Success for National Research Centre for Growth and Development in Centres of Research Excellence funding round

The Government today announced that it will continue funding the National Research Centre for Growth and Development (NRCGD) for a second six year period. The renewal will allow for excellent research focussed on understanding how biological ‘cues’ in the earliest stages of life can herald life course consequences that impact on human health and disease and productivity in farm animals.

"The research has major implications for biomedicine and agriculture, is training the next generation of biological researchers and is already beginning to translate into practice for the benefit of New Zealand" said NRCGD Chair Alison Paterson.

The NRCGD, based at The University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute unites researchers from the Universities of Auckland, Canterbury and Otago, Massey University, AgResearch and Landcorp. Its uniquely multidisciplinary approach, which draws on fields as diverse as medicine and mathematics, agriculture and epidemiology, means that it has the capacity to rapidly translate findings in basic science into clinical practice, recommendations for public health policy and improvements in agriculture.

NRCGD Director Professor Peter Gluckman today thanked Dr Cullen for his congratulations. "It is heartening to see the confidence the Government has shown in our potential and their acknowledgement of the success of our multidisciplinary collaborations," he said.

"As we negotiate the new contract we look forward to entering into a dialogue with the Crown to ensure resourcing of the Centre is sufficient for it to meet Government’s expectations for the Centres of Research Excellence and maximise benefit to New Zealand," said Mrs Paterson.

For further information contact:
Pandora Carlyon
Communications Manager
The Liggins Institute
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 82305
Email: p.carlyon@auckland.ac.nz