Staff, affiliates, and honorary staff

Staff

Professor Philip Hill
McAuley Professor of International Health
Co-director - Centre for International Health
Tel 64 3 479 9462
Email philip.hill@otago.ac.nz

Professor John A Crump
McKinlay Professor of Global Health
Co-director - Centre for International Health
Tel 64 3 479 9460
Email john.crump@otago.ac.nz

Ayesha Verrall
Research Fellow

Tel 64 3 479 9463
Email ayesha.verrall@otago.ac.nz

Ayesha Verrall is an infectious diseases physician. Her interest in international health began with the Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the Gorgas Institute in Lima, Peru. Since then she completed her clinical fellowship in National University Hospital Singapore, where she remains engaged in research on acute HIV and dengue.

She has joined the Center for International Health to research the innate immune responses to tuberculosis based in Bandung, Indonesia. Ayesha's research is supported by a Clinical Research Training Fellowship from New Zealand's Health Research Council.

Fiona Gray
Administrator (part-time)

Tel 64 3 470 3584
Email fiona.gray@otago.ac.nz

Affiliates

Professor Robin Gauld
Director, Centre for Health Systems
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine
Dunedin School of Medicine
University of Otago
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
Email robin.gauld@otago.ac.nz

Robin Gauld is Professor of Health Policy in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, and Director of the Centre for Health Systems that spans the Otago Medical and Business schools.

Robin is a Senior Fellow at the Boston University Health Policy Institute, and was a Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow in 2008–2009 working with colleagues from Boston University and Harvard University. Past positions include lecturing and research posts at the University of Hong Kong and City University of Hong Kong. He has also taught at the University of Texas and Harvard University.

Current research interests include comparative health policy, health system and quality improvement, clinical governance, primary care, population based health funding formulas, and health information technology.

Robin has authored over 85 peer-reviewed journal articles and several books and chapters. His book The New Health Policy (Open University Press, 2009) was awarded First Prize in the Health and Social Care category at the 2010 British Medical Association Medical Book Awards. Other recent books include Revolving Doors: New Zealand’s Health Reforms - the Continuing Saga (Institute of Policy Studies and Health Services Research Centre, 2009), The Age of Supported Independence co-authored with Beatrice Hale and Patrick Barrett (Springer, 2010), Health Care Systems in Asia and Europe co-edited with Christian Aspalter and Uchida Yasuo (Routledge, 2011), and Democratic Governance in Health co-authored with Miriam Laugesen (Otago University Press, 2012).

Robin has a PhD in public administration from the University of Hong Kong, and a master's degree with distinction and first class honours degree from Victoria University of Wellington.

Associate Professor Katrina Sharples

Stephen J Sowerby PhD
Director, Applied Science Programme
University of Otago
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
Email stephen.sowerby@otago.ac.nz

Stephen Sowerby is Director of the University of Otago's Applied Science Programme and with a background in biochemistry and nanotechnology, has an interest in the development of diagnostic and analytical technology.

Stephen's present research focus is the development of new tools for the diagnosis and monitoring gastrointestinal parasite, particularly soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH).

Quantitative diagnosis and monitoring of STH in humans is crucial in the evaluation of therapeutic agents to combat the increasing prevalence of drug resistant parasites. This work is underpinned by commercial applications in agriculture and the formation of a new venture (www.menixis.com). New field capable technologies are nascent and employ easy to use tools that creates permanent digital records of diagnostic samples, that can be easily processed, removing the technical burden of hands on microscopy. Electronic transmission of data significantly reduces sample handling enabling simplified diagnosis and analysis from anywhere in the world.

For further information see:

Sowerby, S. J., Mirams, G. J., Hill P. C., & Paulin M. (2011). An axisymmetric meniscus converges particles for microscopy. Journal of Microscopy, 244(3), 230-234.

Collaboration with clinicians from the Centre for International Health provides critical pathways into meeting the needs of the developing world.

Merrin Rutherford PhD
Associate Research Fellow

Merrin is a graduate of the University of Otago. Following a BSc degree, Merrin completed her Master of Public Health—where she investigated the relationship between child mortality and health service access.

Until January 2013 Merrin was based in Bandung Indonesia conducting population based tuberculosis research in conjunction with the Medical Research Unit, University of Padjadjaran.

Email merrin.rutherford@gmail.com

Honorary staff

Kaaren Mathias
Adjunct Research Fellow

Dr Kaaren Mathias is a Kiwi public health physician working with a faith-based community health NGO in India (www.eha-health.org). She directs a two-year fellowship programme in community health for middle-level programme and project managers and is also community health advisor for the 30+ community health projects across Northern India. These projects work in areas as diverse as child trafficking prevention, gender mainstreaming, climate change resilience, nutrition and food security, mental health, mainstreaming disability and supporting government schemes.

Community health work in India is colourful, chaotic, exciting, and challenging... Kaaren's interests are particularly in nutrition, community based mental health promotion and social inclusion. Her current research is looking at stigma and discimination among people with mental disorders and public health capacity building among NGOs in India. If you're interested in community health and India - feel free to make contact:

Email kaarenmathias@gmail.com

Matthew Reid

Dr Satupaitea Viali
Honorary Fellow

Elizabeth Whitcombe