In this post, all available Postgraduate research opportunities such as Master’s and PhD Levels and Research Fellowships at the University of Otago, Wellington in New Zealand has listed.
University of Otago
Otago University is the largest university in New Zealand, with a student population of over 21,500, around 1500 Academic staff, and 2500 Administrative staff. It was established in 1869 and has been offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees since 1877.
Otago is a public university that offers degrees in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The University’s motto is “Truth will prevail”.
The university has eight faculties: Arts, Business, Education, Engineering & Technology, Law (including Human Rights), Medicine & Health Sciences, Science & Environment and Social Sciences.
Available Funded PhD and Master Positions at the University of Otago
Here you can find all available Postgraduate Programmes at the University of Otago.
Title: Public Housing Research Opportunity
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host campus: Wellington
Qualifications: Master’s
Department: Public Health (Wellington)
Summary:
The shortage of affordable housing in Aotearoa New Zealand has led to a cascade of housing related issues, causing poorer health and well-being outcomes. Public housing and its effects on individual and community well-being in Aotearoa is poorly understood. We are looking for a master’s candidate to contribute research on the comparative economic and social effectiveness of differing public housing and urban regeneration models to increase well-being outcomes.
We offer a Master of Public Health student to join the New Zealand Centre of Sustainable Cities at the University of Otago (Wellington campus). This is an opportunity to join a New Zealand first, applying a well-being framework to large-scale public housing initiatives, where mana whenua, iwi and Māori urban authorities are major partners with the Crown and local government.
Through this master’s course you will produce a 40,000-word thesis, conducting qualitative narrative interviews, analysing the data to compare findings from the IDI (Integrated Data Infrastructure).
Student applicants will need to have a strong academic record and high motivation (though public housing experience is also valued).Register your interest
More Details and Apply.
Title: Using health behaviour change to improve the physical health outcomes of young people experiencing first episode psychosis
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences
Host campus: Wellington
Qualifications: PhD, Master’s
Department: Psychological Medicine (Wellington)
Summary:
People living with psychosis die at a much younger age than the general population, primarily due to poor cardiometabolic health. The effects of medication are implicated in these outcomes, positive health behaviours such regular physical activity, good nutrition, and abstinence from smoking and other substances can help to mitigate risks to physical health.
Early intervention is crucial, before physical health deteriorates to the point it becomes irreversible and behavioural patterns are still amenable to change. Therefore, we are aiming to support young people who are experiencing their first episode of psychosis to lead healthy lives. This project may draw upon, among other things, co-design, motivational theory, aspects of nutrition and exercise prescription, pharmacology, and psychiatry to develop programmes alongside these young people. It is therefore suitable for a wide range of students at Masters and PhD levels.
Please note that this project is not yet funded and would therefore involve the preparation of a scholarship application in conjunction with the research team.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Molecular biomarkers in colorectal cancer
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences
Host campus: Wellington
Qualifications: Honours, Master’s, PhD
Department: Surgery and Anaesthesia (Wellington)
Summary:
We have opportunities available for students from both scientific and clinical backgrounds to undertake research projects on molecular biomarkers in colorectal cancer. This includes the use of extracellular vesicles and RNA as liquid biopsy markers for the detection of tumour and for the prediction of response to treatment. Please see the Surgical Cancer Research Group page for more information on the work we do and contact us for specific details of projects available.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Endometrial cancer: projects available in genomic, cell biology, clinical and public health areas
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences
Host campus: Wellington
Qualifications: PhD, Master’s, Honours
Department: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health (Wellington)
Summary:
Endometrial cancer has been a neglected disease, and this is to our detriment – it is now one of the leading causes of women’s mortality and morbidity in Aotearoa. Although obesity is strongly linked with endometrial cancer, it does not wholly account for the increase in incidence and recurrence.
Proposed studies are available to investigate multiple areas of endometrial cancer to inform clinical practice for a disease that will continue to have a significant impact on women and the health care system. We encourage honours, masters and PhD students to apply.
A variety of projects are available for students interested in women’s health and cancer. Projects will encourage critical thinking and analysis of health quality disparities which still exist in the Wellington region. These include, but are not limited to:
- Genomics: investigating the molecular classification of endometrial cancer in NZ women
- Cell biology: role of extracellular vesicles in endometrial cance
- Clinical: Data linking and analysis (cancer recurrence)
- Public Health: investigating women’s experiences and role of health literacy material
More Details and Apply.
Title: Public perceptions of genomic medicine
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualifications: PhD
Department: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health (Wellington)
Summary:
Genomic medicine is poised to change the face of medicine, and likely it will, but what do New Zealanders know about it, and more importantly what do they want to know about it? In fact, there are a lot of questions that we need to ask – how do New Zealanders view their DNA – is it theirs as an individual or the family’s? We are proposing to undertake a nationally representative survey and focus groups with the New Zealand public to find out. We need to open the dialogue between clinicians, researchers and the public; and we urgently need answers to these questions to inform genomic research, policy and ethical practice so that the people it is intending to benefit have a voice in how it is used.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Māori Masters Scholarship (University of Otago PhD)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch
Qualifications: Master’s
Department: Preventive and Social Medicine (Dunedin), Population Health (Christchurch), Public Health (Wellington)
Summary:
Applications are invited for a Masters scholarship to undertake research on how to support Māori to have sustainable and healthy kai, what interventions and policies Māori would respond to, as well as any current barriers to shifting dietary intake.
Eating healthy kai is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Differences in dietary intake have contributed to differences in health outcomes between Māori and non-Māori so it is essential that dietary interventions and policies to be implemented in Aotearoa are as acceptable and effective for Māori as non-Māori.
The successful candidate should have experience or interest in public health, nutrition, health equity or social justice, and have high levels of cultural competence for working with Māori. Ideally, the candidate will have some previous experience in qualitative research.
Applicants must meet University of Otago and Departmental requirements for entry into Masters study.
More Details and Apply.
Title: A High Quality Aotearoa New Zealand Diet for Metabolic Health and Whānau Wellbeing – He Rourou Whai Painga (HRWP) (University of Otago PhD)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences, Business
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualifications: Master’s, PhD
Department: Medicine (Wellington)
Levels: Master’s, PhD (University of Otago PhD)
Summary: The He Rourou Whai Painga (HRWP) study’s overarching purpose is to provide evidence through rigorous research that a diet which includes a specific selection of New Zealand (NZ) Food and Beverage (F&B) products offers health benefits to consumers.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Predicting risk of diabetes complications and costs using machine learning with equity analysis (University of Otago PhD)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: Master’s
Department: Public Health (Wellington)
Summary:
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning pose enormous potential for improving quality of life but also significant social, cultural and other risks. It is therefore crucial to ensure that machine learning models do not create or exacerbate inequities in healthcare, due to biased data and unfair algorithms. In Aotearoa New Zealand, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of premature death and disease burden and major sources of health inequities for Māori, Pacific, and Asian populations due to socio-economic, cultural and health system factors.
We are looking for a Master of Public Health student to join our project Predicting risk of diabetes complications and costs using machine learning with equity analysis funded by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. The research topic is using Aotearoa’s rich social and health datasets to build equity into the machine learning models, and predict cardiovascular disease risk and healthcare costs among people with diabetes. The project will partially cover master’s stipend and tuition fees.
More Details and Apply.
Title: The experience of ‘denormalisation’ among smokers in Aotearoa – what is it and what implications does it have for developing strategies to reach a Smokefree Aotearoa? (University of Otago)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences, Business, Humanities
Host Campus: Dunedin
Qualifications: Master’s, PhD (University of Otago PhD)
Department: Public Health (Wellington)
Summary:
This cohort study of smokers and recent quitters will shortly be collecting its third wave of data from around 1,000 participants, including around 350 Māori participants in the first two waves. Future waves aim to have equal numbers of Māori and Pacific and non-Māori non-Pacific participants.
This particular proposal is to use the first 3 waves of the ITC data to explore the meaning of of denormalisation and to quantify the degree to which smokers in New Zealand experience denormalisation of smoking and smokers, and the impacts of this on their smoking-related behaviours and attitudes.
It could be complemented by qualitative work to explore some of the key quantitative findings in-depth and provide more details insights into the impact existing measures have on realisation of the 2025 goal, particularly for Māori and Pacific peoples. Alternatively, additional cross-country comparisons could explore how NZ smokers’ experiences vary compared to other countries (25+) included in the international ITC project or perhaps more explicitly other countries that do not have endgame goals?.
We have very detailed data on smoking-related attitudes, beliefs and behaviours and their determinants. So this project is one of multiple possibilities for Masters or PhD projects involving ITC/EASE data. We would be happy to discuss other possibilities.
This is one of many opportunities within the ASPIRE 2025 research programme. We carry out multi-disciplinary research to support the achievement of the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal, with a focus on research that informs the development and evaluation of healthy public policies such as smokefree laws, standardised (plain) packaging and restrictions on the retail availability of smoked tobacco products.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Smoking and occupation in Aotearoa: A census-based analysis (University of Otago)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences, Business, Humanities
Host Campus: Dunedin
Qualifications: Master’s, PhD
Department: Public Health (Wellington)
Summary: This project will use the 2006, 2013 and 2018 census data to explore the patterns and trends in smoking by occupation. Smoking and occupation other than among health professionals is an under-researched area in New Zealand, despite the obvious potential for occupation/workplace-based interventions to contribute to achieving the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal. There is a unique opportunity to explore smoking and occupation in New Zealand because the 5 yearly population census includes questions on smoking status and on occupation.
The aims of this analysis would be developed more fully during the project, but would likely could include investigating the following:
- Patterns and trends in smoking among key occupational groups, with stratified analyses by gender, ethnicity and age groups
- Identification of very low prevalence occupational groups (which might help identify groups where past strategies have been effective)
- Identification of very high prevalence occupational groups to identify potential settings for workplace cessation interventions
- Identification of occupations with high prevalence of smoking among young adults to identify potential settings for workplace uptake prevention interventions
For a PhD, the census analysis could be complemented by qualitative work to exploring some of the key quantitative findings through in-depth qualitative studies among high priority occupational groups, or case studies in key settings.
The findings could be used to help inform the development of occupation/workplace-based cessation or prevention uptake interventions.
This is one of many study opportunities within the ASPIRE 2025 research programme. We carry out multi-disciplinary research to support the achievement of the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal, with a focus on research that informs the development and evaluation of healthy public policies such as smokefree laws, standardised (plain) packaging and restrictions on the retail availability of smoked tobacco products.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Principlism and medical ethics (University of Otago)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: PhD
Department: Psychological Medicine (Wellington)
Summary: Modern medicine is rapidly evolving, with increasingly complex interventions and increasing information as to risks, benefits and consequences. In parallel with this there is a growing understanding of the place of personhood in modern society with increasing emphasis on individual rights and active participation in decision making. This questions the fundamental basis on which doctors engage with patients, how doctors, patients and society (via the courts) adjudicate on their interactions and what actually happens.
Currently the doctor-patient relationship is fundamentally grounded in principlism, the bioethical grounding as described by Beauchamp and Childress. Their four principles approach is appealing to clinicians for multiple reasons; largely it is easily grasped by the busy medical fraternity, simple to operationalise and is reflected by the courts which tend to make judgements that give weight to autonomy and treat competence as the bright line test that determines whether beneficence and non-maleficence should trump. The four principles approach has been dominant in medical ethics for more than five decades and appears to be increasingly unfit for purpose in the modern medical world. Evidence of this can be found both in the amount of defensive practice, the growth of medical indemnity and increasingly legislation against doctors by patients. Paradoxically this may mean patients are harmed by engagements that are more defensive than potentially in the patient’s best interests, at least by their own perspective.
This research opportunity aims to examine these issues and problems in greater detail. A close examination of the practical application of principlism, and alternative bioethical models will be followed by a qualitative examination of the theoretical underpinnings by engaged stakeholders: patients, families, doctors, bioethicists and other engaged groups. From this, potential alternatives to principlism will be developed, with an emphasis of a capacity to be operationalised by the medical profession.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Making it work – understanding and assessing residential rehabilitation in the Salvation Army context (University of Otago)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: PhD
Department: Psychological Medicine (Wellington)
Summary: Research into the rehabilitation of addiction has a long history, however despite the wealth of research, development of novel interventions and increasing understanding of the harms of many drugs of abuse, prevalence rates remain high as does the damage these drug do. Possible problems in translating research into practice include differences in the social and political factors that prevent generalisability of research and the ability of services to translate research into practice. An obvious solution to this problem is to engage in clinically oriented research, examining in depth programs embedded within operating services. This allows questions of purpose, approach, personnel and population to be addressed.
This PhD project aims to answer these questions for a residential rehabilitation service in Wellington, New Zealand. This service is run by the Salvation Army, an international church-based organisation who provide an AA-oriented residential service with a spiritual element. The project may initially involve developing an understanding of the addictions context internationally and in New Zealand, with a view to developing a general theory of the context of the Salvation Army service. This could then be tested, using a grounded theory approach with service users, ex-service users, and staff. The theory developed could be further examined quantitatively, by obtaining demographic, addiction, and outcome data on a cohort of patients within and through the service in order to examine how closely outcome matches the principles of treatment, and what, if any changes could potential improve these outcomes. Areas such as religion, spirituality, and ethnicity are relatively under-researched and of potential interest.
Funding is available to cover the costs of the project, but not a salary for the candidate. Contestable scholarships are available at the University of Otago.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Mobile apps in healthcare (University of Otago)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: PhD
Departments: Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington), Medicine (Wellington), Dean’s Department (Wellington)
More Details and Apply.
Title: Technology adoption in medical education (University of Otago)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualifications: PhD, Master’s
Department: Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington)
Summary: The PEER (Pathology Education Research) group is currently running projects in motivation in e-learning, illness scripts and bridging the gap between pathology and clinical skills.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Medical Education: Translating theory to practice (University of Otago)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualifications: PhD, Master’s
Department: Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington)
Summary: The PEER (Pathology Education Research) group is currently running projects in motivation in e-learning, illness scripts and bridging the gap between pathology and clinical skills.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Towards a new penicillin for rheumatic fever prevention (University of Otago PhD)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: Master’s
Department: Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington)
Summary: A postgraduate research opportunity now available at the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Implementation of genomic medicine in Aotearoa (University of Otago)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: PhD
Departments: Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington), Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health (Wellington)
Summary: A postgraduate research opportunity now available at the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health, University of Otago, Wellington.
More Details and Apply.
Title: The applicability of ctDNA for early cancer detection (University of Otago PhD)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: Master’s
Department: Pathology and Molecular Medicine (Wellington)
Summary: A postgraduate research opportunity now available at the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington.
More Details and Apply.
Title: The role of inflammation shaping the response to acute myocardial infarction (University of Otago)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualifications: Honours, Master’s, PhD
Department: Surgery and Anaesthesia (Wellington)
Summary: We have a range of projects characterising the influence of the immune system on the healing response that occurs within the heart after a myocardial infarction. There are opportunities at honours, master’s, and PhD level.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Endometrial cancer: projects available in genomics, cell biology, clinical and public health areas (University of Otago)
Academic background: Sciences, Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualifications: PhD, Master’s, Honours
Department: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health (Wellington)
Summary: Endometrial cancer has been a neglected disease, and this is to our detriment – it is now one of the leading causes of women’s mortality and morbidity in Aotearoa. Although obesity is strongly linked with endometrial cancer, it does not wholly account for the increase in incidence and recurrence.
Proposed studies are available to investigate multiple areas of endometrial cancer to inform clinical practice for a disease that will continue to have a significant impact on women and the health care system. We encourage honours, masters and PhD students to apply.
A variety of projects are available for students interested in women’s health and cancer. Projects will encourage critical thinking and analysis of health quality disparities which still exist in the Wellington region. These include, but are not limited to:
- Genomics: investigating the molecular classification of endometrial cancer in NZ women
- Cell biology: role of extracellular vesicles in endometrial cance
- Clinical: Data linking and analysis (cancer recurrence)
- Public Health: investigating women’s experiences and role of health literacy material
To put forward an expression of interest you will need to provide us with the following:
- A cover letter that explains your interests and background
- Your CV
You will be based at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health at University of Otago, Wellington (UOW) under supervision of Dr Claire Henry and Professor Aiono Alec Ekeroma.
More Details and Apply.
Title: Public perceptions of genomic medicine (University of Otago)
Academic background: Health Sciences
Host Campus: Wellington
Qualification: PhD
Department: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health (Wellington)
Summary: Genomic medicine is poised to change the face of medicine, and likely it will, but what do New Zealanders know about it, and more importantly what do they want to know about it? In fact, there are a lot of questions that we need to ask – how do New Zealanders view their DNA – is it theirs as an individual or the family’s? We are proposing to undertake a nationally representative survey and focus groups with the New Zealand public to find out. We need to open the dialogue between clinicians, researchers and the public; and we urgently need answers to these questions to inform genomic research, policy and ethical practice so that the people it is intending to benefit have a voice in how it is used.
More Details and Apply.
Available Academic Positions at the University of Otago
Here you can find all available Academic Positions at the University of Otago.
Title: Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow – Neuroendocrinology
Location: DEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY (DUNEDIN)
Employment Status: Fixed Term
Organisation: Anatomy
Salary: The salary for a Postdoctoral Fellow is $86,210, and for a Research Fellow is $90,902 to $107,300.
Summary:
The Principal Investigator Professor Greg Anderson’s research group within the Department of Anatomy and the Centre for Neuroendocrinology is focused on the regulation of fertility by hormones such as leptin and testosterone, and the role of specific populations of hypothalamic neurons. Beyond our focused basic research projects, our ‘big picture’ goal is the development of new and improved treatments for infertility in situations such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
The role/Te mahi
As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Research Fellow in the Department of Anatomy and the Centre for Neuroendocrinology, you will be working on our current HRC and MBIE Endeavour funded programmes investigating new protocols of neuronal modulation that could lead to normalisation of pulsatile reproductive hormone secretion and ovulation in PCOS, and permanent sterilisation in unwanted predator species.
Key tasks of the role include:
• Conducting experiments involving cutting-edge neuroendocrine techniques.
• Writing and collaborating on grant proposals and publications.
• Supervision of students.
• Participating in the activities of the Centre for Neuroendocrinology and the Department of Anatomy as required.
• Other research related tasks as required by the Principal Investigator.
Your skills and experience/Kā pūkeka me kā wheako
Successful candidates will have:
• A relevant PhD level qualification (endocrinology, neuroscience).
• An ability to work productively within a team.
• Strong research experience in the field of neuroendocrine control of GnRH function, and in the following techniques:
– modulation of hypothalamic neuronal activity (activation, inhibition, ablation) using designer receptors and targeted cytotoxins.
– small animal ovarian surgery and stereotaxic neurosurgery.
– serial blood sampling and hormone measurement.
– brain tissue immunohistochemistry and image analysis.
– leading publications.
More Details and Apply.
Interested in pursuing a fully funded PhD in New Zealand?
- University of Otago’s Fully Funded PhD and Postdoc positions
- Master and PhD Scholarships at Massey University in New Zealand
- Scholarships for international students at Lincoln University
- Master, PhD and Postdocs at University of Auckland
- Victoria University of Wellington PhD Scholarships
Would you like to know the salary amount of PhD and postdoc positions in Europe?
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in Denmark
- Salary of a PhD student and Postdoc in Norway
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in Switzerland
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in Sweden
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in Germany
- Salary of PhD and Postdoc in Ireland
- Salary of Postdocs in France
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in the UK
- Professors’ salary in the UK
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in the Netherlands
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in Finland
- Salary of PhD student and Postdoc in Austria
- Salary of Marie-curie postdoctoral fellowship
- Salary of PhD student in Marie-Curie ITN
- Doctorate Degree Business Administration Salary
You can find all the available full-funded PhD positions in different countries here.
- Germany – Fully Funded PhD
- Switzerland – Fully Funded PhD
- Denmark – Fully Funded PhD
- UK – Fully Funded PhD
- Sweden – Fully Funded PhD
- Finland – Fully Funded PhD
- Netherlands – Fully Funded PhD
- Norway – Fully Funded PhD
- Belgium – Fully Funded PhD
- Austria – Fully Funded PhD
- Australia – Fully Funded PhD
- France – Fully Funded PhD
- New Zealand – Fully Funded PhD
- Canada – Fully Funded PhD
- USA – Fully Funded PhD
- Luxembourg – Fully Funded PhD
- Spain – Fully Funded PhD
- Italy – Fully Funded PhD
- Iceland -Fully Funded PhD
The Fastepo website is an academic vacancy website with more than a decade of experience. In our section, we offer fully funded PhD positions, open positions (postdoctoral positions), as well as various scholarships. Our social media pages and our YouTube channel will keep you up to date about all our recent activities.