Living well & ageing well Research Talks 2026 - Rangiora

Te Papa Hauora together with the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation bring you ‘Living well & ageing well’, a series of free community research talks. Our latest event of this series is focused on preparing for the future of genetic health and the implications drinking water quality has for our health. Come and join us to learn more about what you can do to maintain wellness and stay healthy from some of Canterbury’s leading researchers. Meet our speakers: Genetic health is becoming an increasingly important part of modern medicine, helping New Zealanders make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing before disease develops. Logan's research focuses on understanding the impact of genetic changes on health within the cancer research space. Logan is a cancer geneticist and the current Associate Dean Research at the University of Otago Christchurch. After completing post-doctoral training in hereditary cancer genetics in Australia, Logan returned to New Zealand where he was consecutively awarded two of New Zealand’s prestigious post-doctoral fellowships, the Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship and the Rutherford Discovery Fellowship. He is a leading member of several international groups tasked with improving protocols for genetic testing around the world. In 2025 Logan was awarded the prestigious HRC Liley Award for his work integrating complex RNA splicing biology into practical clinical recommendations that are now being used by major diagnostic laboratories in New Zealand and worldwide to improve the accuracy of diagnostic tests for genetic disorders. This ground-breaking work has transformed how major diagnostic laboratories classify genetic variants – improving accuracy, speeding up diagnosis, enabling earlier clinical interventions. Clean drinking water is essential to the health of our community. Tim’s current research investigates the potential health burden of drinking water contamination, with a focus on nitrate contamination. Tim uses spatial and quantitative research methods to understand the connections between place, space and health, using innovative technological solutions – such as wearable cameras, GPS devices and Bluetooth tracking devices to understand complex human behaviour. Tim’s research agenda also has a strong equity and policy focus. His most recent research is on drinking water quality and public health in New Zealand including the association between nitrate contamination in drinking water and preterm birth, a national assessment of the burden of disease attributable to community water supplies and the effectiveness of community water fluoridation on oral health. Tim is a Fulbright Scholar (Harvard University) and Associate Professor in the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre at the University of Canterbury. Tim’s research interests include environmental health and infectious diseases. He has also contributed to the Covid-19 response through his work on digital contact tracing for multiple Government agencies. Note: These talks are in person only - there is no Zoom option