Research to reality

These public lectures describe some of the ways we’re turning research discoveries into real strategies that will help people to prevent and manage major health problems.

Who ordered the doughnut - you or your gut bugs?

Professor Wayne Cutfield delivered this funny and engaging lecture about his life and his research to mark his receipt of the 2020 Gluckman Medal, the premier acknowledgement of excellence awarded each year by the University's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.

Adolescence and lifelong health: Getting it right before the first 1000 days

In this public webinar, Liggins Institute Senior Lecturer Dr Jacquie Bay explains why investing in adolescent development - before the first 1000 days even begins - is vital to providing a healthy life for our teens and their whānau.

Not a mid-life crisis

Dr Jo Perry, Professor David Cameron-Smith and Dr Amber Milan

From beating breast cancer to choosing foods that preserve muscle and prevent inflammation, this public lecture features three Liggins Institute researchers working in the fields of nutrition, genomics and cancer. There research may hold the clues to staying healthy in middle age.

  • Senior Research Fellow Dr Jo Perry is developing a new cancer drug that could improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy. In this talk she explains why blocking the action of growth hormones is critical to its success.
  • Professor of Nutrition David Cameron-Smith describes how to avoid the unhealthy traps of middle age. Our nutritional needs change as we age, and the right diet and exercise can help you prevent or manage disease.
  • And help is on hand if you’re one of the many people who suffer from food intolerance. Research Fellow Dr Amber Milan explains how we identify the components in our food that cause digestive problems, and why food intolerances fluctuate over time.

Our research – making a difference now and in the future

Liggins Institute Director Professor Frank Bloomfield

Professor Bloomfield's talk provides an amazing overview of the Liggins Institute's work, and shows how basic scientific research could underpin future discoveries.

Through a series of examples, Professor Bloomfield explains how the Liggins Institute translates research into clinical practice.  

  • Where it has already happened: The use of dextrose gel to treat low blood sugars in newborn babies.
  • Current research that could very well translate into practice in the near future: Using 'gut bugs' to treat obesity.
  • Blue sky research that might lead to translation in the future: The way our genome interacts with the environment.

Auckland – a centre of perinatal research

Distinguished Professor Sir Peter Gluckman

Sir Peter Gluckman explains why Auckland is a centre of perinatal research and how the Liggins Institute has built upon that legacy.

How can we improve life for kids with cerebral palsy?

Senior Research Fellow Dr Silmara Gusso 

In a unique trial focusing on kids with cerebral palsy, Dr Gusso has seen breakthrough improvements. 

Despite being the most common cause of physical disability in childhood, treatments to relieve the effects of cerebral palsy are limited.

Cerebral palsy affects movement control which over the years impacts muscle and bone health.

At the Clinical Research Unit, Dr Gusso worked with children who used a vibration plate for just a few minutes a day. Huge improvements were discovered.

In this presentation she explains how the clinical trial worked and some of the biggest breakthroughs for the children who participated.