Catalyst: Strategic – the New Zealand-China Research Collaboration Centres

The New Zealand-China Food Protection Network (NZ-CFPN) coordinates and maximises food safety and security research collaboration opportunities between researchers in both countries. The NZ-CFPN works alongside the New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre (NZFSSRC) to develop networking, training and research activities. It is an inclusive network available to all research providers and industries in both countries.

The collaborations developed and the research undertaken to date have led to the emergence of two priority research themes: (i) Behavioural Insights and Communications and (ii) Advanced Diagnostics.

The interdisciplinary Behavioural Insights theme will engage with both the public and industry and regulatory stakeholders on a wide range of topics including consumer perceptions towards new food processing technologies, pesticide residues, food waste reduction strategies, advanced packaging materials, provenance and authenticity. The Advanced Diagnostics theme will develop novel methods for detecting microbial hazards, use advanced genomics for pathogen source tracking and assess antimicrobial resistance along the food chain. These two themes were co-developed with Chinese partners and encompass New Zealand’s major food export sectors (dairy, red meat, seafood and horticulture).

The proposed research will enhance New Zealand’s collaboration with top ranking Chinese research institutions, build trust with Chinese counterparts, grow New Zealand research capability, support New Zealand food regulations, generate new knowledge and tools for the New Zealand food industry and provide deeper insights into the Chinese market and consumer behaviour, which will ultimately support and help grow food exports to China.

For further information, please contact Distinguished Professor Nigel French at N.P.French@massey.ac.nz

The New Zealand–China Non-Communicable Diseases Collaborative Research Centre (NCD CRCC) is a partnership of the three health and wellbeing National Science Challenges – A Better Start, Healthier Lives and Ageing Well.

The NCD CRCC fosters research between New Zealand and China in key areas of mutual interest to the two countries. The collaboration currently encompasses 219 researchers in 26 institutions. It leverages and complements non-communicable disease (NCD) research capabilities in both countries, acting as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all NCD researchers interested in New Zealand – China collaboration.

The NCD CRCC is dedicated to fostering research collaboration between New Zealand and China, and has established enduring relationships and signed 10 MOU’s with leading research organisations in China over the past three years.

The Centre has now initiated flagship collaborative research in the three priority areas of cancer research, brain research and modernisation of traditional medicine. These areas are likely to produce meaningful outcomes in the short term as well as lead to long-term collaborations and generate improved health outcomes for the citizens of both countries.

For further information, please contact Professor Jim Mann at jim.mann@otago.ac.nz

The aim of the New Zealand – China Water Research Centre is to coordinate and facilitate long-term collaborations between New Zealand and Chinese scientists from a broad range of organisations, and to develop coherent research strategies that relate to water quality and quantity issues in the two countries. The Centre is based at Lincoln University, with partners including AgResearch, Landcare Research, Plant and Food Research, Lincoln Agritech Ltd, and the University of Otago.

The New Zealand – China Water Research Centre will establish a long-term on-the-ground collaborative research programme between key Chinese and New Zealand research partners to discover fundamental new knowledge of the soil microbial communities and the processes and factors that affect the transformation and movement of water contaminants in soil, particularly nitrates. New knowledge will underpin development and assessment of next generation mitigation technologies to reduce water contamination from agricultural land.

The Centre will also coordinate and support associated research projects to be carried out by Chinese visiting scientists and postdoctoral fellows, as well as PhD students. The new knowledge will be important for the development of mitigation technologies for water contamination, and will significantly enhance the quality and competitiveness of water research in New Zealand.

The Centre collaborates with New Zealand pastoral and fertilizer industry partners and Ngāi Tahu Farming to ensure the new knowledge and technologies are transferred to end-users in a timely manner. The proposed research programmes will significantly deepen the collaboration relationships, and help develop enduring partnerships between the New Zealand and Chinese scientists.

For further information, please contact Professor Hong Di at Hong.di@lincoln.ac.nz