Malaghan Institute of Medical Research

US funding cuts make NZ vaccine research more critical Fortunately, New Zealand now has the capacity to develop home-grown vaccines, through the mRNA Platform, which has received $70m in government funding.

The Malaghan’s Dr Lisa Connor spoke with RNZ's Ruth Hill about the extraordinary potential of mRNA technology – from infectious disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases to rare conditions – and why New Zealand’s role is more vital than ever.

29.08.2025 01:52 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Cancer, measles and allergic disease research funded in latest HRC grants round

The Malaghan Institute has been awarded three Health Research Council grants, totalling $7.4M over five years, to improve cancer immunotherapies, protect vulnerable populations from measles outbreaks and investigate new therapeutic targets for eczema

19.08.2025 01:26 — 👍 8    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

Fantastic to have Johanne Jacobsen at @malaghan.bsky.social this week presenting her beautiful work on germinal centre T cells, in all their complexity.

11.07.2025 09:31 — 👍 6    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

A Māori worldview describes the immune system as a guardian – this could improve public health in Aotearoa NZ Just as infection signals imbalance in Western medicine, in te ao Māori it indicates a deeper disharmony that requires restoring the relationships that sustain life.

Tama Braithwaite-Westoby explores how framing the immune system through a te ao Māori lens offers an opportunity to engage Māori communities and to better support public health in Aotearoa New Zealand

07.07.2025 03:35 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Image shows Theresa Pankhurst. Text reads: Theresa Pankhurst, Honorary research fellow. Te Niwha Infestious Diseases Platform Kia Niwha Leader Fellow

Postdoc Theresa Pankhurst is redefining leadership! As a Kia Niwha Leader Fellow, she is exploring leadership through the lens of Māori history, culture, and perspectives. “Leadership takes many forms,” she says—and she’s proving it every day 🙌
#IWD2025 @linterman.bsky.social @malaghan.bsky.social

07.03.2025 13:00 — 👍 5    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

What NZ scientists are discovering about how our bodies fight infection Ever wondered if catching one viral nasty spares you from being hit hard by another?

New research from the Malaghan's Dr Kerry Hilligan in collaboration with colleagues at NIH, published in Science Immunology, is changing what we know about how our bodies fight off infections @niaidnews.bsky.social @jamiemorton.bsky.social @science.org @scinews.bsky.social @kerryhilligan.bsky.social

07.01.2025 00:39 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Had a great time presenting my poster at ASI2024 Sydney Australia! We’re studying how the lung’s cellular landscape shifts during infection and influences future infections, using high-dimensional flow cytometry to profile and characterise pulmonary cells at steady state and during infection! 🫁

11.12.2024 02:02 — 👍 9    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

Kjesten Wiig appointed Director of Malaghan Institute as Graham Le Gros steps into new role

Prof Kjesten Wiig has been appointed Director of the Malaghan Institute as Professor Graham Le Gros continues in a leadership capacity as Deputy Chair of the Trust Board and advisor to the new Director @grahamlegros.bsky.social

11.12.2024 01:10 — 👍 8    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Super privileged to have been apart of this amazing tour-de-force study from @pauljbaker.bsky.social, @mayerbarber.bsky.social and team showing how inflammatory history of the 🫁 alters susceptibility to #covid19.
Congrats team!! 🎉🎉

06.12.2024 22:58 — 👍 7    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0