Director applauds bold commitment to Science Challenges

Liggins Institute Director Professor Wayne Cutfield has responded enthusiastically to today’s announcement by Hon Steven Joyce of the Science Challenges selected for funding. In addition, he says, the Government’s decision to contribute a further $73 million, making a new total of $133.5 million over four years, will provide better resourcing and ensure the Challenges achieve meaningful outcomes.

While traditionally, governments tend to work in short term funding cycles, Cutfield commends the insightful decision and long term view to fund initiatives which may not realise their full potential for many years to come.

“The science underpinning good health throughout the lifespan is a feature of the science challenges. We welcome the recognition in Challenge 2 - A better start, that investing in improving the health, education and well-being of our mothers, children and young people will have long term benefits to society. This is an area in which the Liggins is actively engaged at present.

In challenge 4 – Research to develop high value foods with health benefits, there is an exciting opportunity to draw together academic and industry expertise across New Zealand in developing a world-class, virtual centre to evaluate food for health. Providing robust scientific evidence to support health food claims will benefit local industry reputation and sales, and consumers who will be better informed. Such a centre would be unique in this part of the world and could become a regional hub in the evaluation of high value foods for health, bringing with it additional economic benefits. In recent years the Liggins Institute has rapidly expanded laboratory and clinical research in this domain.”

Cutfield also commended the inclusion of a social dimension in each Challenge along with recognising the power of harnessing better public understanding of science literacy to improving lives.

He said the consultative process used to develop the Challenges has been an important step in bringing science and society together and created opportunities to build collaborations across disciplines and organisations.

“The Liggins Institute has the capacity and expertise to contribute actively and immediately to four of the Challenges,” he said. “We are eager and ready to seize the opportunities they present.”