Updates archive
TRANSFORM Team Celebrates End of Year with Research Centre Gathering
On Thursday, 11 December, the TRANSFORM team came together for their Research Centre end-of-year celebration. The event featured a thoughtful reflection from Professor Chris Bullen (Centre Director) on the achievements of the past year, along with an update on current...
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa 2026 Symposium
Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu share a powerful keynote on navigating New Zealand’s rapidly changing research landscape — a message now published in Pacific Health Dialog at the Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa 2026 Symposium. Click here to read more
RNZ’s The Detail: Smokefree choking
TRANSFORM’s Director Chris Bullen speaks to RNZ’s The Detail about Aotearoa Smokefree obligations. To listen to the interview click here
Berit Follong awarded RDF Research Fellowship
TRANSFORM member Dr Berit Follong won a Research Development Fund (RDF) Research Fellowship. Project title: Co-designing a campus-based intervention to support tertiary student nutrition and food security Summary: Starting university is a major life change that often...
TRANSFORM’s Director Prof Chris Bullen speak about the drop on the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index
Last week saw the release of the Global Tobacco Interference Index. In it, Aotearoa ranked 53rd in the world - a whopping 52 places down from two years ago. Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Professor of Public Health at the University of Auckland, Chris Bullen,...
TRANSFORM members presenting at the Nutrition Society of New Zealand conference
TRANSFORM Members will be heading to Dunedin to present at the 2025 Nutrition Society of New Zealand (NSNZ) Conference on the 26th to 28th November. Presentations include: Associate Professor Kathryn Bradbury on Trends in population food and macronutrient availability...
Join TRANSFORM member Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu for a webinar on Junk Food vs Public Health
Professor Cliona Ni Mhurch will be joining Adam Bradshaw, Sir Professor Ashley Bloomfield, Dave Letele and Murray Bruges for a webinar on the 17th November discussing Junk Food vs Public Health - Solutions for a Healtheir New Zealand. Click here for more details and...
Health Technology Innovation: Past, Present & Future Collaborations
Join us for an afternoon of insight, inspiration, and connection across Auckland's health technology researchers, clinicians, and innovators. You’ll hear firsthand from researchers and clinicians who have transformed their ideas into successful MedTech start-ups, and...
Testing and adapting dietary habits and food security questions for a national nutrition survey using cognitive interviews and expert consultation
TRANSFORM members Dr Berit Follong and Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu have published a paper on their work in developing the New Zealand National Nutrition Survey. The publication looks at how the dietary habits and food security questions were cognitively tested and...
TRANSFORM Member wins excellent abstract award at HealthEx
TRANSFORM member Dinithi Uthumange won the FMHS excellent abstract award at HealthEx. The abstract title: Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards reducing meat consumption among meat-eaters: A systematic review.
Community health, patient safety under increasing threat
As nurses witness failures of care related to unsafe staffing levels, “they experience significant distress and many leave, adding turnover costs to the cost of risks associated with poor staffing levels”, the authors say. Community health, patient safety under...
AI in Health Research Network Newsletter
It was great to receive positive feedback following our first newsletter - there is clearly an appetite for content and opportunities to connect. Our small team is working hard to meet this demand and deliver more events, networking opportunities, and tools to support...
Celebrating Research Excellence in AI and Healthcare
We’re proud to announce that Professor Robyn Whittaker and Associate Professor Rosie Dobson, members of TRANSFORM, are involved in three Health Research Council (HRC) grants focussed on artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, in collaboration with Te Whatu Ora....
Noah Bunkley 2025 UoA 3MT Finals Winner and a finalist in the Asian Pacific 3MT
Huge congratulations to Dr Noah Bunkley for winning the University of Auckland 3 Minute Thesis Competition! What a night—high stakes, high energy, and intense competition. Honestly, it felt like the Crufts agility contest for PhD students. Noah’s superb performance...
Reflective roof project looks to beat the heat
The University of Auckland’s REFLECT project is tackling the health impacts of extreme heat by testing reflective white roof coatings across Niue, Mexico, India, and Burkina Faso. Climate change has pushed temperatures to extremes that can be harmful for people’s...
Call to make health star ratings essential on all products
Public health advocates are urging the Australian and New Zealand governments to make Health Star Ratings mandatory on all food products. Call to make health star ratings essential on all products
Concerns around smoking/vaping on hospital grounds w/ the University of Auckland’s Chris Bullen: August 12, 2025
Professor Chris Bullen has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current smokefree regulations on hospital grounds. Speaking on August 12, 2025, he called for reform and stronger enforcement to better protect patients, staff, and visitors from exposure to...
TRANSFORM Members presenting at NZAcres conference 2025
TRANSFORM Members Professor Robyn Whittaker and Associate Professor Rosie Dobson are presenting at the New Zealand Associate of Clinical Research (NZACRES) Conference which is held on 21st - 22nd August at the Pullman Hotel, Auckland. For more details see the...
MedTech Explorers Showcase
Want to see how technology is transforming healthcare? Attend and explore! The MedTech Explorer Showcase will be held on 28th August 2025 at Fale o Samoa Mangere. For more information or to register visit the website Medtech Explorer Tiki Tour
TRANSFORM’s Co-Director Professor Robyn Whittaker presenting at Queenstown Research Week
The Queenstown Research Week will be held 31st August to 5th September in Christchurch. TRANSFORM's Co-Director Professor Robyn Whittaker will be presenting on AI Research in Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora on the 3rd September. For more information see the website...