Otago Biochemistry News

Department Newsletters

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:01:26 +1200

2012, first quarter

2011, last quarter

2011, 3rd quarter

2011, 2nd quarter

2011, 1st quarter

2010 Christmas letter to alumni

2010 December

2010, October

2010, August

Zaharic for Medical Admissions

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +1300

Our much awarded Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Zaharic has been appointed to a three year stint as Associate Dean of Medical Admissions.

Professor Catherine Day

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +1300

Just before Christmas it was announced the Catherine Day has been made a full Professor.

From the University's press release:

Since joining the University 10 years ago Catherine Day’s research has concentrated on the analysis of proteins that regulate cell death. These proteins are the focus of a number of drug companies, and her research has contributed to the development of novel classes of therapeutic compounds that are currently being trialled for the treatment of cancer. Currently, her research group focuses on understanding the mechanisms that control protein abundance in the cell. Collaborations with leading international groups have contributed significantly to her research.

She has enjoyed continued financial support from the Marsden Fund since 1997 and this support, along with that from other agencies including Lotteries Health and the Health Research Council, has been critical to her success. Since 2007 she has served as the Associate Dean of Research for the Otago School of Medical Sciences and in this role she has initiated a number of programmes to help support the research of others.

Professor Tate top OSMS Supervisor

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +1300

On the 2nd February Professor Warren Tate was awarded the Otago School of Medical Sciences prize for Excellence in Postgraduate Supervision. This prize is awarded based on student nominations.

Master's Games Medals

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +1300

Professional Practice Fellow Kaye Wilson and PA to HOD Teena Joyce won medals in last week's Master's Games Tournament held here in Dunedin. Teena's team won the silver medal in Women's Football 25+. Kaye won golds in both Bridge and Twilight 400 (curling, darts, 10 pin bowling, and small bore rifle shooting).

Krause Lab website launched

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +1300

The Krause lab now has its own website. Dr Karen Knapp has put considerable time into building the site over the past few months with information on research projects; equipment; staff, past and present; lab photographs etc etc.

Krause Lab website

Psa in the news again

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +1200

Sixteen months after the discovery of Psa in New Zealand kiwifruit, Otago biochemists are confident they will discover the source of the outbreak.

Associate Professor Russell Poulter, Professor Iain Lamont and Dr Margi Butler, all from the University of Otago’s Department of Biochemistry, have been working with the kiwifruit industry since the Psa (Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae) bacterium was first detected in a Te Puke orchard in November 2010.

From the outset, the source of the bacterium has been a key question. There are three possible options: Chile, China or Europe, namely Italy.

Initially, the technology was not available within New Zealand to carry out sequencing the whole genetic code of the New Zealand Psa strain. But, the arrival of new advanced genomics technology into New Zealand mid last year – through the governmentfunded initiative, New Zealand Genomics Limited (NZGL) – allowed the Otago biochemists to action this urgent task. The results showed the New Zealand strain was significantly different from the Italian strain and, therefore, Italy could not have been the source. Critically, it also put to bed any whispers that New Zealand may have been the source of historical Italian outbreaks.

Through a process of elimination, Chinese pollen appears to be the likely source of New Zealand’s outbreak. The Otago biochemists have been able to source some Chinese Psa samples for sequencing and the results indicate that China is the original source of both the Italian and New Zealand outbreaks. More recently, Psa has been confirmed in Chile and work has begun on sequencing these strains. Preliminary data suggests that the Chilean strain also originates from China.

Associate Professor Poulter says the question of whether the New Zealand outbreak may have come via Chile will soon be answered, by using the NZGL sequencing process and comparing the results with the information they have gathered to date.

“Having provided the tools, through sequencing, to recognise the different strains, we now want to determine the pathway by which the Psa came into the New Zealand. It’s unlikely to be on someone’s boots or via quarantined channels. And we know the particular strain did not originate from Europe. We need to know the pathway, so we can help other countries – and ourselves – avoid similar mistakes in future.”

Two years ago, the Government committed $40m over 10 years to establish NZGL – a collaborative infrastructure of genetic sequencing technology and expertise, involving Auckland, Massey and Otago Universities. It was NZGL’s multi-million dollar Illumina HiSeq sequencing service that the Otago biochemists used to determine the Psa genome and gave the kiwifruit industry the answers it needed.

Dr Poulter says the kiwifruit Psa scenario has highlighted to him how critical it is to have the technology within New Zealand

“New Zealand is a major agricultural and horticultural producer. It’s what we are. It’s how we earn a living. If something goes wrong, are we going to put a sample on the courier and send it to another country for sequencing? No. We need to be able to respond, prioritise and act quickly. If NZGL wasn’t here, we would never have been able to sequence the bacterium and answer the industry’s questions.”

NZGL chief executive Tony Lough says the infrastructure is doing precisely what it was set up for: to give New Zealand scientists access to the technology needed to undertake advanced genomics research specific to New Zealand.

This is work that could not previously be undertaken in New Zealand. While, in theory, you could contract advanced genomics analysis to labs overseas, the reality was that this was expensive and often took too long. Why would a facility in another country prioritise work from elsewhere?

“The way in which the Otago scientists used NZGL, and the speed with which NZGL was able to process their samples, demonstrates exactly why it’s so critical to have this advanced technology available within New Zealand.”

Meanwhile, what next for the kiwifruit industry? The Ministry of Science and Innovation, the kiwifruit industry and grower/packhouse company Seeka Kiwifruit Industries have collectively committed $330,000 over three years to continue working with the Otago researchers.

Associate Professor Poulter says the team will concentrate on the effective use of antibiotics for the successful treatment of Psa in New Zealand.

“The kiwifruit industry will survive, but it may take some time to determine a cost effective treatment. The priority is to sustaining the industry in the meantime. Part of that is containing the bacterium – and determining how it came to be here.”

Lotteries Health successes

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +1200

Drs Liz Ledgerwood and Sigurd Wilbanks have been successful in the latest round of Lotteries Health funding.

Liz Ledgerwood received $79,000 for her project "Are cell death pathways important in platelet formation in humans?" and Sigurd Wilbanks received $62,015 for "Biosynthesis of potent analgesics".

New CPR website

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +1200

The Centre for Protein Research website has had a thorough makeover.

The address is cpr.otago.ac.nz, go and check it out.