Prestigious fellowships for two UC researchers
Published by Communications and Development
11 January 2010
Two University of Canterbury researchers have been recognised as being among New Zealand’s brightest young scientists with the awarding of Postdoctoral Fellowships from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST).
Dr Aaron Le Compte and Dr Fiona Cross are among 15 emerging researchers nationwide to share in a funding pool of nearly $4 million.
Dr Le Compte receives $272,224 over three years to develop a user-friendly, robust and safe protocol to control blood sugar levels of patients in intensive care units (ICU). Tight blood glucose control (TGC) can reduce mortality up to 40 per cent and New Zealand innovation in TGC to date has produced effective, computer model-based methods that also reduce costs over $1000 per patient.
Dr Le Compte hopes to bring this unique New Zealand technology to hospitals in the US and Europe where consistent results have been elusive and inflexible systems have often failed to meet differing clinical demands.
Dr Cross receives $274,409 to study the use of olfactory search images by a species of an East African jumping spider known to use olfaction extensively in its choice of both prey and mates.
Search images refer to an animal’s heightened ability to detect specific prey after experience with that prey, and this particular spider is the only predator known to specialise at feeding indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey.
The spiders’ preferred mosquitoes are those that can carry malaria and Dr Cross has a broader goal to study how a thorough understanding of the spiders’ biology might be used to address the catastrophic health burden that malaria imposes on Africa.
The FRST fellowships are designed to boost future science leaders and build greater national research capability and knowledge.
“We are investing in top talent here — these are the people who will take New Zealand science capability to the next level,” says Murray Bain, Foundation Chief Executive Officer.
“These fellowships support New Zealand’s ability to conduct the quality of research needed to drive this country forward towards greater wellbeing, prosperity and international recognition.”
For further information please contact:
Jeanette Colman
Communications Manager
University of Canterbury
Ph: (03) 364 2260
jeanette.colman@canterbury.ac.nz