Gisborne research symposium to showcase breakthroughs in brain, vision and community health

Aunty Sandra Griffin, an Awabakal/Worimi elder, with Dr Jenn Rumbel at a recent ceremony held at the Hunter Medical Research Institute. Rumbel will present at an upcoming symposium in Gisborne. Photo / Supplied

About 60 scientists, educators and innovators from across New Zealand and Australia will present talks at the Mātai Medical Research Institute symposium in Gisborne next week.

The free public event will look at how imaging, technology, and collaboration are shaping the future of health and wellbeing across Aotearoa and beyond.

A series of short, accessible talks will cover topics spanning brain, heart, lung, and eye health; concussion and neurodiversity; methamphetamine recovery; dementia and Parkinson’s disease; indigenous health models; community and mental health; diabetes care; STEMM, interprofessional, AI education; the future of science in our communities, and more.

Distinguished Professor Sir Richard Faull, one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent neuroscientists, founder of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research and Mātai patron, will speak on “the privilege and excitement of researching the human brain in partnership with whānau”.

Emeritus Professor Graham Galloway, from the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, will talk about how global imaging networks support innovation across health and science.

Associate Professor Megan Gibbons (Ngāpuhi) from the University of Otago will talk about enabling communities, and Reweti Ropiha, chief executive of Turanga Health, will share highlights from the past year and explore how intuition, ingenuity, civic pride and our own backyard drive us to venture into spaces where others have yet to go.

Another notable international guest is Dr Jennifer Rumbel (Gamilaraay – Aboriginal Australian), a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Her work focuses on strengthening indigenous engagement, building partnerships with elders and Aboriginal community-controlled health services, and ensuring dementia research and diagnostic tools are culturally safe and accessible.

Dr Rumbel explained that her talk will reflect an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander way of thinking.

“We acknowledge those elders and knowledge holders who lived long ago, those who are living now and those who are yet to come,” Rumbel said.

“For me, it is about the circular methodology I developed during my PhD. We will acknowledge our 65,000+ year culture and coming to where we are, how my colleague and I began together three years ago and where we hope this research will take us and our community.”

The event is free, but registration is essential as spaces are limited. The agenda and details are available at matai.org.nz/events

What: Mātai Medical Research Institute symposium

When: November 28-29

Where: War Memorial Theatre, 159 Bright St, Gisborne