Researchers get record $38.5m

A LUCRATIVE new antiviral drug industry could be among the spinoffs arising from a record $38.5 million in grants to University of Otago researchers, announced this week.

This is the largest amount Otago researchers have gained from the Endeavour Fund — the Government’s largest contestable research fund — and well up on the $5 million received last year.

Otago School of Biomedical Sciences dean Vernon Ward is leading the ‘‘New Frontiers in Antiviral Development’’ project, which has received $13.5 million over five years.

The grant would support the development of new antiviral drugs, and a key goal was ‘‘developing this area as a hightech industry for New Zealand’’, Prof Ward said.

He was optimistic an antiviral drug industry could be further developed here, and his team had discovered compounds that targeted new aspects of viruses not previously targeted.

Prof Merata Kawharu of the university’s Centre for Sustainability, said he was ‘‘pretty stoked’’ to have gained $7.2 million for an initiative to help empower Maori communities to respond to climate change. This research pioneered the development of maraebased and maraeled platforms and processes to help reduce carbon emissions.

Otago microbiologist Greg Cook, and research fellow Scott Ferguson, who are leading a project to develop new antimicrobials, have secured $8.7 million in funding.

They aim to develop precision antimicrobials to kill targeted pathogens without harming animals or good bacteria.

The aim was also to create a New Zealandbased animal therapeutic research and development sector.

Otago Smart Ideas projects ($1 million each) recipients were: Sara Miller, chemistry; Chris Hepburn, marine science; Tim Hore, anatomy; James White, geology; Richard Macknight, biochemistry; Alex Gavryushkin, computer science; Peter Fineran, microbiology and immunology; Pascal Sirguey, surveying; Amita Deb, physics.