Georgia Bell

Location: Ruakura
Group: Innovative Farm Systems
Supervisor: Dr Nigel Bell and Dr Maria Tourna

Background

Georgia is from a farming background and is currently in her fourth year of study at Otago University for a science degree in Microbiology.

Iwi affiliations

Ko Ngāti Pū tētahi o ngā hapū o Ngāti Maru. Ko Ngāti Maru he iwi nui, nō Hauraki; ko Marutūahu, te tama a Hotunui, tō tātou tupuna. Kei Hauraki taua iwi e noho ana i Te Ika-a-Māui o Aotearoa. Ko Moehau rāua ko Te Aroha ngā maunga, ko Otahu te awa. Ko Tainui te waka. Kei whangamata tō mātou ūkaipō.

Project

Induction of Systemic Acquired Resistant Proteins in White Clover and Tomato after Nematode or Bacterial inoculations
 
This study investigated the impact of root feeding nematodes on plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and compared this to the impact of bacterial inoculations. Using ELISA protein assays, the concentrations of the pathogen related (PR) proteins β-1,3-glucanase (glucanase), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (chitinase) and the activity of peroxidise were measured in  both white clover (Trifolium repens) and tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) plants.

Peta Rossiter

Location: Grasslands
Group: Animal Nutrition & Health
Supervisor: Dr Tao Zheng

Background

Peta is a second year Bachelor of Veterinary Technology student who is very interested in learning more about animal diseases and ways in which we can fight them. She comes from the Bay of Plenty area and is a descendent of both Ngati Pikiao and Te tai Rawhiti. She is looking forward to 2011 as her third and final year at Massey and is excited about all the new processes and techniques she has learned while working at AgResearch.

Iwi affiliations

Descended from both Ngati Pikiao and Te Tai Rawhiti

Project

The project aim is to develop an effective vaccine for sheep pneumonia that is tailored to the New Zealand situation. Peta has contributed to this project by assisting with genotyping work using techniques such as bacterial culture, genomic DNA isolation, PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis. She says she has thoroughly enjoyed her time at AgResearch and looks forward to putting her newly acquired skills in the lab to good use.

Kirsten Taplin

Location: Invermay
Group: Animal Nutrition & Health
Supervisor: Dr Colin Mackintosh (AgResearch) and Rory O'Brien (University of Otago)

Background

Kirsten is a fourth year medical student studying at Otago University. For the second year in a row she has received the AgResearch Māori scholarship, which she says has allowed her to partake in research in a working lab on campus over the summer holidays. She says she would encourage any Māori students with an interest in science to apply for one of these scholarships, as the research itself was heaps of fun and she learned a lot from the researchers she worked alongside.

Iwi affiliations

Ko Kirsten Taplin tōku ingoa, ko Whakatōhea te iwi, ko Ngāti Ruatakena te hapu, ko Omaramutu te marae, no Tāmaki Makaurau ahau. He tauira rata ahau I te tau tua wha ki te whare wananga o Otakou.

Project

Kirsten's research this year entailed designing and conducting qPCR assays to determine which genes have been playing a role in progression to or resistance against clinical Johne’s Disease, a fatal condition which is causing loss of stock and profit for deer farmers all over the country.

Steven Trask

Steven is of Māori descent by virtue of his father’s (Max Trask) side of the family. His mother was Ina Kamo; a half blooded Māori descended from Edward Kamo, who was born in the Chatham Islands, a son of Tane Kamo. Tane Kamo was of the tribe Te Atiawa, from the New Plymouth/Taranaki region. He is a Biochemistry major at the University of Otago, and aims to continue his BSc adding genetics as a second major.

Project

Host-microbe interactions. The student project will focus on comparing the effects of two bacterial strains of the same species which have vastly different effects on intestinal barrier integrity; one strain isolated from a healthy person that enhances intestinal barrier integrity, and one strain isolated from an Inflammatory Bowel Disease patient that greatly impairs intestinal barrier integrity.