Kiwi's kidney research pays off

Ground-breaking research into improving the condition of kidneys for transplantation has earned a young Kiwi doctor a top doctoral scholarship.

Anna Dare, 25, is one of three New Zealanders awarded a Woolf Fisher Scholarship to support her PhD studies at the University of Cambridge.

Dr Dare has spent the past seven years studying medicine at the University of Auckland and also gained an honours degree in human biology.

She has just started her first week of work at Auckland City Hospital.

Her interest lies in the effect of the 21st-century lifestyle on surgery and health outcomes. With increasing rates of obesity and type-two diabetes, more people will need kidney transplants in the future.

Dr Dare's PhD research will look at dysfunction of mitochondria and the effects on organ transplants. Mitochondria are found inside most human cells and "are responsible for fuelling the processes of life".

She said these tiny structures can be damaged during transplantation.

One of her goals is to improve the condition of kidneys for transplantation, increasing the number of suitable organs available for surgery.

Dr Dare will head to Cambridge University at the end of next year.