Latest news and updates
Malaghan: Mapping the lung's fight
April 2024: “A lot of the research that’s has been conducted both here at the Malaghan Institute and globally is related to specific cells within the lung and how they respond to infections,” says PhD student Rebecca Palmer.
“My project is looking at the lung as a whole to understand how this complex organ defends itself in infections.”
Branching out from our windpipe, the lungs are elaborate structures flanking either side of our heart. They are the surface of gas exchange in the body. Oxygen from the air we breathe in is absorbed, while carbon dioxide and water, by-products from extracting energy from food, are breathed out. With its extensive branching structures, folded compactly between our ribcage, the total surface area for gas exchange can be as much as 140m2. That’s a total area equivalent to a two-bedroom house.
“As you can imagine, an area this large in our bodies that comes into direct contact with the air we breathe can make us vulnerable to attack from invisible threats like viruses and bacteria,” says Rebecca.
“Our lungs have intricate structures, specialised cells and fine-tuned processes to make themselves a stronghold...”
Rebecca Palmer is a PhD student investigating the lung’s multi-faceted immune response to provide a holistic understanding of how the lung adapts to different types of infections. Photo: Malaghan Research Institute.
WSP / NZTA sensor project tops for safety
April 2024: An innovative system of ground movement sensors developed by WSP and used in the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Far North Road Resilience Programme has been awarded a prestigious national health and safety prize.
The sensor system won the 'Vertical Horizonz Safety Innovation Award for a large organisation' at the Site Safe's 2024 Construction Health, Safety and Wellbeing Awards in March.
Detecting ground movement, soil moisture, and rainfall volume and intensity, the sensors have been live for the past eighteen months - providing real-time data transmission using advanced wireless techniques.
Data from the sensors feeds into a colour-coded, traffic light-style Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP) which has proven crucial for safety for contractors and geotechnical engineers repairing slips in the Maungataniwha Range.
The project highlights WSP and NZTA's commitment to using innovative sensor technology in a way that improves site safety in remote and inhospitable terrain.
WSP Technical Principal of Instrumentation Mike Lusby accepted the award on behalf of the project team. He says he’s incredibly proud of WSP and NZTA for winning a Site Safety award.
The project team accepting the Vertical Horizonz Safety Innovation Award. Photo: WSP.
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Welcome to the Independent Research Association of New Zealand
IRANZ is an association of independent research organisations. IRANZ represents the collective interests of members by undertaking activities aimed at creating a positive operating environment for Independent Research Organisations in New Zealand.
IRANZ member organisations make vital contributions to a broad range of scientific fields, and offer an important complement to university-based and Crown Research Institute research. Our smaller sizes and greater flexibility provide an environment that is particularly conducive to innovation and end-user engagement.
IRANZ member organisations:
- Are ‘independent’ (non-government owned);
- Carry out high-quality scientific research, development or technology transfer;
- Have strong linkages with end-users;
- Work in a diverse range of settings and subject specialities;
- Derive a significant portion of their work from Government research contracts;
- Collaborate with universities, Crown Research Institutes and research departments of industrial organisations; and
- Having varying governance and ownership arrangements.
Find out more about IRANZ and our members by checking out our News page.