Up-and-coming researchers acknowledged

Six "highly promising" University of Otago academics have gained research awards for outstanding early career achievements.

The latest winners of Otago early career awards for distinction in research are:

Dr James Crowley (chemistry), Dr Peter Fineran (microbiology and immunology), Dr Dione Healey (psychology), Dr Shinichi Nakagawa (zoology), Dr Clare Strachan (pharmacy), and Dr Shieak Tzeng (surgery and anaesthesia, Wellington).

Announcing the annual awards, Otago acting deputy vice-chancellor for research and enterprise Prof Helen Nicholson said they recognised Otago academics for "outstanding research achievements".

These up-and-coming researchers were likely future research leaders at Otago and it was "very pleasing" to recognise their important contributions to the university, the nation and the international research community, she said.

Each award is accompanied by a $5000 grant for research and scholarly development.

Dr Crowley's research interests include self-assembly, molecular recognition and the development of molecular machines.

Dr Fineran has published his findings about bacterial gene regulation and virus interaction in several leading international journals.

Dr Healey recently presented her research into childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to MPs at Parliament, as one of the six Otago "O-Zone" winners.

Earlier this year, she was awarded the New Zealand Psychological Society's Goddard Early Career Award for excellence in research.

Dr Nakagawa was the Otago University Students' Association 2010 new supervisor of the year, and his research involves behavioural sciences and evolutionary biology.

Dr Strachan analyses medicine formulations, such as tablets, to ensure the control and release of drugs from them improves therapeutic response.

A lecturer in clinical physiology, Dr Tzeng has pioneered research linking blood pressure and cerebral blood flow control mechanisms for stroke treatments.