Funding results of China – Maurice Wilkins Centre Collaborative Research Programme (C-MWC)
24 May 2021
The C-MWC is pleased to announce the Programme’s 2021 Project Funding result.
The purpose of the C-MWC programme is to strengthen research collaborations in biomedical sciences between NZ and China, both by deepening existing partnerships and initiating new collaborations between researchers and institutions.
In this funding round, we invited applications from biomedical investigators based in NZ who have existing research collaborations with China, aiming to deepen partnerships with researchers and institutions in China and accelerate research into therapeutic agents with potential health benefits for both countries.
We received a total of 20 eligible applications from a wide range of institutions, requesting a total of $11.9 million of funding. The Programme’s Project Assessment Committee awarded a total of $3 million to 6 proposals detailed below for this round to support their existing research collaborations with China partners for up to 2 years. The process was reviewed and ratified by the MWC Board.
Dr Mihnea Bostina, University of Otago
Dr Laura Burga, Dr Jemma Geoghegan, Profs Vernon Ward and Alex McLellan (University of Otago)
Prof Yiping Li, Institute of Human Virology and Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University
Structure-based engineering of broadly neutralizing antibodies against coronaviruses
$290,613
Prof Alan Davidson, University of Auckland
Dr Veronika Sander (University of Auckland), Dr Cherie Stayner (University of Otago), and Prof Motonari Uesugi (University of Kyoto)
Prof Xiao Chris Zhang, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chemical screening in polycystic kidney organoids grown in microfluidic chips
$598,576
Drs Kiel Hards and Matt McNeil, University of Otago
Prof Greg Cook and Dr Liam Harold (University of Otago)
Prof Zhengqiu Li, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University
Prof Tianyu Zhang, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Exploiting synergistic interactions in energy metabolism to combat drug resistant pathogens
$527,253
Assoc Prof Kerry Loomes, University of Auckland
Prof Donghai Wu, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Prof Ke Ding, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University
Prof Yong Xu and Dr Tao Nie, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Targeting energy expenditure as a treatment for metabolic disease
$290,613
Drs Rachel Perret and Rob Weinkove, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research
Prof Peng Li and Dr Le Qin, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
New methods to improve CAR T cell therapy for cancer
$492,946
Assoc Profs Jeff Smaill and Adam Patterson, University of Auckland
Dr Amir Ashoorzadeh, Mr Xiaojing Sean Lin, and Ms Raquel Ortega (University of Auckland)
Profs Xiaoyun Lu and Ke Ding, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University
Discovery of FGFR4-selective inhibitors for the treatment of liver cancer
$800,000
For more information about this Programme please visit the C-MWC page.