation raised the bar with regards to their commitment to the project. As they left, many glowed.

The next stage of the project required a new level of collaboration with participants. The work was to be filmed by one of the dancers and shown later that month. Filming of My Body is an Etching took place on Monday 15 October on Allan’s Beach on the Otago Peninsula. There were 10 participant dancers, some new. On the beach, collaboration ensued as placement, timing and effects were discussed and control of filming angles, focus and content to the film maker and control of the dance was left to each individual, trusting that they would rise to the occasion. They did and took great pride in their endurance and achievement.

 university of otago

Three weeks of discussion and editing for the film-making group and art work development for the visual artists followed culminating in an installation of MBE experiences at Salisbury House on 10 October 2007. Approximately 60 people attended the event. Comments received suggest that many appreciated the quality and diversity of forms presented within the space and enjoyed the community atmosphere present. The performers were excited to experience so many different ways of presenting one idea.

Collaborations

Arriving in Dunedin on 18 June 2007, Dr Rank quickly established connections with the dance community and other arts and community organisations, many of whom took an interest and promoted the project amongst their client base. The University, the City of Dunedin and the Star Newspaper proved to be vital partners in early promotion. The Star announced the project while the University provided a welcome event, an article in the Otago Bulletin and electronic and hard copy fliers. The City of Dunedin planned and hosted a meeting between Dr. Rank, local organisations and community leaders at which she was able to introduce herself through participation in the dance classes of local identities Shona Dunlop MacTavish, Sue Renner and Evelyn Entwistle.

Many meetings took place within the first two weeks and key partners were identified at this time. These included Connections, Otago Museum, Dunedin Public Art Gallery and Salisbury Gallery. As the work proceeded, various other individuals became collaborators/partners. Three visual artists, who danced in the initial phase, later moved on to generate material for a public exhibition. They made special etching workshops available to all project participants as a way of reaching a deep understanding of the driving metaphor. Another participant collaborated with Dr. Rank to produce a dance film which she shot and edited. Others contributed via the development of primary data – as bodily texts and as ongoing journals. Otago Museum. Salisbury Gallery and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery offered space, administrative and technical support during presentation phases.

Community Involvement

For 11 weeks, Dr Rank presented community dance classes. The classes took several forms: a senior’s dance class at Leith House Rest Home (Tuesday mornings) with approximately 15 participants between 75 and 92 years; an open intermediate contemporary class (Tuesday afternoons) averaging six participants per week, most of whom were associated with the University as lecturers and students; and a Friday mixed ability community dance class with 22 regular attendees. There was also an opportunity to co-present /support the Community Dance paper offered at the University of Otago.

The community dance class included people with intellectual disabilities (5), Multiple Sclerosis (2), those recovering from physical and mental illness (3) and others who experienced no debilitating condition but found joy in sharing the space and movement with other open minded, creative and generous people. Ages ranged between 18 and 72.

The progress of this group was significant. People who found touch difficult initially began to share weight and offer ideas, volunteer to dance solo, lead parts of the class and observe each other’s performance with respect and interest. The ability to relax, co-ordinate actions, stand up and sit on the floor without assistance also improved, adding to the participants’ confidence and indicating potential for further skill development. A genuine sense of community and pride emerged and the participants have plans to continue the classes themselves.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

While all classes have received favourable responses, the members of the Friday mixed ability dance class have been the most vocal. Here is one of the unsolicited comments:

Subject: Community dance programme Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:42:35 +1200

Dear Katrina, On behalf of the 3 clients, 1 member of staff and 2 students who have attended your Community Dance Programme under the umbrella of ”The Mosgiel Abilities Resource Centre” I would like to say a huge thank you. Our clients have returned from this programme each week ‘buzzing’ with enthusiasm – it has been an activity they have really enjoyed.

Thank you so much for your help and support with parking etc for these enjoyable lunchtime sessions

Lee Latham, Programme Manager Mosgiel Abilities Resource Centre

The Leith House participants were also very enthusiastic and showed significant development over the series of classes. They began to play, take initiative, develop better flexibility and more assured co-ordination. They offered ideas for a dance they would like to do to the music of Sousa (marching music, very rousing!) and supplied movement ideas for the composition. They have been rehearsing this dance for some weeks now and were to present it during a competitive inter-rest home demonstration in October. The dance extended their capacity to remember movement and to integrate objects (pom poms) with performance.

Total sessions taken during the first half of the fellowship: Community Dance paper 8 sessions Mixed Ability Community dance classes 10 sessions Leith House dance classes 9 sessions Open Contemporary dance classes 11 sessions

Comments from the Leading Thinker

Thank you for the opportunity to work on the Fellowship Project, My Body is an Etching. I found myself involved in the dance community in many other ways that were enriching and exciting.

I can’t express my gratitude enough for this extraordinary experience. Not only has the Fellowship enabled me to grow as an artist and as a leader, but it has given me the opportunity to make important friendships that will sustain me as an individual and dance professional. I feel humbled by the great support I have received from so many people, in particular the Dunedin dance community, the participants of the project and the staff at the School of Physical Education. Thank you also to Tony and Bibby Plummer, Kathy Young, Ali East and Steve Kinney.

Media

“Steps in Art of Movement” Nigel Benson, ODT, Impressions Page, Thursday 8 November 2002

“A Different Dance” Catherine Wellington, The Star, July 5 2007

“Dancers etch mark” The Star, 8 November 2007

“Community dance classes at university” The Star, p 7, July 26 2007

“Dance to be filmed on Allan’s Beach” Catherine Wellington, The Star, p 31, 11 November 2007

“What’s on” The Star 15 November 2007

Article in production, Catherine Wellington, Danz Magazine, Issue No. 10, January, February, March 2008

 university of otago

Internal or professional newsletters School of Physical Education newsletter No 43, Monday 19 November 2007

“Research Profile Community Dance” Otago Bulletin, Issue 15, 10 August 2007

Publicity materials, conference reports/programmes Abstracts for two paper presentations for the Global World Dance Alliance to be held in Brisbane in July 2007 have been submitted

Otago Museum Flier and Poster for September showing

Salisbury House bookmark flier for October showing Salisbury House-produced catalogue for November showings

Photocopy of community artwork produced in collaboration with the artists

DVD of dance film, © choreographed and directed by K. Rank and filmed, edited and produced by Katherine Miller and Eddie Skillander

CD Rom of still images (images remain the copyright of the photographers)

Total dance workshops/classes

Community Dance paper 8 sessions Mixed Ability Community dance classes 10 sessions Leith House dance classes 9 sessions Open Contemporary dance classes 11 sessions My Body is an Etching 14 sessions

Presentation events

Otago Museum Showing of work in progress September Allan’s Beach Filming of work October Salisbury Gallery Installation and live performance November 10 DPAG Installation and live performance November 24 DPAG Performance of Lurve December 2 School of Physical Education Seminar on MBE December 5 Women’s Caucus Presentation on MBE December 6

Reports and Papers or Applications

Caroline Plummer Fellow Interim Report September

Considerations for the choreographic treatment of personal movement vocabulary in community dance practice. Paper in progress

Collaborative community arts practice and participatory evaluation. Abstract submitted to Global World Dance Alliance Summit July 2008

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 ron lister chair in geography development studies research centre

Professor J. A. (Tony) Binns The Ron Lister Chair in Geography Department of Geography Division of Humanities University of Otago

 university of otago

Research and Activities Update

Professor Binns held the position of Head of the Department of Geography throughout 2007. As such, he continued to play a leading role in the re-building of the Geography Department and was instrumental in making 14 staff appointments in the Department since becoming Head of Department in July 2005. As well, he was able to host the second Ron Lister Visiting Fellow, Associate Professor Adamu Tanko from Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria (Feb-July 2007).

In March 2007, Professor Binns was invited to join the Editorial Board of the international journal Applied Geography. He played a key role in discussions with the Centre for the Study of Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CSAFE) concerning the affiliation of CSAFE with the Department of Geography. This affiliation has now gone ahead.

While in London, Professor Binns met with a Senior Editor from Routledge Publishers to discuss future development of the Perspectives on Development book series for which he is the Editor (29 June 2007). Upon his return, he was interviewed on Auckland radio station 95bFM ‘Monday Wire’ programme, about the background to the recent kidnappings in the Niger Delta of Nigeria (16 July 2007).

Professor Binns spoke to secondary students about the Geography Department and his research (11 &12 July) during Arts @ Otago, when 6th & 7th formers from Otago and Southland schools spent time at the University. At the other extreme of student involvement, he has strongly encouraged an increase in postgraduate numbers in the Department of Geography which has resulted in PhD student numbers increasing by 50% since his appointment in 2004.

Research funding

Professor Binns coordinated an application to UK-based DelPHE (Development Partnerships in Higher Education) for a research project on; “Urban and peri-urban agriculture in Freetown: Food security and income generation in post-conflict Sierra Leone”. The UK government (British Council and Department for International Development) approved the project, with a total budget of c. $230,000 over three years. The Awarding Panel commented:

“An excellent project that gets to the grassroots of poverty and hunger in one of the poorest countries in the world. The project will also have a long-term positive effect on the staff and students at Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone)”.

An international team of researchers will be involved, from UK, Sierra Leone and Otago. Dr Alec Thornton, post- doctoral fellow in our Humanities-based ‘Poverty, Inequality and Development’ Research Cluster, is a member of the team. The project will involve fieldwork in Sierra Leone, as well as some visits from Sierra Leonean academics to Otago.

October 2007: NZ$11,500, Otago University Research Grant for research on, ‘Alienation and Inequality: Exploring the role of the church and kinship in the emergence of landless Samoans’.

Publications

Books 2007 T. Binns, A. Dixon and G. Spellman, Sustainable Development, Philip Allan Publishers, Oxford, 221pp. [ISBN: 978-1-84489-301-0] (in press 2008) R. B. Potter, T. Binns, J. Elliott and D. Smith Geographies of Development, Third Edition, Pearson, London.

Chapters in Books 2007 E. Nel and T. Binns, ‘Evolving economic marginality and local economic development responses in selected South African gold and coal mining areas’, in M. Valenca, E. Nel and W. Leimgruber, (eds.) The global challenge and marginalization, Nova Science Publishers, New York. 2007 T. Binns, D. Bek, E. Nel and B. Ellison, ‘Sidestepping the mainstream: Fairtrade Rooibos Tea Production in Wupperthal, South Africa’, in D. Maye, L. Holloway and M.Kneafsey (eds.), Alternative food geographies: Representation and practice, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp331-349.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

(in press, 2007) E. Nel and T. Binns, ‘Evaluating ‘developmental local government’ in South Africa’s cities’, in W. Leimgruber (ed) Conference Proceedings of the 2002 IGU Marginal Regions Study Group, Ashgate, Aldershot. (in press, 2008) T. Binns, ‘Dualistic and Unilinear Concepts of Development’, in V. Desai and R. B. Potter (eds) The Companion to Development Studies, Second Edition, Arnold, London.

International refereed journal articles 2007a E. Nel, T. Binns and D. Bek, ‘Alternative foods’ and community-based development: Rooibos tea production in South Africa’s West Coast Mountains, Applied Geography, 27 (2), pp112-129. 2007b R.A. Maconachie and T. Binns, ‘Farming miners’ or ‘mining farmers’?: Diamond mining and rural development in post-conflict Sierra Leone, Journal of Rural Studies, 23 (3), pp367-380. 2007c R.S.Milligan and T. Binns, Crisis in policy, policy in crisis: understanding environmental discourse and resource-use conflict in northern Nigeria, Geographical Journal, 173 (2), pp143-156. 2007d T. Binns, Marginal lands, marginal geographies, Progress in Human Geography, 31 (5), pp587-591. 2007e R. Maconachie and T. Binns, Beyond the resource curse?: Diamond mining, development and post-conflict reconstruction in Sierra Leone, Resources Policy, 32, pp104-115. 2007f D. Bek and T. Binns, Putting Ethics on the Table: Part 1, Consumption, Geography Review, 21 (2), pp2-4. 2007g R. Maconachie and T. Binns, Beyond ‘greed and grievance’ in Sierra Leone: Can diamonds play a role in post-conflict reconstruction, Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie, 51 (3/4), pp93-107. (in press 2008) D. Simatele and T. Binns, Motivation and marginalization in African urban agriculture: the case of Lusaka, Zambia, Urban Forum. (in press 2008) D. Bek and T. Binns, Putting Ethics on the Table: Case studies from South Africa, Geography Review. (in press 2008) T. Binns, Making Development Work: Evaluating community-based development experience in Africa, Geography.

Conferences, Lectures, Presentations and Visits

Field Visit to the National University of Samoa (NUS) (9-16 April, 2007). In the context of the Memorandum of Understanding between Otago and NUS, the purpose of the visit was to establish a link between the Department of Geography and Poverty, Inequality and Development Research Cluster at the University of Otago, with the Faculty of Arts and Department of Social Sciences at NUS, and to explore the potential for future collaborative research and capacity building.

On 25 May, Professor Binns chaired the ‘African Liberation Day’ seminar of the Poverty, Inequality and Development Research Cluster, University of Otago.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Development: Lessons from South Africa’s Flower Valley, paper presented (with D Bek) at the Annual Conference of the Canadian Society for International Development, 31 May-2 June 2007, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

As Hon. Secretary of the Commonwealth Geographical Bureau, Professor Binns was invited to attend the conference on ‘Establishing international links’, Commonwealth Foundation, Marlborough House, London, 28 June 2007.

Evaluating ethical codes and global supply chains: Flower exports from South Africa’s Western Cape Province, paper presented (with D Bek), Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society (with The Institute of British Geographers), 29-31 August 2007, London.

Misplaced Expectations? Evaluating the record of applied local economic development in post-Apartheid South Africa, paper presented (with D Bek and E Nel), Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society (with The Institute of British Geographers), 29-31 August 2007, London.

In June 2007, Professor Binns was invited to become a Member of the Scientific Board for the international conference on ‘Migration and Development’ at the University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, 4-5 September 2007. Funded by the European Social Fund.

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On 9 September, Professor Binns was invited to lecture at University College (University of Otago) on ‘Sierra Leone’s Blood Diamonds’.

‘Marginal Lands, Marginal People, Marginal Geographies’, Inaugural Professorial Lecture, University of Otago, 24 October 2007.

Invited to lecture to the Dunedin East Rotary Club on, Corporate Social Responsibility and Development: Lessons from South Africa’s Flower Valley, 20 November 2007.

Teaching and Curriculum Development

Devised and taught a new Summer School course, GEOG 219/379: Africa: Diversity and Development

Higher Education Academy, UK – Appointed Accredited Practitioner: 2004, Appointed Fellow of the Academy: 2007.

7 May 2007; two lectures to prospective Geography students at the Tertiary Information Day.

15 May; visited Dr Simon McMillan at Kaikorai Valley College to discuss a possible collaborative environmental project between the College and the University Department of Geography. The project will focus on a detailed study of the history, ecology and development of the Kaikorai Stream and will involve school and university students, as well as members of the local community. On behalf of the Department, Professor Binns supported Dr McMillan in his application for research funding and was pleased to learn that he has been awarded the Sir Peter Blake Environmental Educator Award for 2008. He will be based in the Geography Department while undertaking the project during the 2008 academic year.

External examining

Swalihu Kenneth-Moi Jusu, MPhil Thesis, Massey University: Social capital and community participation in development: The case of the Direct Community Financing Programme in post-conflict Sierra Leone, July 2007.

Maria Isabella Schmidt, PhD Thesis, Deakin University, Australia: Small-scale irrigation, pastoral livelihood diversification and poverty alleviation in Kenya, September 2007.

Table 1: Department of Geography: Postgraduate Numbers, 2004-2007

2004 2005 2006 2007

BA Hons 1 0 5 2 BSc Hons 2 2 3 1 BApp Sci 9 12 14 8 12 14 22 11 PG Dip Arts 3 0 2 4 PG Dip Sci 3 4 4 3 6 4 6 7 MA 8 9 5 7 MSc 10 9 10 11 MApp Sci 0 0 3 3 18 18 18 21 MPlan 1 19 12 17 18 MPlan2 15 19 10 18 34 31 27 36 PhD 12 16 17 18

TOTAL 82 83 90 93

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Summary of Postgraduate Students Supervised

Joanna Bishop (PG Dip Arts): Corporate social responsibility and community-based development in South Africa.

Chandima Daskon (PhD): Cultural capital and sustainable livelihoods in the Kandy hill country, Sri Lanka.

Brett Ellison (MA): Empowering communities in South Africa: the development of alternative food networks in Western Cape Province.

Anthony George (PhD): Poverty and poverty alleviation in the Caribbean region.

Christian Iyiani (PhD): Top-down and bottom-up perspectives on HIV/AIDS: community-based development in Ajegunle, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Brody Lee (MPlan): Urban agriculture and sustainable planning in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Emma Lynch (MA): Diabetes among Tokalauans in New Zealand.

Jean Ross (PhD): Analysis of the emergence of the contemporary rural nurse in New Zealand.

Shawn Shen (PhD): Climate change and environmental refugees in Tuvalu.

 university of otago centre for molecular research in infectious diseases

Professor Kurt Krause Director, Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases Department of Biochemistry Division of Health Sciences University of Otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research and activities update

The Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases was established at the University of Otago in 2006 with the goal of becoming an internationally recognised centre of molecular-based research in infectious diseases. The research of the Centre is directed towards the development of new ways to understand, diagnose and treat infectious diseases. The major strength of the Centre lies in the area of structural biology and structure-aided drug design. In addition to the individual research program, a close network is developing, through the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases a University of Otago research centre of New Zealand scientists who have the common goal of developing vaccines, diagnostics and anti-microbials to treat infectious diseases that are important to New Zealand and its population.

There are three aims to the Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases. The first is to establish a world- class laboratory in the area of structural biology of infectious diseases. Success in this area involves the creation of a laboratory that is capable of carrying out research in three areas: first, the laboratory must be capable of cloning, expressing, purifying, crystallizing and determining the structure of proteins important in infectious diseases. For the most part this goal has been accomplished. Second, the laboratory must be able to carry out a complete biophysical analysis of proteins and their binding partners. Third, the laboratory must be capable of screening proteins to locate small molecule inhibitors that are ultimately antibiotic candidates. To succeed in the latter two goals it is now necessary to fund the acquisition of key pieces of additional capital equipment necessary to allow the Centre to carry out its research activities.

The second aim is to support the Chair in Infectious Diseases at the University of Otago occupied by Professor Kurt Krause from the Department of Biochemistry. The income from the endowment supports the Chair but also aids the Centre for Molecular Research in Infectious Diseases. To succeed in this aim significant additional targeted donations are needed and, therefore, this aim is primarily a long-term development project. However, it is an important project as the income from the endowment would allow long term support for an administrator for the Centre which would greatly aid Centre development.

The third aim of is the establishment of a nationwide, but Otago based, virtual centre in which like-minded researchers collaborate and share ideas that will aid in the development of vaccines, antimicrobials and diagnostics. This aim was also the goal of a University-based CoRE bid in infectious diseases, submitted in late 2006. Unfortunately this CoRE was not chosen for funding, but the University did agree in 2007 to establish the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases at Otago to help cultivate additional research efforts in this field.

2007 Highlights

February 2007 The second year of operation of the Protein Crystallography Suite in the Biochemistry Department began with continued heavy use and full support of its user base. This facility maintained an almost 100% uptime and allowed screening and data collection to take place on hundreds of protein crystals throughout the year.

March 2007 Received word from the Royal Society of New Zealand that the CoRE application in support of the creation of the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases was not short listed for further consideration, effectively ending its chances for government based funding. However the University agreed to the establishment of the Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases with Professor Kurt Krause as its founding Director.

March 2007 Received and installed VP-ITC microcalorimeter in Krause laboratory. This is the only ITC microcalorimeter at Otago University and was the first in the South Island. Paid for in part through Leading Thinkers Initiative funds, this calorimeter is a major acquisition for the University and will enable careful studies of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions to be carried out.

April 2007 The first Webster Centre Symposium covering research on infectious diseases in New Zealand took place over a two-day period 12-13 April 2007 in St. Margaret s College. About 40 scientists from throughout New Zealand attended, shared their research and exchanged ideas. On the evening of 12 April, Professor Rob Smith, Chemistry delivered the first keynote address on The Mito-Q story .

December 2007 The second Webster Center Symposium covering computational biology and its role in understanding protein structure and function and facilitating drug design was held in the Biochemistry Department. Approximately 30 scientists attended and heard presentations by Professors J. Andrew McCammon, University of California, San Diego, Terry Lybrand, Vanderbilt University, and Michael Gilson, University of Maryland.

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Research projects and progress

Professor Krause is involved in research on the structural basis of infectious diseases, and has active projects in tuberculosis, HIV and Streptococcal diseases. He is interested in research that can increase understanding of how pathogens produce human diseases and that will aid in the development of diagnostics, vaccines and antimicrobials.

Tuberculosis is the world’s most deadly infectious disease, producing over 2 million deaths annually. Over one- third of the world’s population is infected with this organism and remains at risk for developing active pulmonary disease. In this disease, we are studying two important enzymes, alanine and glutamate racemase. These proteins are essential in bacteria, but are not required by humans. As a result they make ideal candidates for drug development. In this project, the ultimate goal is a new drug for tuberculosis. In the past year, the laboratory has solved two new crystal structures of alanine racemase and are active in designing inhibitors based on the three dimensional layout of its active site. During the past year the laboratory reported on the development of a strain of Mycobacteria that helped prove that alanine racemase is an essential enzyme in the bacterium that causes tuberculosis.

HIV is the cause of a global pandemic that infects over 40 million people. Current treatments have greatly decreased the death rate from AIDS but a cure is nowhere in sight. Many of the currently active treatments are now less effective because of the development of resistance. Staff of the Krause laboratory would like to better understand the molecular basis of resistance to HIV medications and work to improve the utilization of human innate immunity against this virus. They propose to do this through the study of the interaction of the HIV protein Vif and the human protein APOBEC. Cells with active APOBEC protein can actively resist infection with HIV unless the virus produces Vif. Vif actively blocks the protecting function of APOBEC, but the molecular details remain to be elucidated. This project is both high risk and high reward as the key structures in this pathway will have great impact and could lead to a new way to treat HIV infection.

The third infectious disease related project is on Streptococcus pyogenes, the cause of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is serious problem in New Zealand especially among the Maori and Pacific Islander populations. No effective vaccine yet exists, but they are studying the molecular structure of Antigen I/II based proteins that may prove valuable in the creation of protein based Streptococcal vaccine.

New and ongoing research publications and disseminations

Chen, C. I., Beck, B.W., Krause, K., Weksberg, T. E., Pettitt, B. M. Effects of dimerization of Serratia marcescens endonuclease on water dynamics (2007) Biopolymers, 85 (3): 241-252.

Weksberg, T. E., Lynch, G. C., , Krause, K. L., Pettitt, B. M. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Trichomonas vaginalis Ferredoxin Show Loop-Cap Transition (2007) Biophysical., 92: 3337-3345.

Ulrich Strych, Milya Davlieva, Joseph P. Longtin, Eileen L. Murphy, Hookang Im, Michael J. Benedik, and Kurt L. Krause, Purification and preliminary crystallization of alanine racemase from Streptococcus pneumoniae (2007) BMC Microbiology, 7:40 (17 May 2007).

Daniel L. Milligan, Sieu L. Tran, Ulrich Strych, Gregory M. Cook, and Kurt L. Krause, The Alanine Racemase of Mycobacterium smegmatis is Essential for Growth in the Absence of D-Alanine. Bacteriol. 189 (22) 8381-8386. (Published ahead of print on 7 September 2007, doi:10.1128/JB.01201-07).

Research Funding

External funding • Health Research Council, Enhancing innate immunity to HIV • K. Krause, P.I., project within a program in Molecular Virology, Dir. A.A. Mercer, 1/7/07 31/8/10, project total $789,240, Total ex GST • The Thrash Foundation, Houston, Texas, USA, $50,000 USD Research in Infectious Diseases February 2008

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Awards and internal funding • University of Otago Research Grant, $105,483 Molecular Research to Combat Tuberculosis , 12/1/07-12/31/08, $105,483 • Otago Medical Research Foundation, Molecular Basis of Streptococcal Diseases Specificity K. Krause, P. I., 1/7/07 31/8/08, project total, $17, 345

Collaborations

Current collaborations with the centre include: Professor Richard D Aquila, Apobec-Vif interactions, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennesee, USA Professor James Musser, Steptococcal Surface proteins, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA Professor Jan Tachezy, Trichomoniasis, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Associate Professor Greg Cook, Tuberculosis, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

Community involvement, talks, conferences, awards or recognition

Convener, Speaker & Session Chair Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases 2007, Dunedin, New Zealand, April 12-13, 2007.

Program Organization, Convener, Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases, Symposium in Computational Biology 2007, Dunedin, New Zealand, December 5, 2007.

Plans for coming year

• To finish stage one capital acquisition for the Dunedin laboratory through the acquisition of incubators, spectrophotometers, shakers and electrophoresis apparatus. • To initiate plans to acquire key equipment for stage two laboratory development. • To get tissue culture facility up and running in Dunedin in support of crystallography. • To progress work on structural biology of infectious diseases. • To establish and grow new collaborative projects involving New Zealand scientists. • To hold the first Webster Centre Seminar Series in Infectious Diseases.

Comments from Leading Thinker

I would like to thank Dr John Thrash for his continuing support of our research program, and I am grateful to the University for its ongoing support of our work on the structural biology of infectious diseases. The facility we have established in New Zealand is a state-of-the-art research laboratory but it will need continued support to maintain its current level of functionality. We are hopeful that our association with the Leading Thinkers Initiative will help us to maintain the ability to compete in research on an international level.

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

Senior Staff and Postdoctoral Fellows Dr Daniel Milligan is a Senior Research Associate who came to New Zealand last year from New York City where he worked in drug development with ImClone. Prior to this he worked at other biotech firms for about a decade. In graduate school, he trained with Daniel Koshland at Berkeley in the United States working on the aspartate receptor.

Dr Rafael Couñago is a postdoctoral fellow who came to Otago from Houston Texas where he was a graduate student at Rice University. He is an expert in structural biology, protein purification and mutagenesis, as well as directed evolution of proteins. He will be joining our HIV project involving Apobec and Vif interactions.

 university of otago

Three students have worked in the laboratory this year Yang Li and Ryan Hill are both Master s Degree students who just joined the laboratory in February 2007. They both are carrying out research in the area of tuberculosis and drug design.

Nicola Dennis is an undergraduate who worked in the laboratory in 2007 on her Honours thesis. Her project was on Apobec and Vif and their interactions in HIV. She was awarded a B.Sc (Hons) First Class for her research.

Conference presentations and posters

Alanine Racemase as a Template for Structure-Aided Inhibitor Design in Tuberculosis , Asian Crystallographic Assoc Annual Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan, 6 November 2007

Alanine Racemase as a Template for Structure-Aided Inhibitor Design in Tuberculosis , Tuberculosis Research New Zealand II, Wellington, New Zealand, October 2007

Meeting the Antibiotic Crisis: Can University Scientists Help Design New Drugs for our Future? , Inaugural Professorial Lecture, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 15 August 2007

"If you can't get MAD at home it is just SAD", Structural Biology Group Seminar, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 22 May 2007

"If you can't get MAD at home it is just SAD", Structural Biology Group Seminar, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 16 May 2007

Alanine Racemase as a Template for Structure-Aided Inhibitor Design in Tuberculosis , Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases, Hobart, Tasmania, 24 March 2007

Alanine Racemase as a Template for Structure-Aided Inhibitor Design in Tuberculosis , NZ Structural Biology, Rotorua, New Zealand, 15 February 2007

Media

26/9/2006 Otago Daily Times, Taking the fight to the enemy s door by Tom McKinlay, article on structural biology of infectious diseases, good images, mention of CMRID and John Thrash.

05/10/2006, Otago Daily Times, Ten Otago Bids for Centre of Research Status by Tom McKinlay, commentary on 10 Otago CoRE bids including infectious diseases centre.

07/06/2007, Otago Daily Times, Funding Success for Otago by John Gibb, commentary on HRC funding including Virology Program headed by AA Mercer that included HIV Apobec grant.

1/10/2007, Otago Magazine, University of Otago, Viral Warfare , by Simon Cunliffe, commentary on HRC funded Viral Research Programme (AAMercer-Dir., MHibma, SYoung, KKrause)

29/10/2007 TV3 NZ, Expert on Superbug Prevalence with James Coleman, http://tv3.co.nz/video/Experton Superbugprevalence/tabid/372/articleID/37916/Default.aspx

15/12/2007, Otago Daily Times, Outbreak Preparations World-Class Expert Says by John Gibb, commentary by Robert Webster on Pandemic preparations with photo of Webster graduates

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 the new zealand institute for cancer research trust chair in cancer pathology

Dr Cherie Stayner and Professor Michael Eccles: They hope that they can get some ideas on possible new treatments for polycystic kidney disease by studying the Pax2 gene or the pathways it acts on. Professor Michael Eccles NZICRT Chair in Cancer Pathology Department of Pathology Division of Health Sciences University of Otago

 university of otago

Research Funding

Professor Eccles participated in four external competitions to secure funding for his Developmental Genetics Laboratory as well as with co-investigators from the Marsden, HRC, Cancer Society and Otago Medical Research Foundation. He was also the principal applicant for two conference grants, which were used to run a satellite meeting as part of the Queenstown Molecular Biology meeting in August 2007, and was successful in securing a Faculty grant-in-aid.

2007, Marsden Fund. (J. Horsfield, M. Eccles, S. Robertson). When development comes unstuck: modeling chromosome cohesion syndromes in zebrafish. $844,000, 3 years.

2007, OMRF. (A. Poole, M. Eccles). A novel sheep model to study the role of the primary cilium in polycystic kidney disease. $34,716, 1 year.

2007, HRC. Conference grant-in aid for Molecular Basis of Cancer & Development QMB satellite meeting, 2007. $5,000.

2007, Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust, Conference grant-in aid for Molecular Basis of Cancer & Development QMB satellite meeting, 2007. $5,000.

2007, Cancer Society of New Zealand. (J. Royds, M. Eccles). PAX - the Achilles heel for gliomas. $216,078, 1/7/07- 30/6/09. 2 years.

2007, Health Research Council of New Zealand. (A. Braithwaite, M. Eccles, J. Royds). Principal Investigator and Director. Novel diagnostic and therapeutic markers of cancer, from bench to clinic. Programme Grant. $2,640,065 1.7.07-30.6.09.

2007, Faculty Grant-in-aid. University of Otago. $50,000.

Collaborations

Researchers at Massey University (Dr Alastair Johnstone) and at Auckland University (Dr Sue McGlashen and Professor Cynthia Jensen) as well as Associate Professor Antony Poole in the Medical and Surgical Sciences Dept at the University of Otago on investigating a sheep model of polycystic kidney disease.

Professor Bruce Baguley at The University of Auckland, Auckland Cancer Society Research Laboratory, on genes involved in melanoma cell survival.

Dr Mike Murphy, MRC-Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, Cambridge University, UK, and Professor Rob Smith, Chemistry Department, University of Otago, on delivery of peptide nucleic acids to cells using triphenylphosphonium conjugates.

Professor Antony Braithwaite, University of Otago, and CMRI, Sydney University, and Dr Janice Royds, University of Otago on the role of p53 in tumorigenesis and cell survival.

Professor Paul Goodyer, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, on functions of PAX2 and PAX3 in development and cancer.

Dr Julia Horsfield, a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland accepted a Senior Lecturing position in the Pathology Department at the University of Otago; there will be continued collaborating using zebrafish as an experimental model organism.

Following the publication of work on polycystic kidney disease, Dr Cherie Stayner and Professor Eccles began a collaboration with Professor Greg Germino, at the Johns Hopkins Medical School, USA.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Other contributions to the research environment

Professor Eccles directed and managed a research group of 15+ people, an HRC programme grant, an HRC project grant, co-supervised a BSc Hons research student, applied for and rebutted reviewers comments on several grants, attended and gave journal clubs in the developmental biology group, and continued to be an advisor and a Director of New Zealand Institute for Rare Disease Research Ltd.

He is a member of the Dunedin School of Medicine/Otago District Health Board Research Advisory Group, served as biosecurity sector manager for the Pathology Department and is a founding member of Renal Research Theme committee.

Professor Eccles was an ad hoc reviewer of eight papers submitted to international peer reviewed journals, three grant applications, an examiner of two PhD theses, PhD examination convenor for two PhD students, and on the PhD committee for four students.

Community Involvement

August 2007, Professor Eccles organized and convened a cancer satellite meeting in Queenstown. At this meeting he was co-author on seven posters and presentations. In addition, he organized for three of the international speakers to give research talks at the University of Otago.

Professor Eccles attended the 9th Formulation and Delivery of Bioactives Conference in February, and the New Zealand Society for Oncology meeting in May in Dunedin (co-author on several posters).

Professor Eccles gave several research talks: • University of Otago Pathology Department, “From kidney development to cancer; the role of developmental genes in cell growth and survival” (August) • University of Otago Inaugural Professorial Lecture, “Insights into cancer; developmental biology meets cancer genetics” (September) • University of Otago Surgery Department; “Alterations in PAX2 gene dosage or mis-timed expression critically affect kidney cell fate” (September) • Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, University of Sydney. “Altered PAX2 gene dosage or mis- timed expression critically affects kidney cell fate” (October)

Professor Eccles joined the American Society of Human Genetics, and the American Society of Nephrology, and attended the annual conferences of both societies in San Diego and San Francisco, respectively, in late October 2007, where he presented a poster on melanoma.

Plans for the coming year

• A sabbatical visitor, Dr Andrew Chantry, will be working in Professor Eccles laboratory during February/ March 2008, which will take time for interaction and discussions. • A new PhD student starting in February/March. • A replacement technical officer will begin in February/March. • Grant writing will take significant time in early May and in late August/early September (Marsden and HRC grants). • A PhD student will be ready to write up in the latter part of 2008. • Professor Eccles intends to attend the Asia Pacific Zebrafish Network Meeting, February 17-20, 2008; the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Meeting in San Diego in April as well as visiting a laboratory in Perth, with a view to future collaboration in December. • Professor Eccles will continue to establish a zebrafish facility and a zebrafish research programme in the department throughout 2008 in addition to continuing to write and submit research papers throughout 2008.

 university of otago

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

Shujie He, PhD, Research Fellow Aaron Jeffs, PhD, Research Fellow Adele Woolley, PhD, Research Fellow Petra Schmitt, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow Jody Hazlett, BSc(Hons), Assistant Research Fellow Amy Glover, PhD, Assistant Research Fellow Stefan Davies, PhD, Assistant Research Fellow Justin Shields, MSc, Assistant Research Fellow Lana Ellis, BSc(Hons), Assistant Research Fellow Michael Algie, BSc, Assistant Research Fellow Matthew Hamilton, BSc, Technical Officer Jane Wilson, PhD student Grace Li, PhD student Hayden Selvadurai, MSc student Nicki Sheratt, MSc student Shirley Petrie, Secretary

Media

Article about our research on polycystic kidney disease in 2007 He Kitenga “Pax2 clue to PKD” p14.

Schimmenti L, Eccles M (2007) Renal Coloboma Syndrome in: GeneReviews at GeneTests: Medical Genetics Information Resource [database online]. Copyright, University of Washington, Seattle, 1997-2007. Available at http://www.genetests.org

Internal or professional newsletters Prepared and spoke re submissions on Human Tissue Bill for Department of Pathology, and for New Zealand Organisation for Rare Disorders

Published research articles Lu W, van Eerde A, Fan X, Quintero-Rivera F, Kulkarni S, Ferguson H, Kim H-G, Fan Y, Xi Q, Li Q, Sanlaville D, Andrews W, Sundaresan V, Bi W, Yan J, Giltay JC, Wijmenga C, de Jong TPVM, Feather SA, Woolf AS, Rao Y, Lupski JR, Eccles MR, Quade BJ, Gusella JF, Morton CC, Maas RL. (2007) Disruption of ROBO2 is associated with urinary tract anomalies and confers risk of vesicoureteral reflux. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 80, 616-632. Wilson JC, Yoon H-S, Walker RJ, Eccles MR (2007) A novel Cys1638Tyr NC1 domain substitution in a5(IV) collagen causes Alport syndrome with late onset renal failure without hearing loss or eye abnormalities. Nephrol. Dial. Transpl. 22, 1338-1346. Stayner C, Iglesias D, Goodyer P, Ellis L, Germino G, Zhou J, Eccles MR (2006) Persistent Pax2 expression promotes cystogenesis in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Human Molecular Genetics 15, 3520-3528. Dziarmaga A, Hueber PA, Iglesias D, Hache N, Jeffs A, Gendron N, McKenzie A, Eccles M, Goodyer P (2006) Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) is expressed in developing kidney and is regulated by PAX2. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol., 291, F913-20. Dziarmaga A, Eccles M, Goodyer P. (2006) Suppression of ureteric bud apoptosis rescues nephron endowment and adult renal function in Pax2 mutant mice. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 17, 1768-1575. Robson, E, He, S, Eccles, M. (2006) A PANorama of PAX genes in cancer and development. Nat. Rev. Cancer 6, 52-62. Hueber, P, Waters, P, Clarke, P, Eccles, M, Goodyer P. (2006) PAX2 inactivation enhances cisplatin-induced apoptosis in renal carcinoma cells. Kidney International 69, 1139-1145. Utsch, B., Sayer, J., Attanasio, M., Pereira, R, Eccles, M., Hennies, H-C., Otto, E.A., Hildebrandt, F. (2006). Identification of the first AH1 Gene mutations in Nephronophthisis-associated Joubert syndrome. Pediatric Nephrology 21, 32-35. Torban E, Dziarmaga A, Iglesias D, Chu LL, Vassilieva T, Little M, Eccles M, Discenza M, Pelletier J, Goodyer P. (2006) PAX2 activates Wnt4 expression during mammalian kidney development. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 12705-12711.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 chair in early modern philosophy

A Meeting of Minds – Professor Peter Anstey and a bust of noted Dunedin philanthropist and scholar, the late E.S. de Beer. De Beer also edited the letters of the great English philosopher John Locke, the subject of Prof Anstey’s own research in the field of early modern philosophy. Professor Peter Anstey Chair, Early Modern Philosophy Department of Philosophy Division of Humanities University of Otago

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Professor Anstey has continued work on his critical edition of John Locke’s writings on natural philosophy and medicine for the Clarendon edition of The Works of John Locke (co-edited with Professor L. M. Principe).

Professor Anstey has also taken on the editorship of The Oxford Handbook of British Philosophy in the Seventeenth Century with Oxford University Press. This volume will comprise 32 chapters and present surveys and new research on all aspects of early modern British philosophy.

Recent publications

Article: ‘Robert Boyle’s “Designe about natural history’ (with Michael Hunter), Early Science and Medicine, 13 (2) 2008, pp. 83–126.

Book chapter: ‘Literary responses to Boyle’s natural philosophy’ in (eds) J. Cummins and D. Burchell, Science, Literature and Rhetoric in Early Modern England, Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007, pp. 145–162

Occasional Paper: The Text of Robert Boyle’s ‘Designe about natural history’ (ed.) (with Michael Hunter), The Robert Boyle Project, Occasional Paper No. 3, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9551608-2-0.

Professor Anstey has received $8600 from the Internationalisation Committee at the University of Otago for support for the Bucharest International Colloquium on Early Modern Philosophy. The University of Otago has a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Bucharest and this colloquium is an important step in the consolidation of research relations between the two universities.

He has also been awarded a fellowship from the Visiting Scholars Fund of Trinity College Cambridge, for research leave in 2009.

Collaborations

Professor Anstey is collaborating with Professor Emeritus John Burrows of the University of Newcastle, NSW, on the authorship of four early modern medical documents as well as continuing his collaboration with Dr Stephen Harris of the Department of Plant Sciences in Oxford on the botanical interests of the philosopher John Locke. An article is in progress.

Other contributions to research environment

Professor Anstey has recently been invited onto the editorial board of the Australasian Journal of Philosophy.

Community involvement, talks, conferences, awards or recognition

An interview on ABC Radio National’s The Philosophers’ Zone on ‘The Molyneux Problem’ on 28 March 2007 (available online)

Conference presentations in Bucharest, Perth, Sydney and Dunedin in 2007.

Papers were given at the University of Auckland, University of Sydney, University of Bucharest.

Together with Professor Stephen Gaukroger (University of Sydney) Professor Anstey ran the inaugural Otago/ Sydney Early Modern Seminar at Otago in 18 October 2007. It was the first of an annual seminar that will be at Otago every second year.

Interviewed for a significant article in theOtago Daily Times on 9 September 2007 which featured the Department of Philosophy at the University of Otago. The Department was ranked first in the country in any discipline in the PBRF quality assessment process.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Plans for coming year

Professor Anstey will give papers at Victoria University and the University of Sydney in first semester.

Co-convene the second Otago/Sydney Early Modern Seminar at the University of Sydney in early June.

Co-convenor of the Bucharest Colloquium on Early Modern Philosophy at New Europe College, Bucharest, Romania in June/July.

Member of the Program Committee for the History of Philosophy of Science Annual Conference to be held at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver in June.

Invited to speak at a NEER conference on early modern note-taking at Griffith University in July.

 university of otago stuart chair in science communication

Scientist, writer and filmmaker Professor Lloyd Davis with students Professor Lloyd Davis Stuart Chair in Science Communication Department of Zoology Division of Health Sciences University of Otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research and activities update

Professor Davis was appointed to the Stuart Chair in Science Communication on 1 July 2007. He was on sabbatical leave until 14 December but during the last half of 2007, he put a great deal of energy into establishing New Zealand’s first Centre for Science Communication. This has included assembling a team from both within the University’s existing staff and hiring new personnel. Key positions filled since then include: • Professor Jean Fleming, who will direct the Popularizing Science stream of the new Masters of Science Communication (MSciComm). • Ian McGee, the Emmy-award-winning filmmaker who is to be Director of Filmmaking and will look after the Science and Natural History Filmmaking stream of the MSciComm . • Sophie Fern, who is employed as a teaching fellow/co-ordinator and will also teach in SCOM 403: Sophie is a published children’s author with several nonfiction books to her credit. • Robert Brown, who is to teach the camera techniques in SCOM 401. Robert has been described by David Attenborough as “one of the three best wildlife cameramen in the world.”

In addition to advertising and attracting students, a website has been designed to showcase Science Communication (www.sciencecommunication.info), a related blog (www.sciencecommunication.biz), and a site that streams (podcasts) student work such as films (www.wildflicks.com).

Targets with regard to student numbers for 2008 have been exceeded, with 28 graduate students enrolled in the MSciComm programme.

The Centre was officially launched by Professor Paul Callaghan on 21 February 2008. The Centre willbe located in Great King Street once renovations are complete on the former Physiotherapy Clinic rooms in early March 2008.

New and ongoing research publications and disseminations

In concert with the launch of the new Centre, a new book, “The Business of Documentary Filmmaking” by Claudia Babirat and Professor Lloyd Spencer Davis was also released by Longacre Press. Claudia will be the first graduate of the new MsciComm and Professor Davis was her supervisor. The book shall form the core text for paper SCOM 405.

Collaborations

Formal collaborations have been established with NHNZ. Professor Davis is currently working through details to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for collaborative activities with the Otago Museum. An MOU is also being sought with Laurentian University in Canada, which offers Canada’s premier course in science communication. Alliances with centres in Australia will also be sought and considered.

Additionally, the Centre for Science Communication plans to develop a strategic partnership and collaborative opportunities with the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ).

Community involvement, talks, conferences, awards or recognition

During the second half of 2007, Prof Davis gave conference presentations • the Science Communicators’ Association of New Zealand (SCANZ) • the 6th International Penguin Conference in Hobart, Australia • The Tales of Planet Earth Festival in Wisconsin, USA.

He also delivered the inaugural CLL Writers’ Award Lecture in September and the inaugural Longacre Press Lecture in November. Other public talks were given at the Auckland Museum and Chadbourne Hall, Wisconsin.

Professor Davis has been interviewed by television about the Centre twice and there have been numerous articles in newspapers nationally as well as magazines such as “North and South.” Professor Fleming is to do a monthly radio show about science and the human body on Radio New Zealand.

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Plans for coming year

The primary goal for 2008 is to get the new MSciComm programme up and running successfully. In addition, staff will be seeking to create community links and offer a short course in some aspect of communication for the public in both Wanaka and Dunedin. Professor Fleming is pursuing opportunities to promote science through the International Science Fair and activities such as Hands on Science. Another initiative already begun to promote science to the community is the Distinguished Communicator Lecture series (Paul Callaghan’s talk to coincide with his opening of the Centre was the first in the series); already three more speeches are in the works, including one to feature as the Centre’s contribution to the International Science Festival in July.

Professor Davis is to be an invited speaker at an international forum in June that will examine different ways of teaching science communication. He is anticipating using this as an opportunity to establish further links with science communication programmes internationally and to raise the profile of our Centre abroad.

Comments from Leading Thinker

Without the support of the Leading Thinker Initiative it is doubtful that this Centre (or one like it) would have become a reality now or in the near future. And, yet, it is obvious that there was a gaping hole in the academic landscape of New Zealand that this Centre has filled. Reaction to the Centre has been extremely positive, as witnessed by the 28 graduate students amassed for our first intake. By next year we anticipate having more graduate students than most departments in the university. That means that there is a lot of research and teaching to do, plus a lot of logistical issues to work through – but, in the years ahead, we can look forward to some great outcomes from both the students and the staff of the new Centre for Science Communication.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 cure kids chair of child health research

Professor Stephen Robertson Cure Kids Chair of Child Health Research Department of Pathology Dunedin School of Medicine Division of Health Sciences University of Otago

 university of otago

The time allocation is unchanged since last year. Professor Robertson spends 60% of his time in the laboratory performing research. A further 30% is engaged in clinical activity – in clinics in Dunedin, Christchurch and Invercargill. He attends the Wellington Clinical Genetics Unit one day a month to liaise with clinical colleagues for ongoing education and clinical conferences. The final 10% of his time is engaged in teaching senior medical students and post-graduate groups, as well as performing a role as convener of a 300-level human genetics course on the main campus.

In his role as President of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia, Professor Robertson served as chair of the organizing committee for the Annual Scientific Meeting of the HGSA in Auckland in July. The meeting had a strong genetic flavour, with, in particular, contributions from Professor J Towbin from Texas who is an international leader in the field of inherited cardiac arrythmias – a longstanding area of interest to Cure Kids. Accordingly Cure Kids substantially financially supported his attendance which proved highly successful.

One exchange student from the Netherlands from 2006 stayed on in New Zealand to study for a PhD in a collaborative project with a major genetics research unit from Nijmegen. For six months of this year she resided in Nijmegen learning new cutting edge technologies which she has brought back to Dunedin to apply here. This initiative was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education.

Work began on a Marsden Fund Project Grant, which is aimed at investigating new genetic loci for filamin related conditions, as well as investigating a potential role for filamin C in the genesis of human diseases. This latter initiative involves the creation and analysis of a genetically modified mouse, which is a new research initiative.

Research and Activities Update

FLNA mutations and function Professor Robertson is in receipt of several hundred samples a year for analysis for mutations in filamin A. These individuals provide a unique and invaluable resource for the study of skeletal development and lead to insights into further application of genetics in the genesis of similar malformations in children. A good example of the dividend obtained from being acknowledged as the world reference centre is that there has been a substantial group of individuals for whom filamin is not the answer to the genetics underlying their condition, and as a group these individuals present an invaluable resource to apply further genetic methodologies to find similar causes in other genes. Recently Professor Robertson found three new genes by applying this approach and ongoing work is developing these discoveries to a publishable standard.

The Genetics of Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia This neurological disorder is associated with epilepsy but mutations in filamin only account for around 20% of cases. This initiative is aimed at finding new genes for this condition using state-of-the-art arrays in collaboration with co-workers in Nijmegen.

Filamin C function and role in disease The development of a genetically modified mouse at this locus is near completion and will be imported into New Zealand at the beginning of 2008 for analysis.

Filamin A structure A Marsden Fund grant with Dr Andrew Sutherland-Smith is entering its final year. The relationship with the Cedar Sinai Medical Centre has allowed Professor Robertson’s group to contract the construction of a human specific “library” of bone genes which is being used to address aspects of filamin function. One particularly key player has been identified and preliminary data would indicate that it is key in the development of filamin mediated skeletal anomalies. Further analysis of this gene will form the part of a Marsden Fund grant for 2008.

A new disease and disease gene in the large New Zealand family Identification of a new disease gene in this family has opened up new insights on a pathway and its involvement in human neurological disorders. A manuscript reporting our findings is under preparation.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

New and ongoing research publications

Robertson SP (2007) The otopalatodigital syndrome spectrum disorders: Otopalatodigital syndrome types 1 and 2, frontometaphyseal dysplasia and Melnick-Needles syndrome. Eur J Hum Genet 15(1):3-9. Farrington-Rock C, Firestein MH, Bicknell L, Superti-Furga A, Bacino CA, Cormier-Daire V, Le Merrer M, Baumann C, Roume J, Rump P, Verheij JBG, Sweeney E, Rimoin DL, Lachman RS, Robertson SP, Cohn DH, Krakow D (2006) Mutations in Two Regions of FLNB Result in the Atelosteogenesis I and III Human Mutation 27:705-710. Robertson SP, Thompson S, Morgan T, Holder-Espinasse M, Martinot-Duquenoy V, Wilkie AOM, Manouvrier- Hanu S. (2006) Post-zygotic mutation and germline mosaicism in the otopalatodigital syndrome spectrum disorders. Eur J Hum Genet 14:549-554. Adès LC, Sullivan K, Biggin A, Haan EA, Brett M, Holman KJ, Dixon JW, Robertson SP, Holmes AD, Roger JG, Bennetts B. (2006) FBN1, TGFBR1 and the Marfan-craniosynostosis/mental retardation disorders revisited Am J Med Genet 140A: 1047-1058. Robertson SP, Jenkins ZA, Morgan T, Adès LA, Aftimos S, Boute O, Fiskerstrand T, Garcia-Minãur S, Grix A, Green A, Der Kaloustian V, Lewkonia R, McInnes B, van Haelst MM, Macini M, Illés T, Mortier G, Newbury- Ecob G, Nicholson L, Scott CI, Ochman K, Brożek I, Shears DJ Superti-Furga A, Suri M, Whiteford M, Wilkie AOM, Krakow D (2006) Frontometaphyseal dysplasia: mutations in FLNA and phenotypic diversity. Am J Med Genet 140(16):1726-36. Colombani M, Laurent N, Le Merrer M, Delezoide A-L, Thauvin-Robinet C, Huet F, Sagot P, Rousseau T, Robertson SP, Faivre L (2006) A new osteochondrodysplasia phenotype reminiscent of the filamin-related disorders Prenatal Diagnosis 26(12):1151-5. Bicknell LS, Farrington-Rock C, Shafeghati Y, Rump P, Alanay Y, Alembik Y, Al-Madani N, Firth H, Hassan Karimi- Nejad M, Kim CA, Leask K, Maisenbacher M, Moran E, Pappas JG, Prontera P, de Ravel T, Fryns JP, Sweeney E,Fryer A,Unger S, Wilson LC, Lachman RS, Rimoin DL, Cohn DH, Krakow DK, Robertson SP (2006) A Molecular and Clinical Study of Larsen Syndrome Caused By Mutations in FLNB. J Med Genet 44;89-98. Albano LMJ, Bertola DR, Barba MF, Valente M, Robertson SP, Kim CA (2007) Phenotypic overlap in Melnick Needles, serpentine fibula-polycystic kidney and Hajdu-Cheney syndromes: a clinical and molecular studyin in three patients. Clinical Dysmorphology 16(1):27-33. Tang J, Robertson SP, Lem KE, Godwin SC, Kaler SG (2006) Residual copper transport in the occipital horn syndrome. Genet Med in press. Kerruish NJ, Campbell-Stokes PL, Gray A, Merriman TR, Robertson SP, Taylor BJ (2007) Maternal Psychosocial Reactions to Newborn Genetic Screening for Type 1 Diabetes. Pediatrics 120:324-35. Marino-Enriquez A, Lapunzina P, Robertson SP, Rodriguez JI (2007) Otopalatodigital syndrome type 2 in two siblings with a novel filamin A 629G>T mutation: Clinical, pathological, and molecular findings. Am J Med Genet A. 143A:1120-1125.

Research Funding

Child Health Research Foundation Grant – consumables $70,000.

Marsden Fund Grant - $872,000 over three years. Activated on 1 February 2007 (Professor Robertson’s salary 0.2FTE, post-doctoral salary, overheads – $621,000; subcontracts $130,000, consumables $121,000).

Otago University Distinguished Researcher Award – $25,000 – the final six months of a three year award

Community involvement

• Multiple intramural and inter and intra departmental seminars • Westmead Childrens Research Institute, August 2007 • Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, San Diego, November 2007

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Plans for the coming year

To publish further definitive papers outlining the identity of the new genes that have been identified as underlying skeletal disorders similar to the filamin related conditions.

To publish a paper describing how a mutation in a gene underlying amino acid metabolism is causative of an unusual neurocutaneous syndrome segregating in a northern New Zealand family.

To develop biochemical data that indicate that specific genes are critical in the function of filamins that when disrupted lead to congenital malformative disease. This will be a subject of an application for Marsden Fund Funding in 2008.

To develop a research programme aimed at finding genes mutated in individuals with periventricular nodular heterotopia. Funding applications are in place for this initiative with the HRC and the CHRF.

Proposed attendance at conference - Human Genetics Society of Australasia Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide.

Proposed attendance at conference - American Society of Human Genetics Annual Scientific Meeting, Philadelphia.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

I would like to thank the Child Health Research Foundation for their good faith in supporting our work on the genetics of congenital malformations. Certainly the close relationship between the Foundation and the University has allowed us to contribute in a timely and prominent manner to this research field of endeavour. The establishment of the Chair in perpetuity was a huge landmark, and our continued progress and growth convince me that this investment will deliver a significant dividend for child health research in New Zealand.

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

There are three salaried staff managed by Professor Robertson in the laboratory: • Dr Zandra Jenkins is a post-doctoral scientist and performs senior supervisory and scientific roles within the lab. • Dr Phil Daniel is primarily working on functional studies to define the mechanism by which mutations in filamins lead to disease and characterization of the GM mouse with a mutated Flnc allele. • Mr Tim Morgan is a technical assistant. Tim primarily performs work on the filamin related disorders.

Five students have worked in the laboratory this year: • Ms Louise Bicknell is a PhD student who has submitted her thesis and departs for Scotland for Post-doctoral studies in December. • Ms Rosannah McCartney was an Honours student in Genetics. • Ms Margriet van Kogelenberg from the Free University of Amsterdam has been researching the genetics of neuronal migration disorders in her first year as a PhD student. Her stipend is supported from funds from Cure Kids. • Ms Mary Gray has taken up a summer studentship in the lab over the 2007-8 summer and will study the genetic basis for multiple joint dislocations.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 the gama research fellowship in bipolar disorder

Professor Peter Joyce Head of the Mental Health Clinical Research Unit Department of Psychological Medicine Division of Health Sciences University of Otago, Christchurch Ms Virginia Maskill Gama Research Fellow in Bipolar Disorder Department of Psychological Medicine Division of Health Sciences University of Otago, Christchurch

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Research and activities update

The Mental Health and Addiction Research Centre consists of the Mental Health Clinical Research Unit (Director: Professor Peter Joyce), the National Addiction Centre (Director: Professor Doug Sellman) and the Gene Structure and Function Laboratory/Carney Centre for Pharmacogenomics (Director: Associate Professor Martin Kennedy). The Mental Health Clinical Research Centre is actively involved with clinical trials, family studies and associated laboratory research on bipolar disorder, depression and eating disorders.

Within the Mental Health Clinical Research Unit, the current Gama Bipolar Fellow, Virginia Maskill, is involved with three research projects on bipolar disorder.

One project in which Ms Maskill is involved is a Health Research Council funded trial of interpersonal social rhythms psychotherapy for young (age 15-35) people with bipolar disorder. Over eighty people with bipolar disorder have now been recruited into this eighteen month psychotherapy trial, in which patients receive best judgement mood stabiliser and antidepressant medication, plus randomisation to either specialist supportive care or interpersonal social rhythms psychotherapy. Although the two psychotherapies differ, both include substantial components of learning about bipolar disorder and discussing the impact of bipolar disorder on their lives. Findings from the clinical trial will not be analysed until all patients have completed treatment, however, there have been some notable findings to date. By the development of a new questionnaire to measure both depressive and manic symptoms simultaneously, and by careful clinical enquiry about mixed mood states it is possible to develop a new understanding of how common mixed mood states are during ongoing management of bipolar disorder, and the associations of mixed mood states with psychotic like symptoms and with self mutilation, but not with suicide attempts. As well, they also described adolescent developmental issues which are affected by bipolar disorder.

A second project, designed in part by Ms Maskill involves interviewing families who have an adult child or partner (ages 15-35) with bipolar disorder. In this interview they are being asked how having a family member with bipolar disorder impacts upon them. Family members are being asked about which aspects of bipolar disorder impact on them the most, the burden they feel in ‘looking’ after their disordered family member, and their experiences with mental health services.

A third project involves the analysis of how bipolar disorder vs depression vs no disorder, depressive symptoms and personality impact upon different domains of social functioning , especially interpersonal functioning, friction and performance. The Gene Structure and Function laboratory continues to examine the role of genetic polymorphisms as risk factors for bipolar disorder, depression, personality and drug response and side-effects.

Research Funding

During this past year, the major new research funding was that the Health Research Council Programme grant was extended for a further three years, worth about $3.5m.

Research Collaborations

The Mental Health and Addiction Research Centre is a collaboration between the Mental Health Clinical Research Unit, the National Addiction Centre, and the Gene Structure and Function Laboratory.

International collaborators include: Professors Phil Mitchell & Peter Schofield, University of New South Wales. Professor Pat Sullivan, University of North Carolina. Professor Robert Cloninger, Washington University at St Louis.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Other Contributions to the Research Environment

Professor Peter Joyce is Editor for the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Over four years as editor, the impact factor of this journal has increased from 1.3 to 2.5.

Professor Joyce is a committee member of the Australasian Bipolar Disorder Society and served as a member of the organising committee for the Third Australasian Bipolar Disorder Conference held in Sydney during 2007, and as a member of the organising committee of the Bipolar Disorder Scientific Meeting held in Newcastle during 2007.

Community Involvement

Professor Joyce gave the invited address at the Annual General Meeting on “Recent Research in Bipolar Disorder” for Bipolar Support Canterbury. Professor Joyce and Associate Professor Richard Porter contribute on a regular basis to educational sessions on Bipolar Disorder for patients and their families, run through Bipolar Support Canterbury.

Plans for the Coming Year

The three projects which involve Ms Maskill (the current Gama Bipolar Fellow) will continue during the coming year. While the clinical trial of psychological treatments for bipolar disorder in young people will continue beyond the coming year, the other two projects that Virginia is involved with should be completed during the year.

Planning has begun for a cohort study of fifty year olds, which will include examining how a random sample of adults perceive the burden of a range of disorders, including bipolar disorder, in their children. This will allow for identification of aspects of burden on families which are common across all disorders, as well as factors specific to bipolar disorder.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

Bipolar disorder is one of the top ten disorders across all of health contributing to impaired quality of life in the world. Our vision is that the burden of bipolar disorder on individuals, their families and our communities can be reduced by better understanding and better treatments.

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

Professor Peter Joyce is Dean of the University of Otago, Christchurch. In addition he continues with his research programme on bipolar disorder, depression and eating disorders. This research ranges across the impact on families, impact on personality development, personality, psychological treatments, pharmacological treatments, diagnostic issues and classification, genetics and pharmacogenetics. Professor Joyce also supervises Virginia Maskill, plus one Masters Student and six PhD students.

Associate Professor Sue Luty has special interests in interpersonal psychotherapy for bipolar disorder and depression, and in perinatal psychiatry. She is a co-supervisor of Virginia Maskill.

Associate Professor Marie Crowe has special interests in mental health nursing, bipolar disorder and depression in adolescents, and psychological treatments. She is a co-supervisor of Virginia Maskill.

Virginia Maskill is the current Gama Bipolar Fellow. She should complete her thesis this year on the Impact of Bipolar Disorder on families.

 university of otago

Conference Presentations

Joyce PR: The classification of mood disorders in DSM V and DSM VI. World Psychiatric Association Meeting, Melbourne.

Joyce PR: Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified. Australasian Bipolar Disorders Meeting, Sydney.

Joyce PR: Self mutilation in bipolar disorder. Australasian Bipolar Disorder Meeting, Sydney.

Joyce PR: Bipolar disorder – evolving management. Australasian Bipolar Disorders Meeting, Sydney.

Joyce PR: The Pharmacogenomics of antidepressant drugs. Second Carney Symposium, Christchurch.

Joyce PR: The frontiers of bipolar disorder. Wakefield GP Symposium, Wellington.

Joyce PR: How is bipolar disorder being diagnosed? Bipolar Disorder Scientific Meeting, Newcastle.

Joyce PR: Mood disorders, personality and genes. Australasian Winter Brain Research Meeting, Queenstown.

Published Research Papers (On Bipolar Disorder and Depression)

Inder ML, Crowe M, Moor S, Luty SE, Carter JD, Joyce PR. “I actually don’t know who I am”. The impact of bipolar disorder on the development of self. Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes (in press).

Light KJ, Joyce PR, Frampton CMA. Description and validation of the Affective Temperament Questionaire (ATQ). Comprehensive Psychiatry (in press).

McHugh P, Rogers G, Loudon B, Glubb D, Joyce PR, Kennedy MA. Proteomic analysis of embryonic stem cell – derived neural cells exposed to the antidepressant paroxetine. J Neurosci Res (in press).

Moor S, Luty SE, Joyce PR. Lamotrogine-induced mania in adolescents. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 41: 1013.

Joyce PR, Light KJ, Rowe SL, Kennedy MA. Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified: comparison with bipolar I/II and major depression. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 41: 843-849.

Light KJ, Miller AR, Doughty CJ, Joyce PR, Olds RJ, Kennedy MA. FAT and bipolar affective disorder. Molecular Psychiatry 2007; 12: 899-900.

Beaglehole B, Luty SE, Mulder RT, Kennedy MA, Joyce PR. Low red cell folate levels are associated with poor response to nortriptyline in major depression. Acta Neuropsychiatrica 2007; 19: 204-207.

Joyce PR, McKenzie JM, Carter JD, Rae AM, Luty SE, Frampton CM, Mulder RT. Temperament, character and personality disorders as predictors or response to interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy for depression. British Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 190: 503-508.

Joyce PR, Williamson SAH, McKenzie JM, Frampton CM, Luty SE, Porter RJ, Mulder RT. Effects of childhood experiences on cortisol levels in depressed adults. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 41: 62-65.

Light KJ, Joyce PR, Luty SE, Mulder RT, Carter JD, Frampton CM, Miller AR, Kennedy MA. An association study of DRD2 and COMT polymorphisms with novelty seeking and harm avoidance scores, in two independent samples of depressed patients. Behaviour Brain Functions 2007; 3: 3-9.

Luty SE, Carter JD, McKenzie JM, Rae AM, Frampton CM, Mulder RT, Joyce PR. Randomised controlled trial of interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy for depression. British Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 190: 496-502.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 the community trust of otago centre for trace element analysis

Dr Claudine Stirling Director, Community Trust of Otago Centre for Trace Element Analysis Department of Chemistry Division of Sciences University of Otago

 university of otago

Research and Activities Report

The Community Trust of Otago Centre for Trace Element Analysis is home to two state-of-the-art plasma-source mass spectrometers for precise isotopic and trace element analysis. The diagnostic power provided by isotopic and trace element information is recognised as a powerful tool in identifying the processes and mechanisms at work across a broad range of environments. Projects as diverse as past and present global climate change, to the formation of the solar system and early Earth, to the investigation of metabolic pathways in the human body can be investigated using the new instrumentation. Although physically situated in the Department of Chemistry, a key feature of the Centre is its multi-disciplinary nature and the research conducted will ultimately span a wide range of applications in the earth, environmental, planetary, zoological and biomedical sciences.

The facility’s instrumentation, installed in mid-2006, comprises a quadrupole ICP-MS (Q-ICP-MS) for elemental concentration determination, a multiple-collector ICP-MS (MC-ICPMS) for isotope ratio determination of the metallic elements, and a supporting laser ablation system for use on either machine. The two mass spectrometers are housed in “clean” laboratories equipped with filtered air and climate control to stabilize the room environment to within ±1º C. These laboratories were completed in mid-2006 and commissioned in May 2007. An adjacent clean chemistry laboratory, commissioned in May 2007, allows samples to be chemically purified in an ultra- clean environment, which is a mandatory requirement for high-precision isotope measurement by MC-ICPMS. The clean chemistry laboratory continues to receive modifications to achieve optimum performance and will continue to be fitted with additional supporting equipment as required.

The official opening for the Centre for Trace Element Analysis was held in March, 2007 and was accompanied by significant media coverage.

Scientific discussions have been conducted with many potential users of this new facility, resulting in new collaborations and the submission of a number of different research proposals to national funding agencies during 2007. These included two RSNZ Marsden Fund proposals in marine biogeochemistry and cosmochemistry, and a FRST postdoctoral fellowship proposal in environmental chemistry, all of which were funded. Specifically, one Marsden project, lead by C. Stirling as the Principle Investigator, utilizes uranium isotopes to examine the origin of our solar system. This research will be carried out in collaboration with the Australian National University and the University of Oxford. The second Marsden project, lead by Prof. K. Hunter, uses cadmium isotopes to investigate the Southern Ocean’s productivity, its ability to sequester atmospheric CO2, and its link to global climate change. Both Marsden programmes will fund two doctoral students and a postdoctoral researcher, two of which have already been appointed. The FRST-funded project aims to trace heavy metal contamination in New Zealand’s urban environments, in collaboration with NIWA and the ARC, and has led to the three-year post- doctoral appointment of M. Numata. Details of these proposals are tabulated below.

Dr Malcolm Reid provided technical support to the Centre, and has continued to refine the measurement techniques utilized by the quadrupole ICP-MS (assisted by C. Stirling and Dr M. Palin in the Department of Geology).

Following the commissioning of the clean chemistry laboratory, C. Stirling (assisted by M. Numata) commenced development of analytical protocols for isotope measurement by MC-ICPMS, primarily of the uranium, thorium and strontium isotopic systems. In 2007, Dr Yehudit Harlavan, a Research Scientist at the Geological Survey in Israel, spent a sabbatical year in the Department of Chemistry and at the Centre for Trace Element Analysis. She assisted with MC-ICPMS development by transferring her expertise in lead and strontium isotopic analysis to the Centre and conducting research in these disciplines. Examples of key projects conducted at the Centre are listed below.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research funding

The following proposals received funding in 2007:

Proposal Investigator / Title / Description Funding Agency total ($NZ)

C. Stirling, A. Halliday, Y. Amelin. “Supernova Explosion or 2007 Marsden Fund $330,000 Colliding Cosmic Clouds: Reconciling the Origin of our Solar System” The development of new analytical methods for detecting minute variations in the uranium isotope signature of meteorites to (1) identify the mechanism leading to the birth of our solar system and (2) resolve the precise timing of events involved in building today’s planets from the dust grains that were present initially.

K. Hunter, C. Stirling, R. Frew. “Southern Ocean 2007 Marsden Fund $780,000 Biogeochemistry: calibrating the cadmium paleo-proxy” Isotopic analysis of cadmium and related measurements in ocean waters and oceanic plankton to gain an improved understanding of nutrient cycling in the Southern Ocean and the factors that control the partitioning of carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere during long-term climate cycles. These data will help to constrain and improve models of future climate change.

M. Numata (mentored by C. Stirling and K. Hunter). 2007 FRST Postdoctoral $302,000 “Metal isotope analysis: a new tool to trace heavy metal fellowship contaminants in urban New Zealand” Isotopic measurements of lead, cadmium and zinc to trace heavy metal contamination in Auckland’s urban environments

Collaborations

National Collaborations: Department of Chemistry - Professor Keith Hunter, Dr Claudine Stirling, Dr Malcolm Reid, Dr Jonathan Kim, Dr Russell Frew and Dr Sylvia Sander

Department of Geology – Dr Michael Palin and Dr Candace Martin

Department of Zoology – Dr Gerry Closs and associated group members

Department of Marine Science – Dr Steven Wing and associated group members

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) – Dr Helen Neil and Dr Phillip Boyd

Crop and Food Research (CFR) – Dr Marian McKenzie

Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS) – Dr Christine Prior and Dr Andy Tulloch

ChemSearch – Mr John Watson

Forensic Solutions – Mr Mike Darling

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International Collaborations: Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University (ANU) – Professor Kurt Lambeck, Dr Andrea Dutton and Dr Yuri Amelin

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO) – Dr Tezer Esat

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford – Professor Alex Halliday

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol – Dr Morten Andersen

Geological Survey of Israel – Dr Yehudit Harlavan

Examples of key projects conducted in 2007 as a result of these collaborations include: Water and sediments sampled from South Island rivers are being analyzed for their trace metal concentrations, as well as their strontium, uranium and lead isotopic compositions, for the purpose of monitoring pollution levels and geochemical weathering cycles in catchment areas draining New Zealand’s Southern Alps. This research forms part of a long-term FRST-funded research programme and involves close collaboration with NIWA. Field sampling was conducted in May and November 2007.

Laser ablation MC-ICPMS protocols have been developed to measure strontium isotope profiles in fish ear bones, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of fish migration practices in New Zealand river and marine systems. This research was assisted by Research Assistant M. Numata.

In September/October 2007, a field programme was conducted in collaboration with the Australian National University to collect fossil coral specimens from ~125,000 year old reefs fringing the coastline of northwestern Australia, for the purpose of reconstructing past sea-levels. The sampled coral reefs formed during the Last Interglacial warm period, which represents the last time that sea-level and climatic conditions were comparable to those of today, and is thus regarded as a suitable analogue of the present climate regime. Age information for the fossil corals is currently being obtained by MC-ICPMS, by measuring the uranium-thorium isotopic composition of each coral, and taking advantage of the natural radioactive decay of isotopes of uranium to isotopes of thorium. These data will ultimately be incorporated into climate models for investigating future climate scenarios in the context of greenhouse warming. This research was funded by a University of Otago Research Grant awarded to C. Stirling in 2006 and was assisted by Research Assistant M. Numata.

Elemental fingerprinting of (1) beef samples and (2) fish catches to authenticate individual source farms. Both programmes will allow the tracing of rogue practises before the product reaches market.

The analysis of glass shards from volcanic deposits on the North Island using laser ablation ICP-MS, which has important implications for volcanic hazard assessment in the Taupo area.

The measurement of ultra-low concentrations of trace elements in specimens of the mineral quartz. This has the potential to provide a “fingerprint” for tracking the sources and movement of sediment eroded from modern and ancient mountain belts.

An examination of the pathways by which unexpectedly high levels of cadmium accumulate in Foveaux Strait oysters.

An investigation of the link between the migration patterns of crayfish and sea perch populations in Fiordland and the elemental signatures of their skeletons.

An examination of the spatial distribution of heavy metals in Tasman Bay, a region planned for marine farming.

An investigation of the affect of tantalised fence posts on heavy metal levels in New Zealand wines.

Groundwater monitoring for gold mining companies as a sub-contractor for Chemsearch.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Other contributions to the research environment In addition to the research activities outlined above. Dr Stirling has continued to promote the Centre for Trace Element Analysis and its research capabilities both formally and informally to a large number of researchers within and outside of New Zealand through 2007.

She also taught geochemistry and plasma source mass spectrometry to postgraduate students in the geosciences at a workshop held at GNS Science, Wellington.

Dr Stirling and Dr Malcolm Reid provided training in plasma source mass spectrometry to new users of the Centre’s instrumentation.

Dr Stirling is an Associate Editor of the international scientific journal Quaternary Geochronology (Elsevier), a session organizer and convener for the 2008 International Goldschmidt Conference in geochemistry to be held in Vancouver, and a member of the Geochemical Society, the American Geophysical Union, and the Scientific Advisory Board for Isotrace Ltd, NZ.

Community Involvement

Dr Stirling promoted her research and the Centre for Trace Element Analysis at the international Goldschmidt Conference in geochemistry, held in Cologne, Germany in September 2007, and at the international FIRMS Conference in forensic science, held in Dunedin in November 2007.

She gave an invited talk at the Quaternary Techniques Workshop held at GNS Science in May 2007, which aims to teach geochemical tools to 3rd and 4th year earth science students at New Zealand universities. She also presented climate-related research findings and future research directions to other New Zealand scientists in related research disciplines at a NIWA-led Ocean Acidification workshop, held in Dunedin in June 2007.

Dr Stirling also presented her research at the Marine Chemistry Group seminar series.

Dr Reid attended an ICP-MS workshop held in Wellington in May 2007.

Plans for the coming year

In 2008, Dr Stirling will focus efforts on developing analytical techniques and acquiring the first datasets for research projects funded in 2007.

Funding for the following additional research programmes are in application: In February 2008, two additional proposals in geochemistry and cosmochemistry were submitted to the Australian Research Council (ARC), in collaboration with researchers at the Australian National University, Washington State University, the University of Hawaii, the University of California – Davis, Arizona State University, and the University of Toronto. If funded, both programmes will interface well with C. Stirling’s Marsden-funded programme in cosmochemistry.

Following success in the preliminary proposal round, a full proposal will be submitted to FRST in March 2008, in collaboration with Crop and Food Research NZ and the Department of Human Nutrition at Otago, which examines the metabolic pathways of the nutrient selenium and its ability to reduce cancer risk in humans. Success of this proposal will allow the Centre to expand into nutritional research fields.

Dr Stirling will continue to promote the Centre for Trace Element Analysis at national and international conferences:

She will organize and convene a ‘geochemical techniques’ session at the international Goldschmidt Conference in geochemistry, to be held in Vancouver in July.

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She has been invited to attend a workshop in Bern, Switzerland, which aims to bring together recognized experts in the field of paleoclimatology to discuss future research directions in data collection for input into predictive climate models.

She will teach techniques in geochemistry to 3rd and 4th year earth science students at New Zealand universities at the Quaternary Techniques Workshop, to be held at GNS Science in May.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

The main highlights of 2007 were undoubtedly the official opening of the Centre for Trace Element Analysis in March, and the successful outcome of the majority of research proposals, including those submitted to high- profile national funding agencies. Thus, we now have the resources to extend our research programme into a number of distinct scientific disciplines, including isotope geochemistry, cosmochemistry, biogeochemistry and environmental chemistry, and compete at an international level within the scope of these programmes. In 2008, we hope to make considerable progress in each of these projects, while at the same time extending our capabilities into other research areas, such as nutritional science.

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

Staff Dr Malcolm Reid (Department of Chemistry) Dr Mihoko Numata (Department of Chemistry) Mr David Barr (Chemsearch)

Postgraduate Students Ms Melanie Gault-Ringold (co-supervised by C. Stirling) Ms Karin Lavin (co-supervised by C. Stirling) Ms Lucy Jack (co-supervised by M. Reid)

Media

Elementary My Dear ... Otago Bulletin, Issue 5, 23 March, 2007. Dunedin on Cutting Edge of Science. One News (TVNZ), 5 March, 2007. New research centre to reveal the solar system’s secrets. Channel 9, 6 March, 2007. Otago Daily Times, March 9, 2007.

Publicity materials, conference reports/programmes C.H. Stirling, M.B. Andersen, R. Warthmann and A.N. Halliday (invited lecture). Isotopic fractionation of uranium in low-temperature environments. Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, December 2007. C.H. Stirling, M. Numata and J. Kim. Strontium isotopic measurement by Laser-Ablation MC-ICPMS: A powerful tool in forensic tracing. 3rd FIRMS Network Conference, Dunedin, November 2007. C.H. Stirling. Community Trust of Otago Centre for Trace Element Analysis. 3rd FIRMS Network Conference, Dunedin, November 2007. J. Kim, T. Rochford, M. Numata and C.H. Stirling. Methyl Hg in brown trout (Salmo trutta): Effects of food, trophic level and life history. 3rd FIRMS Network Conference, Dunedin, November 2007. C.H. Stirling, M.B. Anderson, R. Warthmann and A.N. Halliday. Isotopic fractionation of uranium in low- temperature environments. 17th V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Cologne, August 2007. C.H. Stirling. The behaviour of the uranium decay series nuclides in the estuarine environment. Marine Chemistry Seminar Series, Dunedin, July 2007. C.H. Stirling (invited lecture). U-series disequilibrium dating of Quaternary carbonates. Invited lecture, Fourth Annual Quaternary Techniques Workshop, Rafter National Isotope Centre, GNS Sciences, Lower Hutt, May 2007.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Published research articles (2007, 2008, in press and submitted) C.H. Stirling and M.B. Andersen (2008). Uranium-series dating of fossil coral reefs: Extending the sea-level record beyond the last glacial cycle. Invited Paper In: Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. Frontiers, in submission. M. Gutjahr, M. Frank, C.H. Stirling, L.D. Keigwin and A.N. Halliday (2008). Tracing the Nd isotope evolution of North Atlantic Deep and Intermediate Waters in the western North Atlantic since the Last Glacial Maximum from Blake Ridge sediments. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., in press.

A.N. Halliday, C.H. Stirling, P.A. Freedman, F. Oberli, B. Reynolds, and R.B. Georg (2008). High precision isotope ratio measurements using multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In: Encyclopaedia of Mass Spectrometry 5, Chapter 17, in press. M.B. Andersen, C.H. Stirling, E.-K. Potter, A.N. Halliday, S.G. Blake, M.T. McCulloch, B.F. Ayling and M. O’Leary (2008). High-precision U-series measurements of more than 500,000 year old fossil corals. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 265, 229-245. C.H. Stirling, M.B. Andersen, E.-K. Potter and A.N. Halliday (2007). Low temperature Isotope Fractionation of uranium. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 264, 208-225. M. Gutjahr, M. Frank, C.H. Stirling, V. Klemm, T. van de Fleirdt and A.N. Halliday (2008). Reliable extraction of a deepwater trace metal isotope signal from Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide coatings of marine sediments. Chem. Geol. 242, 351-370. M.B. Andersen, C.H. Stirling, D. Porcelli, A.N. Halliday, P.S. Andersson and M. Baskaran (2007). High precision 234U/238U measurements of Arctic seawater and rivers: Implications for the transport and behaviour of riverine U in the marine environment. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 259, 171-185.

 university of otago dunedin city chair in entrepreneurship

Professor Brendan Gray Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship School of Business University of Otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research and activities update

Since being appointed in July 2007, Professor Gray, has been developing a strategic plan for the Centre for Entrepreneurship (C4E). The Centre aims to co-ordinate entrepreneurship research and teaching in the University of Otago. As part of its obligations to the Dunedin City Council (DCC), as the sponsor of the Chair, the Centre will also assist the DCC’s economic development unit, and other government agencies and industry associations, conduct research into effective ways of promoting new venture creation and business growth and development in Dunedin and the wider region.

Following a benchmarking trip to leading entrepreneurship research, teaching and commercialization institutions in Switzerland, Ireland, the USA and Canada in September 2007, plus consultations with Otago faculty and administrators interested in commercial entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, economic development, the commercialization of university and private sector innovations, and sustainable business practices, the C4E has prioritized seven research streams that a team of 15 researchers is now actively pursuing:

1. Youth Entrepreneurship 2. Creativity and innovation 3. Social Entrepreneurship, particularly Ecopreneurship (i.e. ecological sustainability of entrepreneurial activities) 4. Not-for-profit initiatives, and Ethnic Entrepreneurship 5. Policy issues (e.g. the entrepreneurial challenges behind becoming a “knowledge society”) 6. Community and collaborative initiatives (e.g. the Chatham Islands community development project, which began in late 2007 with seed funding from the C4E) 7. Psychology and behaviour of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs (i.e. corporate entrepreneurs) 8. Entrepreneurship performance and economic development issues

In late December 2007 the Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship also took over as Director of the Master of Entrepreneurship program. As well, he chaired the doctoral colloquium associated with the 10th Australia New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference, which was hosted by the University of Otago.

New and ongoing research publications and disseminations

Professor Gray has been co-author of six journal articles accepted for publication in 2007, 2008 or 2009. Most of these relate to previous research undertaken in service firm performance, marketing strategy and marketing communications. Current research into the cultures of successful organisations is continuing, and has implications for the development of competitive entrepreneurial ventures. Professor Gray also attended the McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference, where he presented a paper, took part in a Delphi research project and sat on an associated panel to set priorities for international entrepreneurship research in the next 10 years. Tanakinjal, Geoffrey H., Deans, Kenneth R. and Gray, Brendan, “Management of Permission-Based Mobile Marketing Diffusion: A Conceptual Model,” International Journal of Business and Management, accepted for publication in Vol. 2, No. 6, December 2007. Sogn-Grundvåg, Geir, Arne Rånes, Stein, Grønhaug, Kjell and Gray, Brendan, “Co-creating value in a retail market setting”, accepted for publication in the Journal of Food Products Marketing, 2008. Aitken, Robert, Gray, Brendan and Lawson, Robert, “Advertising effectiveness from a consumer perspective”, accepted for publication in the International Journal of Advertising, 2008. Gray, Brendan J., Matear, Sheelagh, Deans, Kenneth, and Garrett, Tony, “Assessing Sources of Competitive Advantage in a Service-Dominant World”, Australasian Marketing Journal, 15(1), 2007, pp72-78. Gray, Brendan J., Geir Grundvåg Ottesen, Jim Bell, Cassandra Chapman and Jemma Whiten, “What are the essential capabilities of marketers? A comparative study of managers’, academics’ and students’ perceptions”, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 25 (3), 2007, pp.271-295. Browning, Vicky, Edgar, Fiona, Gray, Brendan, and Garrett, Tony, “Realising competitive advantage through HRM in New Zealand service industries,” Services Industries Journal, accepted for publication in volume 29, number 4 (June), 2009.

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Gray, Brendan J., Ottesen, Geir G. and Matear, Sheelagh M. “Best practices in market orientation”, in the Proceedings of the 10th McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference, Los Angelis, UCLA, September 28-30, 2007, on disk.

Research Funding

Awards and internal funding The Dean of the School of Business, Professor George Benwell, has made seed funding for C4E research initiatives available until July 2010. After that time the Centre’s research will have to become self-funding.

Collaborations

As well as collaborating with researchers at the University of Otago, Professor Gray is also developing collaborative research projects with researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and University of Ulster, U.K., to investigate the internationalisation of entrepreneurial ventures, and is collaborating with researchers at Missouri State University, USA, to undertake cross-cultural research into the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs (as the NZ partner of the E-World Project).

Professor Gray is also co-ordinating a research project, in collaboration with the DCC, to identify research and development capabilities and innovation processes of small and medium-sized enterprises. The research will help to inform a potential collaboration with Professor John Hosking from the Department of Computer Science, Auckland University, to bring the Extenda program to Otago (this education outreach helps to develop innovation capabilities by placing multi-disciplinary teams of university students in enterprises wishing to develop innovation processes). The Centre for Entrepreneurship is hosting Professor Hosking in mid-February to explore opportunities.

Other contributions to research environment

Professor Gray is a member of the Business Capability Partnership (BCP), a research panel established by the Ministry of Economic Development to investigate ways of improving the business capabilities of New Zealand firms.

Community involvement

In January 2008 the University of Otago was selected as a finalist in the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards. The application focused on how the Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship is forging successful links between the University, City Council and wider business community.

Professor Gray delivered his Inaugural Professorial Lecture in November 2007, entitled Cultures of Success. In March 2008 he will also discuss implications of the research findings to business owners and managers and economic development agency executives at the Bank of New Zealand Business Seminar Series.

He is also an active member of the Dunedin Economic Development Action Group, which works with business organisations, local government and economic development organisations to improve entrepreneurship, business growth and development and encourage job creation in the city of Dunedin and the wider provincial regions of Otago and Southland.

In late 2007 Professor Gray helped to establish a business advice service, in partnership with the Otago Chamber of Commerce, which uses School of Business faculty to provide free diagnostic consultations for small businesses.

He also sits on the advisory board of the Kickstart student entrepreneurship mentoring scheme and the associated Audacious business competition.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Since being appointed Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship in mid-2007 he has given three guest lectures or public presentations on his research: • BioSouth Breakfast Series: Presentation on “Aims of the Centre for Entrepreneurship”, November 8, 2007. • Guelph University, Canada, visiting professor program: Seminars on “Teenage responses to road safety advertising” and “Improving service branding”, September, 2007. • Her Business Network, Dunedin: Seminar on “Best practices in service marketing”, August 18, 2007.

Plans for coming year

Specific goals for 2008 include: • Developing a youth entrepreneurship “pipeline” by encouraging high school graduates who have taken part in the Young Enterprise Scheme to come to the University of Otago to develop their innovative ideas as undergraduate students who take part in the Kickstart and Audacious initiatives and/or move on to the Master of Entrepreneurship degree once they complete their Bachelors degrees. This will involve collaborative research with the Enterprise New Zealand Trust, and will also build on case study research currently being undertaken into the Kickstart scheme. The possible introduction of an undergraduate Minor in Entrepreneurship in 2009 will also be investigated. • Completing a book based on the Cultures of Success research. • Gaining external research funding for the Chatham Islands community development project (in partnership with local Iwi and community trusts and NZTE), as well as the other projects discussed earlier. • Winning the right to host the McGill International Entrepreneurship Conference at the University of Otago (in late 2008 or 2010). • Submitting at least two journal articles for publication in leading entrepreneurship journals. • Jointly editing, with a colleague in Germany, Professor Sabrina Helm, a special edition of the Australasian Marketing Journal on corporate reputation (to be published early 2009). • Completing an entrepreneurship audit of the University, Otago Polytechnic, DCC and local business community.

Comments from Leading Thinker

As I was appointed to the Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship in July 2007, this report only covers the last half of the year which was the first six months of my tenure. Also, during this period, I was still an active member of the Department of Marketing, which included completing lecturing commitments in the second semester of 2007 that I had agreed to earlier in the year, as well as helping to organise the ANZMAC conference and doctoral colloquium. I also continue to supervise eight postgraduate (Masters and PhD) students in Marketing and one in Public Health, so have not yet had time to attract any PhD students in Entrepreneurship. In late 2007 the Director of the Master of Entrepreneurship (MEntr) program left suddenly, so I have also agreed to take on this extra duty in 2008. I am hoping that later in the year, when four of my existing students should have completed their theses and the MEntr program has settled down, I will be able to devote more time to entrepreneurship research. It is fair to say that the first year of my tenure will be a transition period, and that I may have to temper my original aims and ambitions.

 university of otago eamon cleary chair in irish studies

Professor Peter Kuch Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies Division of Humanities University of Otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research and Activities Update

The highlight of the year, without doubt, was the visit by President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, to receive an Honorary degree and to launch the Irish Studies programme while on her state visit of New Zealand. Professor Kuch was privileged to represent the University of Otago at the state banquet held by the Governor General at Government house in Wellington where he was able to renew acquaintance with His Excellency Mairtin O Fainin, the Irish Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, and the Honorary Consul, Rodney Walshe, and meet Maire ni Ainifin, the Irish Minister for Education. He was also privileged to be seated next to President McAleese at the official lunch graciously organised by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Skegg, at his residence on the day the President visited the University. It was a great pleasure also to see Eamon Cleary again and to have Eamon, his children and his advisors to dinner that evening. The President s visit brought the University and the Irish Studies programme extensive national and international publicity.

The Minor in Irish Studies has now been organised, approved, and advertised. The website has been launched (http://www.otago.ac.nz/irish_studies); a course booklet has been produced and distributed; and posters and flyers have been designed, printed, and displayed. 2008 will see the first intake of students into the only Minor in Irish Studies at a New Zealand or an Australian university.

Irish Studies comprises a suite of eight papers four in Literature, two in History, one in Theatre and one in Film from which students, if they wish to qualify for the Minor, are required to complete five. They can however enrol for only one or two of the papers if that is what best satisfies their needs. Each of the papers is taught by the relevant School, whether English, History, Theatre or Film, thus ensuring an academic programme that combines flexibility with intellectual rigour. To have Irish history co-taught by Irish Studies and the School of History, with a School of History identifier, for example, ensures that students are reminded that the story of Ireland s past sits within other narratives, whether ideological, theoretical or philosophical. Situating the papers in their relevant disciplines also ensures that while each Irish Studies paper contributes to and strengthens the host discipline, the cumulative effect of the five papers for the Minor is a more nuanced and more contextualised intellectual understanding of Irish literature, history, theatre and film than one produced by a stand-alone programme. The challenge posed by such a structure is to find an efficient and accurate way of distinguishing Irish Studies enrolments from enrolments in the host discipline, though this is far outweighed by the intellectual benefits that flow from a School-based structure.

In addition to teaching a very enjoyable and highly successful Honours course entitled Writing the Nation: Fact ? and/or Fiction ? and a third level course: Irish Poetry from W.B. Yeats to Seamus Heaney and contributing to ENGL250 (20th Century Irish Literature in English), Professor Kuch supervised two Honours theses and examined several others. He also mentored a number of junior colleagues and is presently assisting with the organisation of Remapping Cinema, Remaking History, the forthcoming XIVth Biennial Conference of the Film and History Association of Australia and New Zealand, which will be held at the University of Otago between the 27th and 30th of November 2008.

Other contributions to research environment

Presented papers being or will be published: • IASIL in Dublin (International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures) • CISLE in Barcelona (Centre for the International Study of Literatures in English) • 50th anniversary of the Dublin Theatre Festival held at the Project Theatre • Screenscapes Conference convened at Sydney University

And, finalised camera-ready copy of a book and as requested by publishers, wrote several reports on projects and manuscripts submitted to them.

Professor Kuch was invited by the Australian Federal Government to spend a day with the top 200 secondary school teachers drawn from all over the country at which he delivered a plenary lecture and conducted two seminars on ways of teaching the poetry of W.B. Yeats, one of the more demanding authors on what promises to be a national curriculum for the teaching of literature in secondary schools throughout Australia.

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Finally, the successful inaugural Irish Film Festival was staged in Dunedin and in Auckland in October. The festival was given important financial support from the Vice-Chancellor, who opened the Dunedin Festival and Nigel McKenna, Chairman of the New Zealand Ireland Fund, who opened the Auckland Festival. In all, 970 tickets were sold and with an income of $13,380.90 and expenditure of $13,274.70 the combined Festivals returned a positive balance of $256.20. As important, the publicity generated by the Film Festivals proved valuable in drawing the attention of the Irish and the New Zealand public to Irish Studies at Otago. Important to the success of the festival was: Adrienne Molloy, Director of the Otago Centre in Auckland; Peter Scott, Marketing and Communications Division; staff of the University of Otago Printing Department; staff of Rialto Cinemas in Dunedin and in Auckland.

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

The Irish Studies programme has greatly benefited from a number of significant appointments made just prior to and during 2007.

Dr Rory Sweetman will be teaching undergraduate Irish history over a two-year contract lectureship. Dr Sweetman is a Trinity College, Dublin and Cambridge graduate and the author of several books on Irish and New Zealand history. His personable manner, wide knowledge, enthusiastic lecturing, and deep interest in his students has seen significant enrolments in the history papers associated with the programme.

Dr William Martin, also on a two-year contract, is the inaugural Post-Doctoral Fellow. Dr Martin’s work on rhythm in Plato, Aristotle and Joyce has already won a prestigious award. He also proved a highly accomplished occasional lecturer when he gave two lectures to third year students on the poetry of Seamus Heaney.

Dr Lisa Marr has again proved a most valuable casual lecturer and tutor, while the highly professional research work she has done on aspects of the Irish Theatrical Diaspora project has been greatly appreciated.

Dr Angela McCarthy appointed as a Professor of Scottish and Irish History. Dr McCarthy not only brings a long list of prestigious publications and a far-reaching network of international contacts to the programme but also possesses the expertise to help develop its post-graduate and research profile.

PhD students • Jared Lesser, who holds first class honours from UNSW, will be researching modernist racial discourses. • Pamela Browne, from Christchurch, has a BA Hons and an MA Hons and is researching contemporary Irish theatre. • Peter Dulgar, is writing on the semiotics of the cinematic adaptation of short fiction.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 edgar national centre for diabetes research and education

Professor Jim Mann Director, Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and Education Dunedin School of Medicine Division of Health Sciences University of Otago

 university of otago

Research and Activities Report

The Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research (ENCDR) has had a successful year in terms of attracting research funding, new initiatives, project completions and publications. Extension of our Health Research Council Programme Grant (value: $2.1m) as well as smaller grants from Lottery Health Research and the Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust ensure the continuing viability of the research programmes. The appointment of Dr Rachael Taylor as the KPS Senior Research Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity will considerably enhance activities of the ENCDR.

The formation of the Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases (CTRCD) under the aegis of the ENCDR has facilitated close collaboration with colleagues at Massey and Victoria Universities and the Auckland University of Technology and provides opportunities for strengthening other existing links both nationally and internationally. The first major contract involves a four year evaluation of the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action (HEHA) programme, the Government s principal public health strategy for reducing the epidemic of obesity and associated comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, in New Zealand.

A number of major projects were successfully completed during 2007 including the publication describing the results of the active intervention phase of the APPLE Study, the first evaluation of the Ngati and Healthy Prevent Diabetes Project and the HEAT Project which examined approaches to the long term maintenance of weight loss.

The World Health Organization Expert Panel on dietary carbohydrates and the New Zealand Ministry of Health Expert Advisory Group on diabetes and cardiovascular disease, both chaired by Jim Mann and supported by members of the ENCDR team, completed their reports, now published. Jim Mann also played a lead role in the much publicised World Cancer Research Fund Report on Diet, Physical Activity and Cancer which identified obesity as the common causal risk factor for the three major groups of non-communicable disease: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. These and other activities are described in more detail in the sections which follow.

Research funding

Health Research Council of New Zealand (Programme Grant extension): Lifestyle and nutritional approaches to reduce obesity, type 2 diabetes and its complications . Investigators: Professor Jim Mann, Dr Rachael Taylor, Dr Kirsten McAuley, Dr Kirsten Coppell, Ms Lorraine Brooking, Associate Professor Sheila Williams, Associate Professor Geoff Chase, Dr Alex Chisholm, Dr Geoff Shaw, Ms Eleanor Murphy, Dr David Tipene-Leach, Ms Helen Pahau, Associate Professor Patrick Manning, Professor Rob Walker, Dr Wayne Sutherland, Miss Victoria Farmer, Mr Chris Booker. Starting: 01/07/07 for 3 years ($2,116,152).

This HRC programme grant funds 3 projects: i. The APPLE project: preventing obesity in children via environmental intervention . Principal Investigator: Dr Rachael Taylor. Commencing 1st September 2007 for 3 years ($948,554). Process Evaluation and long term follow up. ii. Ngati and Healthy . Principal Investigators: Dr Kirsten Coppell and Prof Jim Mann. Commencing 1 September 2007 for 3 years ($713,105). Process Evaluation and second phase intervention. iii. Validation of a new clinical test for insulin sensitivity . Principal Investigator: Dr Kirsten McAuley. Commencing 1 September 2007 for 2 years ($454,493).

Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust. The effects of IL-18 on body weight regulation . Investigators: Professor Dave Grattan, Mr Chris Booker. Starting on 01/05/07 for 3 years ($22,000).

Lottery Health Research. Impact of removing televisions from households: feasibility study . Investigators: Dr Rachael Taylor, Associate Professor Oliver Davidson, Professor Grant Schofield, Dr Martha Bell, Miss Victoria Farmer. Starting on 01/01/08 for 1 year ($72,877).

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Collaborations

Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases The Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases (CTRCD) was established under the aegis of the ENCDR in March 2007. The CTRCD principally involves close collaboration with colleagues in Massey and Victoria Universities, the Auckland University of Technology and the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow and has the potential to strengthen other existing collaborations with individuals and institutions nationally and internationally. A contract, potentially of the value of around $4m, has been awarded following a request for proposals by the Ministry of Health to evaluate the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action (HEHA) strategy, the Government s public health approach to reducing obesity and its comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes.

Ngati Porou Hauora (NPH) The long standing collaboration with NPH relating to the Ngati and Healthy Prevent Diabetes Project (led by colleagues from NPH and Dr Kirsten Coppell) has enabled the development of a successful community diabetes prevention programme. The process evaluation of the first phase of this project and a second prevalence survey were completed in 2007.

University of Canterbury and Christchurch School of Medicine Dr Kirsten McAuley s work on assessing insulin sensitivity has led to an HRC research grant which has enabled a major collaboration study (led by Dr McAuley) to be established in Christchurch with Prof Geoff Chase and Dr Thomas Lotz (University of Canterbury) and Drs Geoff Shaw and Juliet Berkeley (Christchurch School of Medicine).

World Health Organization Strong collaboration continues with the WHO Nutrition and Chronic Diseases (including diabetes) groups based in Geneva. 2006 saw the publication of the WHO/FAO Scientific Update on Carbohydrates chaired and edited by Jim Mann who also acted as advisor to the review on trans fatty acids.

World Cancer Research Fund Jim Mann was a member of the Advisory Group and Panel (strongly supported by the ENCDR team) which produced the widely acclaimed report Diet, Physical Activity and Cancer. This report has particular relevance to type 2 diabetes since it now identifies obesity as the risk factor common to all three major groups of chronic diseases: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

International Union of Nutritional Sciences The panel on Evidence-Based Nutrition is chaired by Jim Mann. He also acts as the liaison person between the International Union and the Nutrition Group at WHO.

European Union Diabetes Research Groups Jim Mann has convened the group which has generated and revised the nutritional guidelines for the management of diabetes on behalf of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes since 1985. As a result of this work, close collaboration has developed with the diabetes research groups in the Universities of Dusseldorf, Uppsala, Naples and Kuopio.

Other contributions to the research environment

APPLE (A Pilot Programme for Lifestyle and Exercise) Study. The active intervention phase of this, the first controlled community-based intervention study aimed at reducing childhood obesity, has been completed and evaluated with publications in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Health Education Journal.

HEAT (Healthy Eating And Training) Study. This HRC funded project which examined approaches to the long- term maintenance of weight loss provided the central component of Dr Kelly Dale s PhD thesis. The first paper summarising the findings has been submitted to the British Medical Journal.

Measurement of insulin sensitivity. The first phase of this research led by Dr Kirsten McAuley has been completed and led to the publication of a review article in Diabetes Care.

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Otago Diabetes Project. During the year, the ENCDR became the custodian of this project and the 10th year of this primary care focussed quality improvement project was completed. Ten years of longitudinal data will facilitate answers to a number of useful research questions.

Award of Ministry of Health Research Contract (in response to a Request for Proposals) to lead a consortium to evaluate the national Healthy Eating, Health Action (HEHA) programme, one of the largest government sponsored public health programmes.

Initiation of several new research projects: • Lifestyle Over and Above Drugs in Diabetes (LOADD) Study • Impact of removing televisions from households: feasibility study • The effects of IL-18 on body weight

Other activities Jim Mann chaired the Ministry of Health Expert Advisory Group which developed the first phase of the Quality Improvement Plan for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease as well as several advisory groups relating to the implementation of the HEHA strategy. Kirsten Coppell and Jim Mann contributed to the National Diabetes Epidemiology Workshop in August and Kirsten wrote the summary report of the workshop for the Ministry of Health. Kirsten Coppell and Jim Mann were appointed to the New Zealand Guidelines Group panel charged with the revision of the cardiovascular disease and diabetes guidelines.

ENCDR staff act as regular reviewers for international medical and scientific journals including the Lancet, Diabetologia, Diabetes Care, the American and European Journals of Clinical Nutrition and Professor Jim Mann is on the Editorial Board of five international journals. He also chairs the Scientific Committee of the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand and the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) which updates the nutritional recommendations for those people with diabetes.

Staff regularly review applications for research grants to the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, Medical Research Council (UK), Diabetes UK, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) and the National Institutes of Health (USA) and occasionally for other international grant awarding bodies.

Staff of the ENCDR are involved in the supervision of five PhD students: Lorraine Brooking, Claire Cameron, Amber Strong, Lisa Te Morenga and Chris Booker, previously Senior Research Technician in the ENCDR, jointly supervised by Associate Professor Dave Grattan of the Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology.

Teaching within and external to the university is also undertaken. In addition to teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students, teaching on diabetes has been provided for nurses and general practitioners.

Community Involvement

The work of the Centre has been well reported in the national media (press, radio and television) and articles have been written for a lay readership. There has been considerable involvement with community organisations at the national and local levels. For example, Jim Mann acts as an advisor to Diabetes New Zealand (DNZ) nationally and is also patron of Diabetes Otago. In addition to serving as Chair of the Scientific Committee of the National Heart Foundation (NHF) he acts as an advisor to several of their community and patient related groups and has been guest speaker at several local functions of the NHF (for example, the Anniversary Celebrations of the Southland Branch).

All members of the ENCDR have given invited lectures to a wide range of other community groups as diverse as Rotary Clubs, the Otago Over 60s Club, University of the 3rd Age and the Royal Arch Annual Convocation of Free Masons, New Zealand.

The ENCDR is involved with the running of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD). Professor Jim Mann and Dr Kirsten Coppell are members of the executive committee, with Professor Mann being Chairman. The ENCDR acts as the secretariat for the NZSSD.

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Invited conference and symposium lectures

• Mann J. Dietary Fibre: Confusion reigns supreme. Invited lecture. 25th International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition (DNSG), Kuopio, Finland, June, 2007. • Mann J. Stemming the tide of the Diabetes Epidemic in New Zealand. Keynote lecture. Joint New Zealand & Australian Nutrition Societies Conference & Annual Scientific Meeting, Auckland, December 2007. • Mann J. The changing pattern of heart disease in NZ: New approaches required. Invited lecture. Medical Sciences Congress, Queenstown, November 2007. • Mann J. Obesity as a risk factor for cancer. Invited lecture. World Cancer Research Fund s Launch of Report on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, October/November 2007, Beijing and Hong Kong. • Coppell K. Insulin Resistance and Diabetes in New Zealand. Invited lecture. Symposium on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Vulnerable Populations. Research Centre for Māori Health and Development, Massey University, October 2007. • Mann J. Body fatness: Its significance to cancer. Invited lecture. The Cancer Society of New Zealand Symposium, Wellington, November 2007. • Mann J. Obesity, Prediabetes and Diabetes. Invited lecture. Perioperative Nurses Conference, Dunedin, September 2007. • Mann J. Food and nutrition in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Invited lecture. 45th Annual Conference, Diabetes NZ, Hamilton, May 2007. • Mann J. Diabetes prevention strategies. Invited lecture. South Link Education Trust GP Conference, Queenstown, May 2007. • Mann J. Definition of dietary fibre. Invited lecture. Food Standards Authority New Zealand (FSANZ) Quads Meeting Dietary Fibre Workshop, Auckland, March 2007.

Conferences

Taylor R, McAuley KA, Barbezat W, Williams SM, Mann JI. Reducing excessive weight gain in 5-12 year old children via enhancing non-curricular activity and healthy eating: the APPLE project. ADS & ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting in association with NZSSD. 5-7 September (Christchurch, NZ). Oral Presentation.

Dale K, McAuley K, Mann J, Taylor R, Chisholm A, Vorgers S, Williams S, Farmer V. Determining optimal approaches for successful maintenance of weight loss. 25th International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition. 25th Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group Symposium (Finland). Oral Presentation.

Lotz T, McAuley KA, Chase G, Shaw GM, Mann J. A simple model-based test for insulin sensitivity compares well with the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp. ADS & ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting in association with NZSSD. 5-7 September (Christchurch, NZ). Poster Presentation.

Coppell K, Williams S, Anderson K, Farmer V. Changes in hospitalisations for the Otago Diabetes Register population, 1997-2005. What does it mean? ADS & ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting in association with NZSSD. 5-7 September (Christchurch, NZ). Poster Presentation.

Coppell K, Williams S, Anderson K. Characteristics of type 2 diabetic patients with unsatisfactory glycaemic control enrolled on the Otago Diabetes Register. ADS & ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting in association with NZSSD. 5-7 September (Christchurch, NZ). Poster Presentation.

Awards

• Kelly Dale received the Young Investigator Award at the 25th Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group Symposium in Kuopio, Finland.

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Plans for the coming year

Many of the research and service commitments are ongoing.

The APPLE Study enters a new phase: process evaluation and a further survey to determine the extent to which benefits accrued during the active intervention phase have been sustained. The structural strategy of the Ngati and Healthy Project will be extended and the process evaluation with the addition of a formative evaluation continued for another three years.

The LOADD (Lifestyle Over and Above Drugs in Diabetes) Study is now in full swing and may lead to a multicentre, multinational study with morbidity and mortality endpoints rather than clinical and laboratory measures as in the present study. The insulin sensitivity work in Christchurch will gather momentum. The evaluation of the HEHA strategy represents a major challenge and will be immensely time consuming. The IL-18 Study and the feasibility study relating to removing televisions from households (see Section 1C (vi) above) will be initiated. The initiation of additional projects will depend upon the success of HRC grant applications currently pending.

ENCDR staff are scheduled to give keynote and invited lectures and oral presentations at major international conferences: • International Diabetes Federation-Western Pacific Region Congress, Wellington (31 March-4 April) • 5th World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and its Complications, Helsinki, Finland (1-4 June) • 10th Nordic Meeting for Dietitians, Uppsala, Sweden (10-12 April)

National and international guideline and advisory groups described earlier will continue.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

There have been two key developments in the life of the ENCDR during the past year: the appointment of Dr Rachael Taylor as KPS Senior Research Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity and the formation of the University of Otago Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases (CTRCD).

Obesity is the major preventable cause of type 2 diabetes and there is universal agreement that the greatest hope of prevention and risk reduction lies in the earliest possible intervention. Dr Taylor has been associated with the ENCDR since its establishment, but the contribution which the Centre can make to this core component of its activities will understandably be enhanced by this appointment.

The formation of the CTRCD creates exciting opportunities for collaboration with leading authorities in the fields ofmarketing (Professor Janet Hoek, Professor of Marketing, Massey University); physical activity (Professor Grant Schofield, Director of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Auckland University of Technology, specialising in the role of physical activity in enhancing human health); public policy (Dr Jackie Cumming, Director of the Health Services Research Centre, Victoria University); public health (Dr Louise Signal, Health Promotion and Policy Research Unit, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington) and economics of obesity and primary health care (Dr Bronwyn Croxson, Health Services Research Centre, Victoria University) and strengthening our relationship with Prof Mike Lean of the University of Glasgow, an internationally acknowledged expert in obesity research. Although the major initial task of the CTRCD will be the evaluation of the HEHA strategy, the ENCDR as a whole will benefit from the expertise of these colleagues whose fields of interest impact on most, if not all, aspects of our activities.

I believe that the achievements of the ENCDR in terms of both research outputs and professional activities have been considerable. This is entirely a result of the enthusiasm and commitment well beyond the usual call of duty shown by all those associated with the Centre. Those employed in other University departments and institutions have been as involved as the small number of staff members directly employed by the ENCDR. The outputs have been remarkably diverse ranging from publication in the leading international medical journals and involvement in high level national and international decision making to the provision of a secretariat for the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD).

We have been fortunate both in terms of our endowment and in being able to attract reasonably substantial research grant contract funding. However we are all too well aware of the unpredictability of research funding and we have no funding for infrastructure and our wide ranging public service commitments which form a core component of our mission. We are undoubtedly overcommitted to an extent that is not sustainable in the long term without

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

additional income. Thus we must attempt to increase our endowment income. In addition we remain committed to enhancing our activities relating to type 1 diabetes with exciting prospects on the horizon in 2008. Currently, most of our research in the ENCDR has related directly or indirectly to type 2 diabetes. This applies to other New Zealand-based research as well as the activities of relevant governmental and non-governmental organisations. Yet there is convincing research that rates of type 1 diabetes are escalating. The causes of this increased prevalence are unknown and services provided for those with type 1 diabetes are not taking into account the fact that type 1, along with type 2, diabetes, is rapidly acquiring epidemic status .

Summary of Staff and Postgraduate Students Supervised

Staff Professor Jim Mann (Director) CNZM, FRSNZ Jim Mann has been Professor in Human Nutrition and Medicine at the University of Otago and Consultant Physician (Endocrinology) in Dunedin Hospital for the past 20 years. He is Director of the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Human Nutrition. For the preceding 15 years he lectured at the University of Oxford and worked as a Physician in the Radcliffe Infirmary. His research and clinical work have principally been in the fields of lipids and carbohydrates as they relate to diabetes and coronary heart disease. He is the author of 306 publications, 72 book chapters and 6 books on related topics.

He has been involved with a number of national and international organisations concerned with nutrition and health, several of which he has chaired or is continuing to chair, including the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the European Association for the study of Diabetes, the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, the Expert Advisory Group on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease of the New Zealand Ministry of Health and several Expert and Advisory Groups of the World Health Organization, World Cancer Research Fund and the International Union of Nutritional Sciences.

Dr Kirsten Coppell (Senior Research Fellow) MBChB, MPH, FAFPHM Dr Kirsten Coppell is a specialist in public health medicine and has also trained and practised as a general practitioner. Prior to undertaking diabetes research she was involved with monitoring the National Cervical Screening Programme and worked as a medical officer at the Family Planning Association. Kirsten hasa particular interest in monitoring and evaluation of registers as a tool to improve quality of care and community interventions.

Dr Kirsten McAuley (Senior Research Fellow) MBChB, PhD Dr Kirsten McAuley is a medical practitioner with extensive experience in clinical and community-based studies regarding weight loss, obesity, diabetes and insulin sensitivity in adults. Dr McAuley s previous research includes studies assessing the estimation of insulin sensitivity using simple surrogates and she has implemented a number of clinical studies involving lifestyle intervention in insulin resistant individuals.

Dr Rachael Taylor (KPS Senior Research Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity) PhD Dr Rachael Taylor was employed in this position in May 2007. Dr Taylor has had over 12 years investigating various aspects of body composition, obesity and health in children and adolescents. She was also the principal investigator for the APPLE (A Pilot Programme for Lifestyle and Exercise) Study, the first successful New Zealand obesity prevention initiative in children which demonstrated that a relatively simple intervention can significantly reduce the rate at which primary school aged children gain weight.

Margaret Johnston (Senior Research Technician) BSc, PGDipSci, DipTeach Margaret has a background in Chemistry and has many years teaching experience at the secondary school level. She joined the ENCDR at the beginning of 2007 and is particularly involved with the evaluation of the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action (HEHA) programme currently being undertaken by the ENCDR, CTRCD and collaborators.

Victoria Farmer (Senior Research Technician) MSc Victoria Farmer s Masters research involved isolating bacteriocins produced by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus warneri. A move from a communicable disease research environment to the ENCDR has led Victoria to assist with running the Centre and involvement in numerous research projects carried out by the ENCDR. In 2008 she will study a University paper, Public Health 701: Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

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Chris Booker (PhD Student) BSc(Hons) Chris Booker, formerly a Senior Research Technician at the ENCDR, started a PhD in 2007 with funding provided by a Postgraduate Scholarship from the National Heart Foundation. His research will focus on the role of inflammatory markers and adipokines in type 2 diabetes, and be based at both the ENCDR and the Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology.

PhD • Kelly Whiteford. The HEAT Study; Encouraging Weight Maintenance. 2003 2007. • Lorraine Brooking. Lifestyle interventions to improve Mäori health. 2001 - • Lisa Te Morenga. Nutritional determinants of insulin sensitivity. 2006 - • Chris Booker. Inflammatory markers and adipokines in type 2 diabetes. 2006 - • Amber Parry-Strong. Dietary intervention for the Diabetes Excess Weight Loss (DEWL) Study. 2007

MSc • Amber Strong. Reducing sugary drink consumption and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption of primary school children. 2005 2006. • Wendy Aitken. Genetic variation and plasma cholesterol response to changes in dietary fat. 2004 2005.

M MedSci Nathan Joseph. Barriers to improving glycaemic control in Mäori patients with type 2 diabetes. 2005 -

B Med Sci Emma Heydon. A survey of iodine status and pre-diabetic status in a Sherpa Community. 2005 – 2006.

Published research articles

Refereed Journal Articles Mann J. Dietary carbohydrate: relationship to cardiovascular disease and disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007;61(Suppl 1):S100-S111. McAuley KA, Mann JI, Chase JG, Lotz TF, Shaw GM. Point: HOMA-Satisfactory for the Time Being: HOMA: The best bet for the simple determination of insulin sensitivity, until something better comes along. Diabetes Care 2007;30(9):2411-2413. Mann JI, Cummings JH, Englyst HN, Key T, Liu S, Riccardi G, Summerbell C, Uauy R, van Dam RM, Venn B, Vorster HH, Wiseman M. FAO/WHO Scientific Update on carbohydrates in human nutrition: conclusions. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007;61(Suppl 1):S132-S137. Goulding A, Grant A, Taylor R, Williams S, Parnell W, Wilson N, Mann J. Ethnic differences in extreme obesity. Journal of Pediatrics 2007;151:542-544. Parnell W, Wilson N, Alexander D, Wohlers M, Williden M, Mann J, Gray A. Exploring the relationship between sugars and obesity. Public Health Nutrition 2007;Sep 21:1-7. Taylor RW, McAuley KA, Barbezat W, Strong A, Williams SM, Mann JI. APPLE Project: 2-y findings of a community-based obesity prevention program in primary school age children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007;86(3):735-742. Mann J, McAuley K. Carbohydrates: is the advice to eat less justified for diabetes and cardiovascular health? Current Opinion in Lipidology 2007;18:9-12. Taylor RW. Obesity in New Zealand children a weighty issue (editorial). New Zealand Medical Journal 2007;120(1260):ISSN 1175 8716. URL: http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/120-1260/2689/. Taylor RW, Williams SM, Grant AM, Ferguson E, Taylor BJ, Goulding A. Waist circumference as a measure of trunk fat mass in children aged 3 to 5 years. Accepted, to appear in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity.

Submitted Taylor RW, Murdoch L, Carter P, Gerrard DF, Williams SM, Taylor BJ. Longitudinal study of physical activity and inactivity in preschoolers: FLAME study. Submitted 2007 Medicine Science in Sports and Exercise. Taylor RW, Williams S, Baylor B. Choosing the most appropriate BMI reference data to define overweight/obesity in the new 4.5-year-old Well Child Health Check. Submitted 2007 New Zealand Medical Journal.

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Textbooks Essentials of Human Nutrition. Published by Oxford University Press. J.I. Mann and A.S. Truswell (eds) 1st edition 1998, 41 chapters; 2nd edition 2002, 38 chapters; 3rd edition 2007, 40 chapters.

Book Chapters Mann JI, Truswell AS. Chapter 10.1: Diseases of overnourished societies and the need for dietary change. In: Warrell DA, Cox TM, Firth JD, editors. Oxford Textbook of Medicine. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2007. To be published. Mann JI, Cummings J. Carbohydrates. In: Mann JI, Truswell AS, editors. Essentials of Human Nutrition. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2007. p. 8-32. Mann JI, Skeaff M. Lipids. In: Mann JI, Truswell AS, editors. Essentials of Human Nutrition. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2007. p. 33-52. Mann JI, Chisholm A. Cardiovascular Diseases. In: Mann JI, Truswell AS, editors. Essentials of Human Nutrition. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2007. p. 283-312. Mann JI. Diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome. In: Mann JI, Truswell AS, editors. Essentials of Human Nutrition. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2007. p. 327-342.

Reports World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. Washington, DC: AICR, 2007.

Media

Members of the ENCDR are regularly interviewed by national and international media, most especially Radio New Zealand National, the New Zealand Herald, the Dominion Post, the Christchurch Press and the Otago Daily Times. Some other examples are listed below:

World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) Second Expert Report: On 1 November 2007 the WCRF released its Second Expert Report on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the prevention of Cancer – A Global Perspective. Prof Jim Mann was a member of the Expert Panel behind the report and gave numerous interviews on its publication: Interview with Prof Jim Mann on TV One News: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/1425921

Interview with Professor Jim Mann on TV 3 News: http://www.tv3.co.nz/tabid/209/articleID/38248/Default.aspx

Cancer Society to host launch of report Article on scoop.co.nz: www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0711/S00104.htm

Modern lifestyle contributing to global cancer rates- experts respond Australian Science Media Centre article: www.aussmc.org/WCRF_global_cancer_rates.php

Cancer report angers Aust meat industry ABC Local radio interview: www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2007/s2078487.htm

Obesity, inactivity top cancer cause rankings FOODweek Online Article: www.foodweek.com.au/main-features...articleId=1003

Fighting NZ's Epidemics With Food, Exercise Epoch Times Article: https://www.ninecommentaries.com/news/7-11-26/62346.html

Founders of innovative diabetes project to speak 7 November 2007 Article on scoop.co.nz: www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0711/S00046.htm

A1 milk critic no expert nutritionist 11 October 2007 Article on stuff.co.nz: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4233104a11.html

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Program helps kids stay at a healthy weight 20 September 2007 Article on Health News by Reuters: www.sutterdoc.com/health/healthinfo/reuters....cfm?fx=article&id=38901

Dr Rachael Taylor on school tuck shops 11 June 2007 Interview with Dr Rachael Taylor on TV One Breakfast: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_ skin/1178637

Regulating unhealthy foods in schools 11 June 2007 Interview with Professor Mann and National MP Katherine Rich on Campbell Live: www.tv3.co.nz/.../ CampbellLive/...7/cat/97/Default.aspx

Government launches $6m Feeding our Futures programme 24 May 2007 New Zealand Herald Article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/.../story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10441578

Child obesity focus of research post 8 May 2007 Article on TV One News: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1107145

Otago to research child obesity 8 May 2007 Article in New Zealand Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/...story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10438406

Demise of project deplored 17 April 2007 Article in the Otago Daily Times

Cut condemns diabetes project 24-25 March 2007 Article in the Otago Daily Times

Lessons learned from healthier school setting 10 March 2007 Article in New Zealand Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/.../story.cfm?c_id=288&objectid=10428086

Bitter pill for vitamin industry 28 Feb 2007 Article on TV One News: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1007431

Spending needed to fight diabetes 2 Feb 2007 Article in the Gisborne Herald

Internal or professional newsletters Big! University of Otago Magazine, Issue 16, February 2007. Pages 20-23.

APPLE study puts the bite on childhood weight gains HRC News. Issue 56, June 2007 (page 14) HRC Performance Highlights 2006/07 (page 16).

Harwood M and Tipene-Leach D. Chapter 9: Diabetes. In Robson B, Harris R, editors. Hauora: Mäori Standards of Health IV. A study of the years 2000-2005. Wellington: Te Röpü Rangahau Hauora e Eru Pömare. Karitane Senior Research Fellowship in Childhood Obesity

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 karitane senior research fellowship in childhood obesity

Dr Rachael Taylor Karitane Senior Research Fellow in Childhood Obesity Department of Human Nutrition Division of Sciences University of Otago

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Research and Activities Report

Dr Rachael Taylor was appointed Karitane Products Society (KPS) Senior Research Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity in March 2007 and took up the post in May 2007. She has been on maternity leave since the end of October 2007 and will return in May 2008. Despite the relatively short period of her appointment her research and professional outputs have been remarkable. She has been awarded two major research grants (by the Health research Council of New Zealand and Lottery Health Research), published research papers and submitted several others, initiated new research projects, supervised research students and played a key role as a member of the ENCDR and in a range of professional activities.

Her work as KPS Senior Research Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity has been facilitated by her membership of the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research (ENCDR) which has in turn benefited from her involvement. Obesity is clearly the key risk factor in type 2 diabetes and preventing excess weight gain in early life is universally acknowledged as the key top reversing the epidemic of type 2 diabetes.

Research funding

Health Research Council of New Zealand (Programme Grant extension): Lifestyle and nutritional approaches to reduce obesity, type 2 diabetes and its complications . Investigators: Professor Jim Mann, Dr Rachael Taylor, Dr Kirsten McAuley, Dr Kirsten Coppell, Ms Lorraine Brooking, Associate Professor Sheila Williams, Associate Professor Geoff Chase, Dr Alex Chisholm, Dr Geoff Shaw, Ms Eleanor Murphy, Dr David Tipene-Leach, Ms Helen Pahau, Associate Professor Patrick Manning, Professor Rob Walker, Dr Wayne Sutherland, Miss Victoria Farmer, Mr Chris Booker. Starting on 01/07/07 for 3 years ($2,116,152).

This HRC programme grant funds 3 projects: i. The APPLE project: preventing obesity in children via environmental intervention. Principal Investigator: Dr Rachael Taylor. Commencing 1 September 2007 for 3 years ($948,554) ii. Ngati and Healthy. Principal Investigator: Prof Jim Mann. Commencing 1 September 2007 for 3 years ($713,105). iii. Validation of a new clinical test for insulin sensitivity. Principal Investigator: Dr Kirsten McAuley. Commencing 1 September 2007 for 2 years ($454,493).

Lottery Health Research. Impact of removing televisions from households: feasibility study. Investigators: Dr Rachael Taylor, Associate Professor Oliver Davidson, Professor Grant Schofield, Dr Martha Bell, Miss Victoria Farmer. Starting on 01/01/08 for 1 year ($72,877).

Collaborations

This position has enabled many collaborations to be initiated as well as continued. Including those with: Professor Jim Lewis, Associate Professor and Chair in Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, USA.

Professor Grant Schofield, Director of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Auckland University of Technology.

Members of the University of Otago Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases (CTRCD) with involvement in the CTRCD s current evaluation of the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action (HEHA) government strategy. The CTRCD comprises members from many national and international institutions and departments.

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Other contributions to the research environment

APPLE (A Pilot Programme for Lifestyle and Exercise) Study. The active intervention phase of the APPLE Study has been completed and evaluated. APPLE is the first controlled community-based intervention study aimed at reducing childhood obesity in New Zealand and findings from this project have been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Health Education Journal. A manuscript detailing the results from the two year follow-up of APPLE is currently being considered by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

HEAT (Healthy Eating And Training) Study. This HRC funded project which examined approaches to the long- term maintenance of weight loss provided the central component of Dr Kelly Dale s PhD thesis for which Dr Taylor was a co-supervisor. The first paper summarising the findings has been submitted to the British Medical Journal.

Initiation of new projects: • Impact of removing televisions from households: feasibility study. Currently Dr Taylor is determining the feasibility of a trial designed to remove televisions from the households of 10-13 year old children (for a short time period). Focus groups with children of this age and their parents are being conducted to ascertain what the barriers to such as initiative would be, what it would take for families to accept such a challenge and their perceptions regarding what changes this might bring to their family lifestyles.

• Family based treatment for overweight preschool children. This project investigates the usefulness of motivational interviewing for increasing the acceptance of a child s weight status, and the uptake of families into a family-based weight management programme for their overweight children. Much of last year was spent developing and testing a motivational questionnaire which is currently being analysed. An application for funding for the full intervention is currently with the HRC.

• Primary prevention of rapid weight gain in early childhood. A second application is with the HRC for this large project which aims to determine the usefulness of sleep training and additional food/activity guidance over and above what is currently provided within the Well Child framework.

• Impact of sugary drinks on nutrient intake of New Zealand children. New Zealand children currently consume too much sugar, much of it from sugary drinks. We are using the Children s Nutrition Survey data to model what would happen to energy and nutrient intakes if sugary drinks (juice, soft drinks etc) were totally removed from the diets of New Zealand children. These theoretical calculations will also provide an indication of what dietary benefits may be obtained from smaller reductions in sugary drink intake.

Community Involvement

Conferences Taylor R, McAuley KA, Barbezat W, Williams SM, Mann JI. Reducing excessive weight gain in 5-12 year old children via enhancing non-curricular activity and healthy eating: the APPLE project. ADS & ADEA Annual Scientific Meeting in association with NZSSD. 5-7 September (Christchurch, NZ). Oral Presentation.

Dale K, McAuley K, Mann J, Taylor R, Chisholm A, Vorgers S, Williams S, Farmer V. Determining optimal approaches for successful maintenance of weight loss. 25th International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition. 25th Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group Symposium (Finland). Oral Presentation.

Plans for the coming year

The APPLE Study enters a new phase: process evaluation and a further survey to determine the extent to which benefits accrued during the active intervention phase have been sustained.

The completion of the one year feasibility study funded by Lottery Health Research for the study to investigate the impact of removing televisions from households (1 Jan 2008, 31 Dec 2008).

Completion of the collection and analysis of over 1500 questionnaires administered in the Paediatric Outpatients Department of the Dunedin Hospital. These questionnaires will inform a further study to investigate motivation, both on family and individual levels, to take part in healthy lifestyle interventions.

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Phase 1 of the obesity treatment initiative (evaluating different ways of feeding back weight status information to parents of preschool children) will take place and the intervention will start to be developed.

If funded, we will also begin work on the infant study, developing the protocols required.

Participation in the Centre for Translational Research in Chronic Diseases (CTRCD) evaluation of the Healthy Eating, Healthy Action (HEHA) government strategy. The CTRCD has been awarded a potential contract of $4m for this evaluation.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

It has been a busy nine months since being employed as the KPS Senior Research Fellow in Early Childhood Obesity in May 2007. I have completed the follow-up analyses of our community-based obesity prevention initiative in primary-school children, the APPLE project. At the end of the two-year study, we found that body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and systolic blood pressure were all reduced in intervention children relative to controls by important amounts. At follow-up, approximately two years later, intervention children still had significantly lower BMI values and a lower prevalence of overweight. This was an exciting finding, given our main intervention initiative (provision of Activity Co-ordinators to schools) was removed at the end of the intervention. The APPLE study has received widespread attention, both nationally and internationally, and a manuscript detailing the follow-up results is currently being considered by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Several other papers in childhood body composition and obesity have also been submitted since May including 1) an analysis of which BMI cut-off should be used in the national screening initiative underway as of February 2008 (the B4 School check), 2) determining whether waist circumference is an appropriate index of central fat distribution in preschool-aged children and 3) evaluating what influences physical activity in young children aged 3 to 5 years of age from a local birth cohort.

Some considerable time has also been spent developing two new projects in particular. The first concerns the new B4 School check mentioned above. Next year, every 4-year-old child will have their height and weight measured as part of a readiness for school check. However, the ethics of screening mean that participants should receive appropriate information regarding the outcomes and suitable treatment pathways must be available for those identified at risk. At this time, neither situation is apparent in New Zealand. Our proposed study, for which I am the Principal Investigator, will determine how best to feed back information to parents regarding the weight status of their child. This is an emotive issue at any age, but particularly in preschoolers where up to 80% of parents do not recognise overweight in their children. The second aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led family support programme aimed at maximising healthy lifestyles in families with young children. The programme has been developed to be suitable for use in either primary or secondary care. We have submitted an application to the Health Research Council for this project and have recruited a top nutrition student to undertake her PhD.

We have also submitted a funding proposal to HRC for the second major project. We are working with Professor Barry Taylor (Paediatrics) to develop an obesity prevention initiative aimed at children from birth to three years of age. We aim to determine if additional education and support to that provided by the current Well Child system can reduce the number of children with excessive weight gain in the first three years of life, improve breastfeeding rates, encourage healthier eating habits, reduce sedentary activity and improve sleeping habits in children. This ambitious project will have three arms, a control group which will receive the current Plunket care, a food+activity group which will receive approximately eight additional home (or clinic) visits targeting food and activity behaviours, and a food+activity+sleep group which is the same intervention with additional education and support around maximising sleeping habits in infants.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Summary of Postgraduate Students Supervised

PhD Kelly Whiteford. The HEAT study; Encouraging Weight Maintenance. 2003 - 2007. Amber Parry-Strong. Dietary intervention for the Diabetes Excess Weight Loss (DEWL) Study. 2007 - Philippa Carter. The FLAME study; longitudinal study of weight, food and activity in 3 to 7 year old children. 2005 -

MSc Amber Strong. Reducing sugary drink consumption and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption of primary school children. 2005 2006.

Media

Program helps kids stay at a healthy weight 20 September 2007 Article on Health News by Reuters: www.sutterdoc.com/health/healthinfo/reuters....cfm?fx=article&id=38901

Dr Rachael Taylor on school tuck shops 11 June 2007 Interview with Dr Rachael Taylor on TV One Breakfast: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_ skin/1178637

Government launches $6m Feeding our Futures programme 24 May 2007 New Zealand Herald Article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/.../story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10441578

Child obesity focus of research post 8 May 2007 Article on TV One News: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1107145

Otago to research child obesity 8 May 2007 Article in New Zealand Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/...story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10438406

Lessons learned from healthier school setting 10 March 2007 Article in New Zealand Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/.../story.cfm?c_id=288&objectid=10428086

Published research articles in 2007

Published Goulding A, Grant A, Taylor R, Williams S, Parnell W, Wilson N, Mann J. Ethnic differences in extreme obesity. Journal of Pediatrics 2007;151:542-544. Taylor RW, McAuley KA, Barbezat W, Strong A, Williams SM, Mann JI. APPLE Project: 2-y findings of a community-based obesity prevention program in primary school age children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007;86(3):735-742. Taylor RW. Obesity in New Zealand children a weighty issue (editorial). New Zealand Medical Journal 2007;120(1260):ISSN 1175 8716. URL: http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/120-1260/2689/

Submitted Taylor RW, Murdoch L, Carter P, Gerrard DF, Williams SM, Taylor BJ. Longitudinal study of physical activity and inactivity in preschoolers: FLAME study. Submitted 2007 Medicine Science in Sports and Exercise. Taylor RW, Williams S, Baylor B. Choosing the most appropriate BMI reference data to define overweight/obesity in the new 4.5-year-old Well Child Health Check. Submitted 2007 New Zealand Medical Journal Taylor RW, Williams SM, Grant AM, Ferguson E, Taylor BJ, Goulding A. Waist circumference as a measure of trunk fat mass in children aged 3 to 5 years. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity (To appear).

 university of otago polaris ii research vessel

The 15 strong Campbell Island expedition team on the RV Polaris II, November 2007.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Research and Activities Update

The Research Vessel Polaris II provides a unique research and teaching platform for the marine and ocean sciences at the University of Otago. It provides “blue” water access for zoologists, ecologists, geologists, biologists, chemists, oceanographers, surveyors and conservation scientists to conduct research activities anywhere in New Zealand waters from the Subantarctic Islands in the south to the Kermadec Islands and beyond in the north. The Polaris supports a range of technical research capability including specialised geophysical, oceanographic and chemical capability. It also carries tender vessels which allow the crew to land scientists and student ashore virtually anywhere, as well as support diving activities. Two permanent staff members crew the vessel and more than 20 researchers from seven departments have booked use of the boat to capacity for 2008.

Progress in 2007

The Vessel was officially relaunched in April 2007 following an extensive refit to convert it from a fishing vessel to a research and teaching vessel. At relaunch stage the following work had been undertaken: 1. New hydraulic systems installed including hi-ab crane and winch controllers; 2. Rear deployment frame for dredging and deploying and towing equipment; 3. New rear hold accommodation for 10 in four cabins and a dual purpose below deck lab/accommodation space; the new accommodation area also includes a teaching work/room area with powerpoint teaching facilities; 4. An underway geophysics/oceanography laboratory; 5. Two new showers and toilets and a drying room; 6. Expansion of the dining area to accommodate fifteen people.

More recently in 2007, outfitting continued with: 7. The addition of a new tender vessel; 8. The installation of a desalination plant for freshwater production; 9. The installation of a waterline platform at stern of the vessel to support small boat activities and diving; 10. Installation of GPS navigation and position system for survey work.

Despite half of the year being involved in the refit, the vessel also supported research expeditions to Fiordland, Stewart Island and Campbell Island and supported teaching activities around Stewart Island and in Fiordland. The vessel also supported routine activities on the Otago Shelf.

In October, an additional donation supported the purchase of a sea floor mapping and sub-sea floor imaging system.

Collaborations

The RV Polaris II now supports jointly funded collaborative agreements with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and Geological and Nuclear Sciences. It also underpins a new national marine education initiative with Auckland and Victoria Universities. A funding application to the Tertiary Education Commission is pending to support this.

Research grants associated with the RV Polaris II in 2007

Andrew Gorman (Geology) $26,967 “Marine geophysical investigation of the stability of the Otago Shelf and Slope” UORG.

Keith Hunter (Chemistry) $67,500 “Air Sea Exchange of CO2” FRST Subcontract.

Keith Hunter (Chemistry) & Catriona Hurd (Botany) $98,000 “Development of a pH control system for culture of marine organisms under high CO2 conditions” UORG & NIWA Capital Equipment Grant.

Sylvia Sander (Chemistry) $40,000 “Identification of siderophores in natural seawater – a step towards understanding Fe-acquisition mechanisms of marine plankton” UORG.

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Candida Savage (Marine Science) $21,000 “Research cruise to investigate the character, transformations and fate of dissolved and particulate organic matter across spatial gradients in Fiordland” UORG.

Gary Wilson (Geology) $80,000 “Paleomagnetic records of climate and ocean change” FRST Contract.

Gary Wilson (Geology) $35,000 “Ice in the Greenhouse” Marsden Subcontract.

Gary Wilson (Geology) and Keith Hunter (Chemistry) $58,000 “Ocean and Climate Change Research Centre” UORG.

Plans for coming year

In 2008, RV Polaris II will take delivery of a new combined sea floor mapping and sub-bottom profile system built to order for the University by Teledyne Benthos Ltd. This will provide state of the art capability for geophysics and hydrographic survey work. Two weeks of vessel activity will be dedicated to the installation and sea trials of the new system.

The RV Polaris II will support marine expeditions to the Snares, Campbell Island, Stewart Island and Fiordland in 2008.

Comments from the Leading Thinker

The purchase and outfitting of the RV Polaris II is a very exciting development for the University of Otago. It changes the way we can undertake research and teaching programmes and provides capability that is unmatched by any other University in New Zealand. With the current interest in exploration offshore Otago and Southland and the global attention to climate and ocean change, the University of Otago is now positioned well to participate at a global level and to train the next generation of marine scientists for New Zealand.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007 cure kids chair in paediatric research

Professor Brian Darlow Cure Kids Chair in Paediatric Research Department of Paediatrics Division of Health Sciences University of Otago, Christchurch

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The vision for this Chair is to consolidate the academic, clinical and research strengths in Neonatology and Paediatrics at the University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Professor Darlow s appointment was publicly announced in September 2007. Patricia Graham has since taken up the 0.5 FTE research nurse position and joins Nicki McNeill, currently employed as a neonatal research nurse through HRC project grant funding.

A further 0.5 FTE research nurse in the area of General Paediatrics will be appointed in 2008 for work on a project arising from an audit of child injuries presenting to the Children s Acute Assessment Area, as well as other projects in development.

Research

Inflammatory Cascade and Oxidative damage in the Newborn (ICON) study Ongoing collaboration with Prof Christine Winterbourn and Free Radical Research Group utilising endotracheal aspirates, plasma and urine samples from preterm infants at risk of chronic lung disease. Has been funded by HRC and Lotteries in the past and by Child Health Research Foundation, 2005, for two years. Two new papers are being finalised. There are a great number of stored endotracheal aspirates and further studies with these samples are planned.

International Neonatal Immunotherapy Study (INIS) Professor Darlow is the Principal Investigator in New Zealand for this study Funded by HRC (2003 over five years), in conjunction with the Australian and NZ INIS Trial Management Group, and the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Oxford, UK. This multicentre RCT aims to test whether the addition of non-specific, polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulin IgG (IVIG) to standard antibiotic therapy in babies with proven or suspected serious infection reduces death and/or major disability at two years of age. The study is in an active follow-up stage and researchers are currently helping other NZ centres with tracing children.

What oxygen saturation level should we target inver y preterm infants? a randomised controlled trial (RCT). (The BOOST-NZ study) Professor Darlow is the Principal Investigator for this study, in collaboration with other level III NICUs in New Zealand Funded by HRC (2005 over four years). Similar trials are funded in Australia, the UK, US, and Canada, with a prospective meta-analysis planned to include 5000 infants worldwide. New Zealand has enrolled 160 infants out of a planned total of 320.

[An application is being submitted to the NHMRC Australia in the current round for funding for a prospective meta-analysis of all oxygen saturation trials worldwide: Appropriate levels of oxygen saturation for extremely preterm infants: a prospective individual patient data meta-analysis (NeOProM). Aski L, Tarnow-Mordi W, Brocklehurst P, Darlow B, Finer N, Schmidt B.].

The relationship between NT-proC Natriuretic Peptide and endochondral growth in infants and children (CNaP study). Studies in collaboration with the Endocrine Research Unit (Prof Eric Espiner, Tim Prickett). Funding from Child Health Research Foundation and other sources: (Dr James Hector-Taylor funded through a Masonic Fellowship, under supervision of BD in the Department of Paediatrics, from Feb 2006 for two years but moved to a SMO post in 2007).

Studies of insulin dependent diabetes in childhood. • Epidemiology and immunogenetic features of diabetes in children and adolescents in Canterbury. Collaboration with WHO DiaMond study, with Russell Scott/ Jinny Willis. HRC funded plus various other sources. • TrialNet Natural History Study of the Development of Type I diabetes. With Russell Scott and Jinny Willis, this is an International Collaboration funded by NIH and administered through University of Melbourne. Beginning new natural history study and prevention trial. • INIT II randomised controlled trial of inhaled insulin in children and young people at risk of Type I diabetes. Eligible individuals identified through TrialNet. Funded through University of Melbourne.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

New research publications in 2007

Evans N, Hutchinson J, Simpson JM, Donoghue D, Darlow B, Henderson-Smart D, on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network. Prenatal predictors of mortality in very preterm infants cared for in the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network. Archives of Disease in Childhood fetal Neonatal Ed, 92; F34-40. (2007). Espiner EA, Prickett TC, Yandle TG, Barrell GK, Welby M, Sullivan MJ, Darlow BA. ABCs of natriuretic peptides: growth. Hormone Research 67 (suppl 1): 81-90. (2007).

Carter JD, Mulder RT, Darlow BA. Parental Stress in the NICU: The influence of personality, psychological, pregnancy and family factors. Personality and Mental Health 1; 40-50. (2007).

Carter JD, Mulder RT, Frampton CMA, Darlow BA. Infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit: parental psychological status at 9 months. Acta Paediatrica 96; 1286-1289. (2007).

Crowther CA, Doyle LW, Haslam RR, Hiller JE, Harding JE, Robinson JS for the ACTORDS Study Group (include B Darlow). Outcomes at 2 years of age after repeat doses of antenatal corticosteroids New England Journal of Medicine, 357:1179-89. (2007).

Darlow BA, Graham PJ. Vitamin A supplementation to prevent mortality and short and long-term morbidity in very low birthweight infants (Updated review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007; 4: CD000501.

Prickett TCR, Dixon B, Frampton C, Yandle TG, Richards AM, Espiner EA, Darlow BA. Plasma aminoterminal pro C-type natriuretic peptide in the neonate: relation to gestational age and post natal linear growth. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 93; 225-232. (2008).

Darlow BA, Elder MJ, Horwood LJ, Donoghue DA, Henderson-Smart DJ on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network. Does observer bias contribute to variations in the rate of retinopathy of prematurity between centres? Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. In press.

Other publications and communications

Published Abstracts Dixon B, Prickett T, Frampton C, Yandle T, Espiner E, Darlow B. Relationship of a novel peptide, NT-proCNP, and linear growth in neonates. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 43 (suppl 1), A51. (2007). Darlow BA, Mogridge N, Horwood LJ, Wynn-Williams E, Austin N. Follow-up at 2 years of age of all admissions to a regional NICU compared with controls. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 43 (suppl 1), A55. (2007). Darlow BA, Donoghue DA, Henderson-Smart DJ. Does observer bias contribute to variations in the rate of retinopathy of prematurity between centres? Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 43 (suppl 1), A56. (2007). Sebastian LT, Duggal-Beri P, Hague W, Darlow BA, Blanco JA, Tarnow-Mordi WO. Strategies for maintaining long term follow-up in Australia and New Zealand for the INIS trial. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 43 (suppl 1), A 147. (2007) (Publication does not have correct authors). Dixon B, Darlow B, Prickett T. Is knemometry the bees knees when it comes to monitoring neonatal growth? Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 43 (suppl 1), A110. (2007). Ells AL, Quinn G, Fielder A, Gilbert C, Chiang M, Darlow B. Hot topics in ROP. Journal of AAPOS ; 11: 106. (2007). Darlow B, Mogridge N, Horwood J, Wynn-Williams E, Austin N. Follow-up at 2 years of age of all admissions to a regional NICU compared with controls. E-PAS 2007:61:7925.7. Darlow B, Dixon B, Prickett T, Frampton C, Yandle T, Espiner E. Nt-proCNP: A novel marker of linear growth in neonates. E-PAS 2007:61:5140.11. Willis JA, Miller LJ, Scott RS, Darlow BA, Pearce J, Barnett R. Increasing incidence of type-1 diabetes in Canterbury children and adolescents and spatial-temporal clustering. Miller LJ, Pearce J, Willis JA, Barnett R, Darlow BA, Scott RS. Population mixing and type 1 diabetes in Canterbury.

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Sebastian LT, Duggal-Beri P, Hague W, Darlow BA, Blanco JA, Tarnow-Mordi WO on behalf of the International Neonatal Immunotherapy Study (INIS) Collaborative Group. Strategies for maintaining long term follow-up in a neonatal trial in Australia and New Zealand.

Book Chapter Darlow BA. The newborn infant: stabilisation and examination. In Practical Paediatrics, 6th edition. Roberton DR, South M, editors. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2007. p329-342.

New research funding

MRI scans at term equivalent in very preterm infants randomised to higher or lower saturation targets from day one of life. Darlow B, Austin N, Kuschel C. Child Health Research Foundation Dec 2007 $100,000 over two years. The study is an important add-on to the BOOST-NZ study, namely undertaking cranial MRI scans at term equivalent. Our group has previously shown many very preterm babies have abnormal findings on MRI scans at this time, which predict neurodevelopmental outcome. The aim now is to see if there are different patterns of abnormality in babies randomised to higher or lower oxygen saturation.

Twenty-two year follow-up of the New Zealand national cohort of very low birthweight infants born in 1986. Darlow B, Woodward L, Horwood J. Child Health Research Foundation Dec 2007 $100,000 over two years. Very low birthweight infants (birthweight <1500g VLBW) account for only 1% of live births but between 50%-75% of the work load of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Survival for this group is now >90% but what is most important for individuals, their families and society, is the quality of that survival in the longer term. In 1986 all New Zealand VLBW infants who were cared for in NICUs were enrolled in a prospective study. The cohort was followed up last at 7-8 years of age when 5% had severe disability, 5% had moderate disability and 15 % had mild disability. Recent overseas studies of former VLBW infants in young adulthood have assessed health and mental status, functional outcome, and quality of life. There are concerns about health issues including hypertension, renal impairment and respiratory problems. There are few population based studies and no New Zealand data. This project seeks to establish the feasibility of re-contacting the cohort and to administer a questionnaire and obtain consent a more comprehensive assessment.

Improving neonatal outcomes by training nurses in Rio, Brazil. Gilbert (London) / Darlow / Zin (Brazil). UBS Optimus Foundation (Zurich). 150,000 CHF over three years. The principle aim of this study is to decrease the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity, the major preventable cause of childhood blindness in middle-income countries.

International Collaborations

International Collaboration of Neonatal Networks (ICONN). Representative from the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN) at inaugural planning meeting of this collaboration. 2005 and follow-up meeting in 2007.

Improving neonatal outcomes by training nurses in Rio, Brazil. Project funded by UBS Optimus Foundation (Zurich) through grant to Clare Gilbert (International Centre for Eye Health - ICEH, London), Brian Darlow and Andrea Zin (Paediatric Ophthalmologist, Instituto Fernandes Figuera, rio de Janeiro). 2006 for 3 years.

ORBIS International UK and ICEH Workshops on the Prevention and Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity, headed by Dr Clare Gilbert. Professor Darlow neonatologist member of group visiting Vietnam, October, 2007 and Panama, January, 2008. There will also be workshops in the Dominican Republic in 2008.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Community Involvement

Chair of the Organising Committee for the Paediatric Society of New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting held at the University of Canterbury, November, 2007

Chair of the RACP, Division of Paediatrics and Child Health NZ Committee and a Member of the RACP Board

Chair of the Management Committee of the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network

Overseas Invited presentations 2007

The Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network: Review of Research. 15th Annual Western Perinatal Research Meeting, Banff, Canada. February 2007.

Maternal and neonatal factors in ROP: Hot Topics in ROP Workshop. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) 33rd Annual Meeting, Seattle, USA. April, 2007.

Networks the way to go? Festschrift for Professor David Henderson-Smart, Sydney. November, 2007.

Plans for the coming year

To continue with research projects outlined above and to appoint a 0.5 FTE research nurse in the area of general paediatrics to support and initiate research projects in that area. A number of other projects are being brought to completion and manuscripts being prepared. As well as the application to the NHMRC noted above, a further application is being finalised: To determine the survival and neurodevelopmental outcome at two years of age of all Australian infants born with gestation 23 to 25 weeks in one year.

Comments from Leading Thinker

The funding of a Chair of Paediatric Research is an exciting development that should greatly enhance research capabilities in the discipline at the University of Otago, Christchurch, and it is a privilege and honour to be appointed to this Chair. The Cure Kids Foundation is to be congratulated for their commitment to improving the health and welfare of New Zealand children through their ongoing funding of high quality research. All good research takes time to plan and to bring to fruition, none more so than clinical research, and so the appointment to this Chair over five years is to be welcomed. A key task, however, will be to see that research outcomes are put into practice. My involvement with international groups setting up programmes to prevent blindness in preterm babies in middle income countries is one way of achieving this. Much of the blindness now occurring in preterm babies in these countries is preventable by applying research knowledge gained in more developed countries over the past two decades.

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otago university magazine stories

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

Otago Magazine Issue 16, February 2007 a secret shared Ask any researcher: the human genome never gives up its secrets readily. Piecing together the minute strands of this massive genetic puzzle is painstaking work – the work of patient, systematic, inquiring minds like that of Professor of Child Health Research Stephen Robertson.

For example, when first presented with the Miru/Tito family in 1996, he could see the big picture – a family where a genetic mutation, that started with grandmother June, was passed down the female line – but how the millions of pieces fitted together had to be worked out.

The now paediatrician and clinical geneticist was, at that time, a junior doctor training at Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital. By that stage congenital malformations had tragically claimed the life of five baby boys born into the West Auckland family. That number has since grown to seven. No one could tell them why, but in a career-defining move, a young Robertson set out to provide answers. “Our research is all about filling in some of those gaps; arriving at molecular explanations and coming up with blood tests so that the diagnoses can be made and the families can get more accurate information,” he says. “The questions they ask are, ‘Will it happen again? Can it happen to other members of my family?’ Those sorts of things. That’s what clinical genetics is all about.”

Filling in those gaps and finding those explanations eventually took him to the United Kingdom, via three years at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, to Oxford University where he worked towards his PhD as a Nuffield Fellow under Professor Andrew Wilkie, the Nuffield Professor of Pathology at the Institute of Molecular Medicine.

Robertson had graduated from the University of Otago with the Alumni Association Prize in Medicine as well as the Prince of Wales Prize for the most outstanding undergraduate student at the University, so being selected to work with such a distinguished scientist in such a prestigious institution was an understandable progression.

This collaboration proved vital as he continued his hunt for the genetic mutation behind the problems suffered by the Miru/Tito family. Painstaking research, punctuated by a number of disappointments when it was thought they had found the culprit gene, led them to filamin A (FLNA), a member of a family of genes which, until then, had been thought to be a relatively inert part of the internal scaffolding of cells. They had actually discounted the gene at one stage because it was already known to be responsible for a form of epilepsy, but, again, their careful assembling of the pieces of the puzzle brought them to the inescapable conclusion that the genetic basis of the malformations that claimed the lives of so many boys in the Miru/ Tito family lay within FLNA.

Such was the breakthrough, it was published in the prestigious international journal Nature Genetics. Robertson’s focus soon broadened to include filamin B (FLNB) and, working with collaborators from the Cedar Sinai Medical Research Institute in the United States, they found defects in this gene also caused congenital malformations. Between them, FLNA and FLNB underlie 11 separate syndromes involving abnormalities of the skeleton, brain, heart, gut and kidneys in children, he says. “FLNA-related disorders tend to have profound effects on the structure of the kidney, urogenital tract, heart, brain and gut. FLNB was found to be responsible for several syndromes associated with malformations of the skeleton and integrity of the joints.”

Understanding what is behind those syndromes gives an insight into the cause of more common congenital anomalies, such as congenital dislocation of the hips. Being one of the few laboratories in the world testing for these mutations means Robertson and his colleagues get hundreds of samples from all over the world – more pieces, more puzzles – but it increases their chances of finding more answers.

“Inevitably, some of those samples for those families don’t quite fit the classic forms of these conditions. What we want to do is use new genetic methodologies to try to find the culpable genes which underlie those conditions in those families,” says Robertson. “So there are more genes to find and we’re using some of the new state-of-the-art genetic screening methodologies to do that.”

Health Research Council of New Zealand funding is allowing them to take a clinical picture of those patients and their malformations. They can then correlate that information with the molecular make-up of their genes.

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Understanding what Robertson calls the “molecular geography” of the proteins encoded by the filamin A and B genes allows them some insight into which parts of the gene, when mutated, produce particular patterns of malformation. These conditions can range from quite mild abnormalities, such as club feet or dislocated joints, to severe disorders, such as when the chest is so small the lungs don’t develop and the child can’t breathe, or limbs are severely truncated and whole skeletal elements are missing.

A recent Marsden Fund grant will also allow them to look at another of the same family of genes filamin C (FLNC), which is yet to be connected to a disorder similar to those caused by FLNA and FLNB mutations. “Our approach in this instance will be not so much studying families, but instead we will engineer a mouse model of a filamin C disorder to see what the developmental consequences of that are,” he says.

“Part of the Marsden approach is trying to work out how filamins work, using biochemical and cell biology approaches, so hopefully with those insights we can go back and implicate other genes. “Once again it’s work that’s heading back towards delivering something clinical for these families.”

Taking his research back to the paediatric clinic has always been important to Robertson. “Through medical school there was a dawning realisation that this sort of medicine was very satisfying – just an enjoyment from helping children.” To this end he spends 20 to 30 per cent of his time doing clinical work – seeing families in Dunedin, Christchurch and Invercargill as a practising clinical geneticist – and spends another 10 to 20 per cent of his time teaching medical and science students on the medical aspects of genetics.

Robertson values the connections he has with hospital clinicians in New Zealand but, because of the rare nature of these genetic abnormalities, he also works hard to maintain links with a worldwide network of geneticists. “Our main collaborators are in California, Japan and several locations in Europe,” he says. “They all provide something different. Some provide clinical expertise and samples from large populations like Japan. Others have very similar sorts of interests in the same sort of biology we’re studying – so their collaboration is more scientific.”

But support closer to home has also made a big difference, particularly the charity Cure Kids which helped establish the Chair in Child Health Research he filled when he returned to Otago in 2002. Cure Kids has raised about $1 million over the past five years with its highly-popular annual ski event in Queenstown. Its continued support, through a $1.25 million donation in July 2006 that was matched by the Government through the Partnerships for Excellence Programme, means that his position is now in perpetuity. “They are heavy backers of what I do. The main theme of my whole tenureship of this position has been growing the position and having this alliance with a charity which is pretty special.” Mark Wright

Otago Magazine Issue 17, June 2007 chair in scottish studies The University has established New Zealand’s first Professorial Chair in Scottish Studies.

The new chair was announced at a University function on Scotland’s national day, St Andrew’s Day. Among the guests was the British High Commissioner to New Zealand, His Excellency Mr George Fergusson.

Vice-Chancellor Professor David Skegg says the Stuart Chair in Scottish Studies is a welcome and fitting development, given the Scottish heritage of the University and of southern New Zealand. A $1.5 million donation from the Stuart Residence Halls Council has made the chair possible. As the chair is part of the University’s Leading Thinkers programme, the donation will be matched under the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence scheme.

The new professor, to be appointed after an international search for a senior scholar, will pursue research and teaching in Scottish history, culture and society, and its considerable impact on New Zealand’s identity and development.

A multidisciplinary Scottish studies programme is planned which will build upon existing expertise at the University. The programme’s two strands will cover Scottish history, politics and economics, and Scottish literature, music and culture.

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Otago Magazine Issue 17, June 2007 leading thinkers leads the way

The University has celebrated a bevy of developments in its Leading Thinkers initiative over the past few months as the initiative powers towards its $50m target.

As well as four new professorial chairs and a senior fellowship being announced, the University’s new research vessel has been refitted and a trace element research centre officially opened.

Professorial chairs in urology, international health, theology and public issues, and the Legal Issues Centre (see page 29) have been launched along with a senior research fellowship in childhood obesity. All the projects are eligible for matching funds under the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence scheme.

Dunedin businessman Trevor Scott is donating $1 million to establish the T D Scott Chair in Urology. The appointee will lead and stimulate further urological research at the University, and enhance the teaching of both undergraduate medical students and postgraduate trainees.

Sisters of Mercy New Zealand, through Mercy Hospital Dunedin Ltd, have gifted $1.5 million to establish the McAuley Chair in International Health. The professor will be the founding director of a research centre that will have a major role in public health research training for developing countries.

The Howard Paterson Chair in Theology and Public Issues was endowed in May. The appointee will lead a new research centre charged with undertaking an informed theological and ethical analysis of the challenges facing contemporary New Zealand society. The initiative has been made possible through support of the trust managing part of Mr Paterson’s estate, the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland, and Ian and Annette Tulloch.

The Karitane Senior Research Fellowship in Early Childhood Obesity was also established through the support of KPS Society Ltd. Dr Rachael Taylor has been appointed to the position, which is based at the University’s Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research. Led by Professor Jim Mann, the centre was also established through Leading Thinkers.

Other recent developments include the April re-launch of the University’s new ocean-science research vessel, RV Polaris II, which massively extends the University’s ocean-related research and teaching capabilities. The vessel has now been repainted and extensively refitted and re-equipped. The overhaul included installinga desalination plant, an “underway laboratory”, and adding several workrooms and extra sleeping spaces to the hold. Its purchase was made possible through donations from Chris and Dayle Mace, Eion and Jan Edgar, The Community Trust of Otago, and the J and L Callis Charitable Trust.

The $2.5 million Community Trust of Otago Centre for Trace Element Analysis was officially launched in March, marking a new era for research of this kind. Previously, New Zealand did not have its own trace element isotope laboratory and had to send its research material to California for analysis. Otago Magazine Issue 18, October 2007

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Otago Magazine Issue 18, October 2007 leading thinkers achieves target The University of Otago’s Leading Thinkers initiative – the core of the University’s advancement programme – has exceeded its target six months ahead of schedule. A total of $51.7 million has been raised and is being used to support 27 new projects within the University.

The five-year programme was established under the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence framework to support world-class scholarship at Otago in areas vital to the nation’s future well-being. Its aim was to secure $50 million (including $25 million provided as matching funds by the Government) to support 25 new projects.

A key feature of the initiative – and what has set it apart from other advancement campaigns – has been its commitment to investing in people, not buildings; knowledge leaders, not infrastructure. The rationale behind this was simple – a university is defined by its people, so any university wishing to improve its quality should add to, secure and encourage these people, especially those identified as its “leading thinkers”. This concept proved to be one that resonated well with donors. “Raising money for its own sake is not the point, but what it is used for,” explains Development Director Clive Matthewson.

Of the 27 new projects established, some were generated within the University while others were initiated by donors in areas of particular interest or concern to them. All have been approved as fitting within the University’s strategic direction. Most projects have endowed in perpetuity a new position, usually a chair, and each project’s funds are held separately by the University of Otago Foundation Trust with the income used to support the project. Three projects use capital spending to expand the horizons of researchers and make the University of Otago (and thus New Zealand) a more attractive place to work. They support researchers across multiple disciplines, thus qualifying as long-term investments in human capital.

The projects cover a breadth of disciplines, from peace and conflict studies to reproduction and genomics; childhood issues to cancer pathology; entrepreneurship to international health. However, Matthewson says Leading Thinkers is much more than 27 disparate projects. “It makes a statement about the University. It demonstrates where we are going and that we will get there.”

He pays tribute to all of those who have donated to the initiative. Their philanthropy has enabled the establishment of projects that would otherwise not exist. “The University has a new set of partners who will continue to have an association with us and with what is happening here, especially concerning the particular project they have funded. Our donors have given money to achieve something good and we feel very strongly the need to meet their expectations.”

He also attributes the success of the initiative to the standing of this University within the community. “People will only donate to an organisation that they trust highly. The success of Leading Thinkers indicates that the University of Otago is a highly trusted institution – that its mission is trusted, its financial stability is trusted, the ability to deliver is trusted and, most importantly, its leadership is trusted.”

The success of Leading Thinkers bodes well for the future of the University. Matthewson explains that there was some apprehension when the advancement campaign was begun. “Overseas, philanthropy had been accepted as a key ingredient in leading universities – in making good universities into great ones. But this idea was not established in New Zealand. Now Otago has proved that advancement activity works and that it can fit in well with our culture.” The University is now well placed to plan both an extension of Leading Thinkers and also a broader approach to advancement activity in general.

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Otago Magazine Issue 18, October 2007 new technologies scrutinised Otago is set to lead research into the ethical and legal ramifications of new technologies thanks to the establishment of a new professorial chair. The New Zealand Law Foundation Chair in Emerging Technologies is part of the University’s Leading Thinkers initiative and will be based in the Faculty of Law.

In a first for New Zealand, the new chair will guide projects tackling legal issues, regulations and policies that face upheaval because of fast-paced developments in technology. The appointee to the chair will lead an associated Centre for Law and Policy in Emerging Technologies, which will draw on national and international multidisciplinary expertise.

The centre will guide research that looks into the future and scans the horizon for emerging technologies that are likely to create significant changes and raise potential anxiety in society. Research will broaden from biotechnology to other emerging technologies including nanotechnology, alternative bio-energy, information and communications technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence.

The New Zealand Law Foundation’s endowment builds on the successful Human Genome Research Project being carried out at Otago, which is also sponsored by the Foundation.

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otago bulletin stories

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

ISSUE 7 ~ 20 April 2007 law centre launched Philanthropists Grant and Marilyn Nelson, as trustees of the Gama Foundation, have donated $1m to the University of Otago to establish the country’s first research centre focusing on improving the legal system.

The centre will carry out and disseminate research on creating a more accessible, affordable and efficient legal system. It will also investigate how the courts can better ascertain the truth and arrive at a fair and just outcome.

Mr Nelson, who is blind, says the idea of setting up the Legal Issues Centre first arose during a five-year legal battle to get a company to pay for $900,000 damage done to a building they had leased from The Gama Foundation. “While we eventually won the case after putting in a lot of hard work, we came to the conclusion that the way the legal system and many lawyers operated was very unsatisfactory,” says Mr Nelson.

The Nelsons’ $1m donation is being made as part of the University’s Leading Thinkers initiative and will be matched under the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence scheme, lifting the total to $2m.

Otago Faculty of Law Dean Professor Mark Henaghan says the new Centre, to be directed by a senior academic, will act as a “critic and conscience” of the legal profession and system.

Under the Gama Foundation’s endowment, the Director of the Centre will be appointed to a newly- established Chair in Legal Issues. After an international search, the successful candidate will be appointed at an Associate Professorial or Professorial level and undertake teaching as well as research.

ISSUE 9 ~ 18 May 2007 new karitane post and theology research centre

The University’s Leading Thinkers Programme has helped establish two new research outlets.

The University is set to bolster child obesity research with the development of a new research post, thanks to a generous gift from a charitable organisation. As the gift is being made as part of the University’s Leading Thinkers initiative, it will be matched under the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence scheme.

The new senior research fellowship is based at the University’s Edgar National Centre for Diabetes Research (ENCDR) and is intended to support and strengthen the Centre’s work.

A permanent academic post, the Karitane Senior Research Fellowship in Early Childhood Obesity has been created through the financial support of KPS Society Ltd. It is designed for an established researcher who has the potential to become a future leader in the area.

Dr Rachael Taylor is the first appointee to the post, after being selected from an international field of applicants. Formerly a Senior Lecturer in the University’s Department of Human Nutrition, she was previously associated with the Centre in an honorary capacity.

New Zealand’s first research centre tackling social issues such as poverty, social welfare and the environment from a theological perspective is also soon to be established, thanks to the legacy of a millionaire entrepreneur.

The University has announced that the Howard Paterson Chair in Theology and Public Issues and an associated research centre will be established as part of its Leading Thinkers initiative.

The professorial appointee to the new Chair will direct a centre charged with undertaking and promoting informed theological and ethical analysis of the challenges facing contemporary New Zealand society.

The Chair and Centre for Theology and Public Issues are being made possible through a major gift by the Paterson Charitable Trust and substantial support from the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland, and Gore couple Ian and Annette Tulloch.

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ISSUE 13 ~ 13 July 2007 old-but-new irish new zealander joins irish studies

Dr Rory Sweetman has just been appointed as the first lecturer in Modern Irish History. Housed in the Department of History, Dr Sweetman joins Eamon Cleary Chair of Irish Studies Professor Peter Kuch, as the second University appointment in Irish Studies. However, Dr Sweetman is not entirely new to the scene. Formerly a freelance historian, he has been teaching special papers in Irish history at the Department for the past couple of years. “I’m a kind of old, new boy,” he says. “An Irish-born Kiwi who specialises in New Zealand’s ethnic and religious history.”

In fact he has written five books, including a study of Dunedin-born Bishop James Liston’s trial for sedition in 1922 (Bishop in the Dock, Irish Academic Press, 2006) and ‘A Fair and Just Solution’ – A history of the integration of private schools into the New Zealand state education system Dr Sweetman’s current project is a history of the Orange Order in New Zealand. He is also working on a biography of Henry William Cleary, editor of the New Zealand Tablet (1898-1910) and sixth Catholic bishop of Auckland (1910-29). Cleary was active politically in both Ireland (his birthplace) and New Zealand. The 60-year-old bishop served as military chaplain in Flanders (1916- 17) and managed to be back in Ireland in 1916 and 1922 – both times of major political conflict. Dr Sweetman wrote his PhD thesis on the polymath bishop, who left around 150 boxes of personal papers for his future biographer.

Born in County Kildare, Dr Sweetman’s family migrated to New Zealand when he was a boy. He later returned to Ireland to undertake a history honours degree at Trinity College Dublin, winning a British state scholarship to Cambridge University for his doctoral studies. His PhD thesis was on ‘New Zealand Catholicism, War, Politics and the Irish Issue 1912-22’. In 1988-89, he was awarded the inaugural National (Dunmore Press, 2002). Library Fellowship in Wellington. He has been living in Dunedin since 1998.

Dr Sweetman says he is keen to embrace the opportunity to develop Irish studies at Otago and grateful to Eamon Cleary, who – through his $1m donation – has made this possible. He is confident that Irish history will become an important part of what the University offers to students, many of whom have Irish ancestry.

ISSUE 14 ~ 27 July 2007 otago appoints new chair in entrepreneurship

The University of Otago has appointed Professor Brendan Gray to its new endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship. Professor Gray’s background is in marketing strategy and he has carried out research into areas including export promotion, international distribution, advertising and public relations effectiveness. He is Director of the University’s Marketing Performance Centre – a unit that aims to improve marketing practice through research.

Professor Gray takes up the Dunedin City Chair in Entrepreneurship this month, following an international search. The Chair was made possible by a $1m endowment to the University of Otago by the DCC. As part of the University’s Leading Thinkers Initiative, the DCC gift attracted matching funding from the Government under the Partnerships for Excellence scheme.

The chair, which sits within the University’s School of Business, is designed to benefit the local community, businesses and students at the University, Professor Gray says.

“I want to encourage a culture of entrepreneurship throughout the School, other University departments and the region’s business community. “One of the things I want to do early on is an entrepreneurship audit of the University and community to find out where the strengths in research, teaching and practice are and where the opportunities lie for improving these.”

Professor Gray says he plans to tackle the job through four main research arms. “We’ll undertake some traditional research, looking into opportunities for and barriers to growth in small, innovative enterprises that have the potential to be internationally competitive. I also want to investigate the issues related to social entrepreneurship, where it’s social profits, not monetary profits, involved.

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“Thirdly, we’ll look at the larger enterprises that may have the potential for entrepreneurship spin-offs, and consider the opportunities and barriers there. And, finally but critically, we’ll investigate ways of bringing the University and the Dunedin, Otago and Southland communities closer together.”

Professor Gray started his career as a journalist and worked in television, radio and print – both in New Zealand and the United Kingdom – for 12 years. He completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1989 at Otago, while working as a public relations and marketing consultant. In 1990, he joined the University as a lecturer in marketing and gained a PhD in international marketing in 1994.

ISSUE 15 ~ 10 August 2007 first professor of science communication

The University’s new Centre for Science Communication will be headed by Professor Lloyd Davis, who has been appointed to the Stuart Chair in Science Communication. Professor Davis, who has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology, was selected from an exceptionally strong field of international applicants.

Funding of $3m for a professorial chair was announced last year, after the Stuart Residence Halls Council donated $1.5m to the University. As part of the University’s Leading Thinkers Initiative, this figure was matched by the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence Programme.

The Centre is the first of its kind in New Zealand and its role will be to engage with the New Zealand public, while also hosting the new Master of Science Communication programme. University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences) Professor Vernon Squire says the calibre of applicants for the Stuart Chair in Science Communication was outstanding and he is looking forward to seeing the Centre build on Otago’s strengths. “Otago is already proactive and heavily engaged in science communication. This includes our prestigious Postgraduate Diploma in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication, which Professor Davis has been director of for the past six years.”

Professor Davis says the Centre presents an exciting and ambitious initiative. “Our vision is for Otago to be not only New Zealand’s leading centre for science communication but also a world leader in this area. “The University and Dunedin are extremely well-placed for this venture.

The University of Otago is New Zealand’s top-ranked university for research, with particular strength in the sciences. While the City is also a perfect location as the home of NHNZ and the science-focused Otago Museum,” Professor Davis says.

A key component of the new Centre is the new Master of Science Communication programme, which will have three options: Science and Natural History Filmmaking; Creative Non-fiction Writing in Science; and general Science Communication with an emphasis on the digital realm.

ISSUE 15 ~ 10 August 2007 community dance Australian dance practitioner and researcher Dr Katrina Rank brought her children Stirling (10) and Charlie (8) with her, but had to leave husband Grant behind in Melbourne, when she accepted the University’s six-month Caroline Plummer Dance Fellowship. “That is how rare and sought after the Fellowship is,” she says.

Dr Rank trained as a classical dancer at the Australian Ballet School and performed professionally in Australia and the United Kingdom, but her passion is community dance. During her six-month tenure, Dr Rank is focusing on her study My Body is an Etching. The aim of this project is to develop a three-to-five minute solo dance work, that will reveal a person’s history in a way that can only be articulated by the moving body. Once that is achieved, it will be refined so that it can be taught to community groups. Dr Rank then aims to further develop her community dance aesthetic and practice in Dunedin. “The solo will be designed so that it can be performed with a high degree of competence and imagination by people without formal dance training.”

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She says community dance can be many things. Her own community work has a strong creative element and does not use known formulas to express ideas and communicate feelings. “It doesn’t necessarily use folk or ballet or jazz or tap, but rather uses movements of the body in more pedestrian ways – it plays with actions, energy, time and space to create new movement,” she says.

Dr Rank says community dance practitioners tend not to be famous and that unless they are well-known performers or choreographers their work is often seen as fringe, or “other”. “Scholarships are rare in this field, so when I was awarded the Fellowship I was excited by the opportunity to actually produce an important work and then sit down and write about it.”

Back home, she only works two days a week at community dance and spends her remaining time earning a living at Deakin University as a sessional teacher and researcher, so there is little time to think and write about community dance academically.

Dr Rank says the local dance community has been extremely welcoming, the University most supportive and the Dunedin City Council proactive in promoting My Body is an Etching to the community.

Dr Rank returns to Melbourne in December. The Dance Fellowship was inspired by young Otago dance student Caroline Plummer, who died from cancer in 2003 at age 24. Her parents set up a memorial trust to give ongoing life to her passionate belief in the power of dance as a medium for healing.

ISSUE 17 ~ 10 September 2007 irish film festival The inaugural University of Otago Irish Film Festival is coming to the Rialto Cinemas in Dunedin and Auckland this October.

Peter Kuch, Eamon Cleary Professor of Irish Studies and Director of the Festival, has drawn up a programme that offers enjoyment and variety. “The films we have chosen take radically different approaches to dramatising varieties of Irishness”, he says. “There are eight 35mm feature films, none of which to my knowledge have been shown on the big screen in New Zealand. All are drawn from the Reel Ireland program developed by the Irish Film Institute in collaboration with Culture Ireland.”

They range from high-energy films that explore the relationship between images of masculinity and violence in Mickybo and Me and The Mighty Celt: to light-hearted comedy and satire in Spin the Bottle, and Goldifsh Memory; to films that dramatise social, moral and ethical problems in Adam and Paul, Inside I’m Dancing, and Song for a Raggy Boy.

Finally, all the realistic worlds are turned upside down by Short Order, an art-house all-singing all-dancing revenge comedy about food, sex, service and “paying the bill”.

The Film Festival will run from Sunday 14 to Thursday 18 October at the Rialto Cinema in Dunedin, and from Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27 October at the Rialto Newmarket in Auckland.

Those who attend on the first night will be given the red carpet treatment. For $25, cinemagoers will receive their movie tickets, drinks, food and a sociable time prior to the showing of Mickybo and Me.

Professor Kuch says that one consequence of the fact that Irish films are not widely distributed in New Zealand and Australia is a loss of community. “The experience I had in running the Irish Film Festivals in Sydney and Melbourne is that it is an event the whole community can enjoy. It not only builds a relationship between the University and the community, but it also brings the community together. “And it is provides a stimulating way for people to keep in touch with contemporary Ireland. It is very easy for an images of a country to ossify into a collection of stereotypes – but film challenges that. “It is also highly enjoyable to see the films on the big screen – and to see them with friends and then have a passionate discussion.”

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ISSUE 19 ~ 5 October 2007 new zealand law foundation chair in emerging technologies In the future, researchers at the University will confront the legal challenges thrown up by new technology, thanks to a generous endowment from the New Zealand Law Foundation.

An endowment has created the New Zealand Law Foundation Chair in Emerging Technologies to lead research and public discussion. The Chair is based in the Law Faculty but will draw on national and international multi-disciplinary expertise.

As part of the University’s Leading Thinkers Initiative, the Foundation’s endowment attracted further government funds.

In a first for New Zealand, the new Chair will guide projects tackling legal issues, regulations and policies that face upheaval due to fast paced developments in technology.

The Chair will lead the Centre for Law and Policy in Emerging Technologies guiding research that looks into the future and scans the horizon for emerging technologies that are likely to create significant changes and raise potential anxiety in society.

Research will broaden from biotechnology to other emerging technologies including nanotechnology, alternative bio energy, information and communications technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence. The Centre will also carry out research on regulatory issues in the area of human genomics that are being pursued with great interest overseas, such as bio banking and direct-to-consumer advertising and testing of genomic technologies.

The endowment builds on Otago’s successful Human Genome Research Project, also sponsored by the Law Foundation.

ISSUE 19 ~ 5 October 2007 cure kids chair in paediatric research announced

$1m donation from charity Cure Kids will strengthen the University of Otago’s excellence in paediatric research at its Christchurch campus. Head of the Christchurch Department of Paediatrics Professor Brian Darlow is the first holder of the Cure Kids Chair in Paediatric Research.

Cure Kids – the charity which funds medical research into children’s life threatening illnesses – has made the donation to the University’s Leading Thinkers Initiative, which means it will be matched by the Government under the Partnerships for Excellence scheme, lifting the total to $2m.

Professor Darlow’s primary research interest is in neonatology – the medical field concerned with the care of newborn, sick and premature babies – but specifically free-radical disease in the newborn and the longer- term outcomes of premature births. “The nature of clinical neonatology means it is very time demanding,” Professor Darlow says, “so productivity in research is continually compromised by calls on clinicians’ time. The establishment of this Chair enables additional resources to support and enhance both established and future research programmes in neonatal medicine.”

Professor Darlow, who is Chair of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ Board of Paediatrics in New Zealand and a member of the College’s council, says the Chair’s establishment enables him to provide leadership in research beyond his own specialty area and to extend research capabilities through the appointment of a research assistant.

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“This is an exciting appointment. In the 25 years I have been a clinical neonatologist in Christchurch, there have been many advances in the management of high-risk pregnancies and neonatal intensive care. These have led to lower mortality rates and a better quality of life for affected babies. Most of these changes have been the result of high-quality research – both basic science research and clinical and applied research. This endowment is a significant boost to such research.”

Cure Kids Chairman Roy Austin says the organisation believes the best outcomes for children are achieved by securing New Zealand’s top researchers in the field and supporting them in their work. “Professor Brian Darlow is regarded internationally as an expert in his field and his research outcomes make a real difference. We are delighted to be partnering with the University and this researcher.”

Cure Kids also funds two other Chairs in Child Health Research, at the University of Otago and the University of Auckland. These chairs are held by Professor Stephen Robertson and Professor Ed Mitchell respectively.

ISSUE 21 ~ 2 November 2007 honorary doctorate for irish president The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws at the University of Otago earlier this week. The degree was conferred at a special ceremony on Wednesday. Vice-Chancellor Professor David Skegg says the University is delighted that President McAleese accepted the invitation to receive the honorary degree. “Her achievements as a legal academic and as a national and international leader make her a thoroughly deserving recipient.”

Mary McAleese was born in Belfast in 1951. She graduated in Law from the Queen’s University of Belfast in 1973 and was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1974. In 1975, she was appointed as the Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin. She held this Chair until 1987, except for the period 1979–81 when she was a journalist and television presenter for RTE (the Irish equivalent of the BBC). In 1987, she returned to Queen’s to become Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies. In 1994, she was appointed as Pro-Vice- Chancellor at the Queen’s University of Belfast – the first woman to hold this position.

In 1997, Mary McAleese was elected as the eighth President of Ireland, making her the first person born in Northern Ireland to hold the position. When her seven-year term of office ended in 2004, she announced that she would be standing for a second term in the 2004 presidential election. It is a mark of her performance in the position that she was elected unopposed, with no political party affiliation.

President McAleese has said that the theme of her presidency is “building bridges”. As a Catholic brought up in Belfast during “The Troubles”, she has worked hard for reconciliation between communities in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Indeed, her personality and flair for communication have made her a unifying force for Irish people, wherever they live.

Many New Zealanders have Irish ancestry and the University of Otago has recently established New Zealand’s first Chair in Irish Studies. This was made possible by the generosity of Irish businessman Eamon Cleary. Next year, Otago will be launching the first undergraduate programme in Irish Studies to be offered in Australasia. The first holder of the Chair, Professor Peter Kuch, is also developing postgraduate research activities in Irish Studies.

Professor Skegg says President McAleese’s visit to the University is a tangible symbol of the strong relationship the University of Otago aims to build with Irish universities and scholarly institutions in the years ahead.

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ISSUE 21 ~ 2 November 2007 national centre for peace studies established

A National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies is to be established at the University of Otago, thanks to the vision of four prominent New Zealanders. The Centre was officially launched by the Prime Minister in Auckland last week.

Retired University of Auckland senior lecturer in English and ESOL teacher trainer Dorothy Brown, active Anglican Church member and retired businessman Chris Barfoot, former Dean of Law at the University of Waikato, Human Rights Commissioner Professor Margaret Bedggood and prominent Moriori advocate and lawyer Maui Solomon recognised a common vision and formed the Aotearoa New Zealand Peace and Conflict Studies Centre Trust in 2005. At around this time, the Trust began working with the Hokotehi Moriori Trust, which had a vision of establishing a Centre for Peace Studies on Rekohu (Chatham Islands), based around their ancestors‚ 500-year covenant of peace.

The Trust has gifted $1.25m to the University of Otago so that a research centre for peace and conflict studies can be set up in New Zealand. The gift is being made through the University’s Leading Thinkers Initiative and will be matched by the Government under the Partnerships for Excellence scheme, lifting the total to $2.5m.

The Centre will be dedicated to reflection on the nature of conflict, its resolution and the creation of peaceful environments. It will bring together academics, students and visitors from a wide range of disciplines, with one of its key aims being the full and effective involvement of indigenous peoples. The Centre will work to enhance individual and collective capacities to understand and manage disputes, work against violence, and build sustainable peace at local, national and international levels.

Trust member Chris Barfoot says the world urgently needs an alternative to war as a means of solving international tension and that it is good that the best minds in the country will focus on this issue to help us as a nation to show a new way forward.

The Centre will be based at the Dunedin campus, but be national in its focus, with a significant presence in Auckland. It will initially consist of a Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, several associates drawn from academic departments and an international advisory board made up of experts in the field. The Centre will provide advanced-level short courses and training for government and nongovernment organisations engaged in peace- keeping, peace-building, development activities, humanitarian intervention and work in conflict situations.

ISSUE 21 ~ 2 November 2007 otago committed to science communication

The University of Otago’s new Centre for Science Communication is getting off to a strong start, with the appointment of a second professor.

In August, the University announced the appointment of Professor Lloyd Davis to the Stuart Chair in Science Communication. And now, Professor Jean Fleming joins him, as a Professor of Science Communication. Professor Fleming is returning to Otago after three years in Australia as an academic with Griffith University’s School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences.

The pair will form the core of New Zealand’s first Centre for Science Communication – which aims to engage with the New Zealand public and will also be home to a new Master of Science Communication programme.

Professor Fleming says she is looking forward to returning to Otago. “I am really excited to be taking up this new position. For many years, I have tried to bring the magic of a life in science to those choosing their career path. Now, at a time when the planet is facing climate change and resource limitations, a new generation of scientifically-literate New Zealanders will be needed if we are to meet the challenges ahead.”

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ISSUE 21 ~ 2 November 2007 farewell to my body is an etching Caroline Plummer Dance Fellow and community dance practitioner Dr Katrina Rank will complete her stay at Otago this month with two live performances: the first at Salisbury House: (The Manse) on Saturday 10 November and the second at Dunedin Art Gallery on Saturday 24 November.

During her six-month tenure, Dr Rank has been working with the community to complete her study My Body is an Etching. The aim of the project was to develop a three-to-five-minute solo dance work that could be taught to community groups and interpreted by them. Dr Rank says there have been several developments in the short life of My Body is an Etching.

The community dance project began with 10 participants who became involved for a variety of reasons. Some were attracted to the title, others to experience something new, to learn new skills or simply to enjoy dance within a community context. This group developed the framework of the dance and revealed its synergies to the beach environment.

It performed a showing of the work at the Otago Museum in September. The next stage involved filmmakers Katherine Miller and Eddie Skillander. They filmed the work on Allen’s Beach on the Otago Peninsula in early October. For this, some people from the original group returned, others learnt the dance for the first time.

“Now, in this final stage at Salisbury House and Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the work focuses on the act of remembering My Body is an Etching. The memories show multiple perspectives across a range of media: live dance, visual art, film, photography, voice and poetry,” she says.

Dr Rank says the presentations at The Manse and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery will vary due to differences in space and exhibition content. At the Manse, the solo will be deconstructed and performed live within various rooms. The dance will be accompanied by the film shot at Allen’s Beach at the same time as still images of rehearsal and performance are screened. Etchings of the work by three of the participant artists will be exhibited on the walls.

Dr Rank returns home to Melbourne in December.

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

ISSUE 23 ~ 30 November 2007 leading thinkers programme celebrated The University of Otago’s Leading Thinkers initiative – the core of the University’s advancement programme – has exceeded its target six months ahead of schedule. A total of $51.7 million has been raised and is being used to support 27 new projects within the University.

The five-year programme was established under the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence framework to support world-class scholarship at Otago in areas vital to the nation’s future well-being. Its aim was to secure $50million (including $25 million provide as matching funds by the Government) to support 25 new projects. A key feature of the initiative – and what has set it apart from other advancement campaigns – has been its commitment to investing in people, not buildings; knowledge leaders, not infrastructure.

The rationale behind this was simple – a university is defined by its people, so any university wishing to improve its quality should add to, secure and encourage these people, especially those identified as its “leading thinkers”. This concept proved to be one that resonated well with donors.

“Raising money for its own sake is not the point, but what it is used for ”explains Development Director Clive Matthewson. “The money raised shows the outstanding generosity of spirit by the donators. It also shows the willingness of the Government to invest in research initiatives.”

Of the 27 new projects established, some were generated within the University while others were initiated by donors in areas of particular interest or concern to them. All have been approved as fitting within the University’s strategic direction. He says the hardest part for him personally was getting Government approval for the agreement in the first place.

Most projects have endowed in perpetuity a new position, usually a chair, and each project’s funds are held separately by the University of Otago Foundation Trust with the income used to support the project. Three projects use capital spending to expand the horizons of researchers and make the University of Otago (and thus New Zealand) a more attractive place to work. They support researchers across multiple disciplines, thus qualifying as long-term investments in human capital.

The projects cover a breadth of disciplines, from peace and conflict studies to reproduction and genomics; childhood issues to cancer pathology; entrepreneurship to international health. However, Matthewson says Leading Thinkers is much more than27 disparate projects. “It makes a statement about the University. It demonstrates where we are going and that we will get there.”

He pays tribute to all of those who have donated to the initiative. Their philanthropy has enabled the establishment of projects that would otherwise not exist. “The University has a new set of partners who will continue to have an association with us and with what is happening here, especially concerning the particular project they have funded. Our donors have given money to achieve something good and we feel very strongly the need to meet their expectations.”

He also attributes the success of the initiative to the standing of this University within the community. “People will only donate to an organisation that they trust highly. The success of Leading Thinkers indicates that the University of Otago is a highly trusted institution, that its mission is trusted, its financial stability is trusted, the ability to deliver is trusted and, most importantly, its leadership is trusted.”

 university of otago

 leading thinkers initiative annual report 2007

university of otago leading thinkers initiative 2007 annual report

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