Our scientific assessment process
Our Health & Research Committee’s in-depth assessment of research applications is done according to a strict methodology.
The scoring table below shows how we incorporate the amount requested, the relevance / importance to health for the community as well as the scientific merit. We assess the design and methods, and allocate scores for the expertise and track record of the research team. Finally, additional scores can be obtained for the impact on the local community, and – more specifically – on disadvantaged minorities.
"Every stage of the assessment process is taken according to a carefully composed formula. We prioritise the most pressing, most impactful research applications to ensure a maximum benefit for the Hawke's Bay community is achieved."
Our Health & Research Committee
Cath Kingston (Chair)
Anita Jagroop-Dearing
Rob Leikis
Paul Hendy
Cath is the Operations Manager for the New Cultivar Innovation Portfolio at Plant & Food Research and has a focus on building and maintaining connections within the organisation and with commercial partners and collaborators. Besides horticulture, she has worked in Government science funding agency Foundation for Research, Science & Technology (now MBIE). She has been a Council member of the Health Research Foundation - Hawke's Bay for over 8 years and chairs the Health and Research Committee.
Anita migrated to New Zealand after more than 20 years of medical research and academic success as a Senior Scientist at the major teaching hospital, University College London Hospital (Royal Free Campus, Lon) in UK. Her research interests are in the field of Medical Health and Wellbeing, and more specifically heart disease, blood platelets, stroke, diabetes and nutrition where she has published extensively. Anita currently works at Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), where she is the Chair of the Health Research Committee.
Rob Is an endocrinologist at Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. Rob grew up in the Hawkes Bay area, trained at Auckland Medical School. Worked in Waikato, Christchurch and Wales. Rob is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. In addition to endocrinology specialty also works as a general physician for inpatient care and has been an investigator for a number of phase 2 and 3 pharmaceutical trials.
Paul has predominantly worked as a general practitioner in Napier since 1984. His interests are in internal medicine, pain control and immune therapy for allergy. He works in crisis mental health for the DHB and has also spent time in medical work in the Kingdom of Tonga, Pune India, PNG as well as three six month periods under the NHS in England. He attempts to read widely in areas of research and aim to apply these findings to the practical aspects of medical practice. In his spare time enjoys running, tramping, trumpet and motorcycling.
Have your say
More recently, we have started opening this process up to our Health Hub colleagues as well as the Corporate Partners we established. Through a system of voting, their significant contributions gives them a voice in deciding which research would best benefit our community.