Strong. Prepared. Unified.

Te Ahunga Mission

To ensure Aotearoa New Zealand has world-class research capability to support our preparedness for current and future infectious disease challenges.

Ko Wai Mātou Who Are We?

Background

Established in 2022. Te Niwha have a vision to ensure that Aotearoa, New Zealand’s response to current, ongoing and emerging infectious disease threats is characterised domestically and internationally as strong, prepared and unified.

By developing bespoke approaches to enhance partnerships between the community, research and science, we aim to build and coordinate domestic research capability to ensure a world-class respond to infectious disease threats in the future. 

Funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Te Niwha is hosted in partnership by The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and the University of Otago.

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Te Niwha Team

Te Niwha is a partnership between the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and the University of Otago. Te Niwha brings together research providers, Iwi Māori, Pacific Peoples and the community to harness our collective aspirations and leadership to ensure that Aotearoa New Zealand has world-class research capability to respond to serious infectious disease threats.

Te Niwha is supported and guided strategically by our Steering Group and the High-Level Assurance Group. Our technical guidance is provided domestically by Te Kete Mātauranga (Whakamana Māori and Knowledge Advisory Group) and internationally by Te Rōpū Tāwāhi – the International Advisory Group.

The Platform Directorate will provide the strategic oversight of Te Niwha and will house the platform operations team. The operations team oversees the day-to-day activities of the platform including operationlising the work programme, contracting and managing the research, and stakeholder engagement and communications.

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He Pitopito Kōrero Latest News

Future of infectious diseases research starts with partnership and planning – 21 March 2023

Te Niwha’ final workplan was endorsed by the Te Niwha Steering Group on 27th February 2023 and submitted to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for final approval.

Mobile COVID-19 vaccinations yield results collected by summer studentship – 21 March 2023

Pharmacology student Branagh Overington spent her summer researching Kowheori-19 (COVID-19). Her research was one of ten Te Niwha summer studentships.

Ngā Takamahi Events

He Pitopito Kōrero Resources

Executive summary - Likely future pandemic agents and scenarios

This is the executive summary of the report “Likely future pandemic agents and scenarios: An epidemiological and public health framework”. The report was commissioned to support Te Manatū Hauora, the Public Health Agency and decision makers and partners involved in pandemic planning.

Full report - Likely future pandemic agents and scenarios

The full report “Likely future pandemic agents and scenarios: An epidemiological and public health framework” and accompanying spreadsheet was commissioned to support Te Manatū Hauora, the Public Health Agency and decision makers and partners involved in pandemic planning to ensure we are well-prepared for future pandemics. This document is motivated by the need for a more comprehensive approach that considers a range of likely scenarios and agents, new technologies, and learnings from the COVID-19 experience.

Te Kawenata O Te Niwha Charter

Early into the appointment of the Directorate Te Niwha developed Te Kawenata o Te Niwha, the Charter for the platform. The Kawenata establishes the principles for which Te Niwha and our research partners (and all activities thereof) will proactively deliver across the strategic intentions.

Te Niwha Framework

Informed by the principles of our Te Kawenata o Te Niwha, Te Niwha’s research commissioning uses a staged process for determining whether to fund research that is guided by the Te Niwha Investment Framework. The pace at which research partners progress through each stage will vary. Research must be joined up with communities with evidence of a relationship; the partners must have together contributed and agreed to the design of their project; the resources (financial and people) must be linked to people leadership; and implementation must be practicable, to ensure that Te Niwha delivers on its mission.

Te Niwha Research Priority Areas

The research priority areas are structured under the Platform’s two broad domains:

- improved prevention and control of infectious diseases, and
- improved management of and response to infectious diseases, ensuring that the research spans public health, social, and biomedical sciences.

These domains are incorporated across Te Niwha’s Research Themes of Prevention, Surveillance, Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Te Ao Māori.