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Prof Janet Hoek and colleagues will receive more than $6 million for smoking reduction research, as part of $40 million in health-related funding just gained by the University of Otago.

''We're incredibly excited, relieved,'' Prof Hoek said.

Both a $4.95 million Health Research Council (HRC) programme grant and a $1,195,934 project grant she had received had resulted from ''a real team effort''.

The latter grant, announced yesterday, is for research to reduce the smoking of roll-your-own cigarettes.

''I'm just lucky to have worked with some fantastic people,'' she added.

This was the only programme grant received by Otago University, which gained an Otago-record 31 research project grants in the latest HRC funding round.

Otago deputy vice-chancellor, research and enterprise, Prof Richard Blaikie said that a near doubling in Otago's share of HRC project funding since last year reflected the important health research being undertaken at Otago.

Prof Hoek, Prof Richard Edwards and Mr Anaru Waa, of the public health department at Otago's Wellington campus, will use the $4.95 million grant to launch a collaborative research programme called Whakaha o Te Pa Harakeke.

This programme will develop and improve ways to close smoking disparities involving Maori and Pacific peoples and to ''push towards a Smokefree Aotearoa''.

New Zealand's average overall adult smoking rate is 13%, but it is 34% for Maori adults and 23% for Pasifika adults, Smokefree New Zealand says.

Otago University Ngai Tahu Maori Health Research Unit director Dr Emma Wyeth gained $1,191,067 to undertake research on improving outcomes for injured Maori, in one of four Otago projects with a Maori focus, ranging from water safety to cycleways.

Her project funding was among nearly $11 million for Otago studies either led by Maori researchers or focusing on Maori health issues.

Funding was also gained by researchers working on a wide range of other topics, including climate change and its impact on health; using DNA to help predict who may suffer heart failure; and uncovering novel options for therapy of acute myeloid leukaemia, an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow.

Other Otago University projects: Dr Philip Adamson, $1,549,999; Prof David Bilkey, $489,282; Dr Martin de Bock, $1,317,623; Prof Sarah Derrett, $1,188,041; Prof Michelle Glass, $1,172,581; Associate Prof Simon Hales, $1,190,579; Prof Bob Hancox, $1,439,384; Associate Prof Anne-Louise Heath, $1,185,359; Associate Prof Julia Horsfield, $1,177,919; Associate Prof Stephanie Hughes, $1,199,417; Dr Karl Iremonger, $1,167,222; Dr Anne-Marie Jackson, $1,192,263; Mrs Bernadette Jones, $1,186,338; Prof Kurt Krause, $1,199,914; Dr Alex Macmillan, $1,185,793; Associate Prof Sandra Mandic, $1,197,487; Prof Neil McNaughton, $1,090,630; Prof Tony Merriman, $1,198,120; Associate Prof Brian Monk, $1,199,967; Dr Garry Nixon, $943,443; Prof Rachael Taylor, $1,190,308; Prof Suetonia Palmer, $1,266,603 and $1,439,326; Dr Anna Pilbrow, $1,193,680; Prof John Reynolds, $1,192,994; Dr James Ussher, $1,191,634; Associate Prof Logan Walker, $1,145,197; Dr Allamanda Faatoese, $594,804.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz