Award for University of Otago academics

University of Otago scientist Dr Khoon Lim is striving to create new human blood vessels through a form of 3-D printing, and is "stoked" to gain an Otago early career award.

Dr Lim and Dr Rachel Purcell, both of Otago’s Christchurch campus, and Dr Stefanie Zollman, computer science, Dr Htin Lin Aung, microbiology and immunology, and Dr Rebecca Kinaston, anatomy, all three of Dunedin, have received the award.

This includes $5000 for personal scholarly development.

Almost all tissues and organs in the human body needed oxygen and nutrients from blood vessels to survive, Dr Lim said.

Circulation disruption could damage vessels but there were no treatments to fix them.

Dr Lim has pioneered and patented a bio-ink, containing human cells, which allows more cells to survive and thrive, and is being used in research laboratories and 3-D bioprinting companies internationally.

His research has been funded by the Health Research Council, and the Marsden Fund.

Dr Purcell is studying the role of the microbiome — the community of bacteria types living in our gut — on the development of colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases.

Dr Zollman’s research involves augmented reality and human-computer interaction, and is relevant to many industries, including transport, architecture, entertainment and tourism.

Dr Htin Lin Aung is an international specialist in the next generation whole-genome sequencing of infectious diseases, particularly drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Dr Kinaston strives to clarify how humans adapted to and moved across historic and pre-historic landscapes in the Asia-Pacific, including New Zealand.