Liggins Link—June 2026

PITOPITO KŌRERO | NEWS

Better outcomes for moderate-to-late preterm babies

Dr Caroline Walker and Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding.

As a student with a disability, Lionel Brierly was forever grateful for the financial support that helped pay taxi fares to attend lectures during his tertiary studies in Auckland, and that gratitude has been demonstrated many times over with long-term research funding for the Liggins Institute.

Although he passed away in 2003, The Jubilee Trust founded by Lionel has supported a range of projects over the past two decades that have helped improve understanding of how to better detect, intervene and improve the lives of children with disabilities like cerebral palsy.

Up until now, most research on preterm babies has focused on those born many weeks early. However, the Trust is now funding the MoPED study – Moderate-to-late Preterm Babies Early Brain Development – which will concentrate on those born between 32 to 36 weeks who represent more than 80 percent of all preterm babies. 

“We’re interested in the moderate late preterm babies because they don’t have any routine follow-up, they don’t have any routine brain-scanning, they are assumed to be okay, but they are at increased risk of a number of disabilities of which cerebral palsy is one,” says Principal Investigator, Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding. 

Co-ordination and balance problems, previously described as ‘clumsy kids’, are among the broader impairment challenges, along with behavioural problems and cognitive and language delays as children get older. 

Which is why the current study, led by Liggins Institute Senior Research Fellow Dr Caroline Walker, is conducting follow-up research with the development of a two-hour school-aged assessment to check how the six to eight-year-old children are doing later in life. 

Strong staff presence in King’s Birthday Honours list

Professor Caroline Crowther in 2023 with Sir Ashley Bloomfield.

Seven University of Auckland staff have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, including Liggins Institute Emerita Professor Caroline Anne Crowther for services to maternal and perinatal health.

Professor Caroline Crowther is a leading researcher of maternal and perinatal care, who has significantly influenced policy changes and global recommendations for clinical practice.

Crowther led a randomised trial in 2005 that showed detection and treatment of gestational diabetes significantly reduced perinatal death and birthing problems. Her research led to routine diabetes testing during pregnancy and lowering the threshold for intervention, changing international guidelines for care of preterm birth and mothers with gestational diabetes.

Finding the magic in maths and medicine

Growing up in the shadow of Hogwarts castle, Catriona Miller might have dreamed of magic – but found power in science. Her research uses massive datasets to unlock the mysteries of human health.

Catriona Miller might have been forgiven for wanting to be a wizard when she grew up – she was born in Alnwick, the small UK town whose castle famously served as the main location for Hogwarts School in the first two Harry Potter films.

Or perhaps there was alchemy in her blood.

“My mother remembers me telling people I wanted to be a scientist, when I was five.”

By intermediate school, and now in New Zealand, Catriona’s choices were made, though the specifics were yet to be determined.

“I realised I didn’t really care what subject we were doing, I just loved the process of trying to apply different research and problem-solving methodologies to a range of questions.”

But what to study at university? She had scholarship offers from both Auckland and Otago and struggled to choose, until she landed work experience with a friend of her father’s – Neurological Foundation chief executive Richard Easton. 

Richard let the young student trail him to a few meetings; one of them happened to be with top University of Auckland neuroscientists and professors Sir Richard Faull and Cathy Stinear.

Catriona was spellbound. She immediately accepted the offer to study biomedical science at Waipapa Taumata Rau. 

But something was missing.  

Congratulations to our latest Liggins Institute graduates

Front row, left to right: Libby Lord, Zillah Daysh, Atif Majid, Dr Catriona Miller, Senior Research Fellow Dr Olin Silander, Professor Justin O’Sullivan. Back row, left to right: Professor Jane Harding, Dr David Nyakotey, William Craig, Rosemary White, Dr Anna Behling.  

We're pleased to recognise and congratulate our most recent cohort of graduates. This group reflects the depth and diversity of talent within our community, and we celebrate the commitment and high standard of scholarship each graduate has demonstrated.

Graduates: Dr David Nyakotey (PhD), Dr Phyllis Ohene-Agyei (PhD, in absentia), Dr Catriona Miller (PhD), Dr Anna Behling (PhD), Dr Atif Majid (MHSc), Zillah Daysh (MSc), Rosemary White (BBiomedSc Hons), Libby Lord (BMedSc Hons), and William Craig (BSc Hons).

We can’t wait to see where your journeys take you next – congratulations on this remarkable achievement!

The role of the gut microbiome in health and well-being

Ready Steady Learn w/ Caitlin Woods

Liggins Institute doctoral candidate Caitlin Woods is researching the recruitment and retention of midwives in Aotearoa.  She chatted with Rosetta and Milly from 95bFM Ready Steady Learn about the challenges facing midwives-in-training, including shortages and a lack of diversity.

NZMA Manukau students learn about genomics research

During May, we welcomed 40 students from NZMA Manukau to the Liggins Institute for a hands-on introduction to genomics research.

The students had the chance to try Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology, preparing samples and learning how flow cells are loaded for sequencing - the same technology used in our newborn genomics programme. They also heard about some of the research happening here at Liggins, including research exploring the benefits of breastmilk.

A big thank you to Dr Olin Silander and Dr Mariana Muelbert for speaking with the students and sharing their research, and to Liggins Senior Technologist Hui Hui Phua for setting up all the lab equipment for the session.

NGĀ KAUPAPA NUI | EVENTS

Public Lecture – Tiny babies, big questions: the high-stakes science of early nutrition

6pm, Thursday 2 July
Building 505, Level 0, Lecture Theatre 1 AMRF Auditorium (505-011)
85 Park Rd, Grafton

From life-threatening refeeding syndrome to the surprising power of smell and taste - inside the science reshaping neonatal care.

What happens when babies are born before they’re ready to feed? How do you safely feed a baby that has been undernourished in the womb? And can nutrition in the NICU affect learning years later?

Every year, more than 4500 whānau in Aotearoa New Zealand experience preterm birth. Babies now survive at rates once thought impossible, but scientists are discovering that how babies are fed in the first days after birth may have lifelong consequences.

At this Liggins Institute public lecture, Interim Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Frank Bloomfield, Dr Barbara Cormack and Dr Tanith Alexander will explore surprising new findings about early nutrition, where seemingly small decisions can shape brain development, allergies and lifelong health.

Join us at 6 pm on Thursday July 2 for a fascinating evening of cutting-edge neonatal research and discovery. You’re warmly invited to stay for drinks and nibbles afterwards.

WHAKAMIHI | CONGRATULATIONS