Funding supports cancer, meningitis research
Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington researchers have received funding to help progress research into cancer and meningitis.
Dr Melanie McConnell, a senior lecturer in biology and genetics from the University’s School of Biological Sciences, has received up to $19,050 to investigate a new mechanism by which cancer cells can resist therapy.
During their research, Dr McConnell and her research group have observed that cancer cells can survive chemotherapy if they physically interact with a certain type of non-cancer cells found in their environment. If Dr McConnell and her team can understand how cancer cells use this interaction with non-cancer cells to survive chemotherapy, they can work to figure out how to prevent this happening during cancer treatment, which will improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
Dr Joanna Mackichan, senior lecturer in medical microbiology from the University’s School of Biological Sciences, has received up to $20,000 for her research into meningococcal disease.
Dr Mackichan will be studying the bacteria known as Neisseria meningitidis. This bacteria usually resides harmlessly in the upper airways, but it can occasionally cause severe meningococcal disease. Despite this, there is very little known about how Neisseria meningitidis interacts with the airway tissues.
Previous work by Dr Mackichan and her team identified a protein that is significant to how this bacteria adheres itself to the airway tissues, and which also manipulates host cells in a way that may lead to serious disease. Dr Mackichan and her team will use the Research For Life funding to learn more about how this protein helps the bacteria attach to the airways, and how this bacteria can cause serious disease as well as contributing further knowledge to the development of new vaccines for meningitis.
The research will be supported by grants from Research For Life. Research For Life funds work undertaken by early career researchers that will advance the quality of healthcare in the Wellington region and beyond.
Five grants were given out in this funding round, with two of the grants going to Victoria University of Wellington researchers.
“Research For Life congratulates the successful applicants from this funding round. The research they are undertaking is innovative, well-conceived and vital to achieving continuing improvements in health outcomes in the community,” says Associate Professor Rebecca Grainger, Chair of Research For Life’s Research Advisory Committee.