Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellowship
The Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellowship was first awarded in 1986 and was originally founded as a result of a collaboration between the Worshipful Company of Girdlers’, one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, and then-Green College. The Girdlers’ have, since 1933, had a close link to New Zealand and in 1999 the Health Research Council of New Zealand became a joint funder.
What is the Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellowship?
The fellowship is a two-year visiting post-doctoral research fellowship to work on healthcare-related research in Oxford. The fellowship award funds the full salary costs, and the college fees for membership of Green Templeton College. The fellowship is only open to New Zealand nationals.
Current Fellow
Dr Alexandra Noble is Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellow at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford.
Alexandra earned her PhD in 2021 from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, where she focused on the impact of environmental exposures on DNA methylation. Following this, she joined the Translational Gastroenterology Unit at the University of Oxford as a postdoctoral researcher, under the supervision of Professors Jack Satsangi and Holm Uhlig.
Alexandra’s current research centres on long-read genomic sequencing and DNA methylation biomarkers for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). She aims to translate these biomarkers into a rapid, novel assay using Oxford Nanopore sequencing. This approach seeks to assist clinicians in diagnosing, prognosing, and tailoring drug treatments for patients.
Past Fellows
Since 1986 there have been fourteen Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellows.
- Dr Cervantée Wild, 2021 to 2024
- Dr Sandar Tin Tin, 2019 to 2021
- Dr Kathryn Bradbury, 2015 to 2018
- Dr Megan Dowie, 2010 to 2014
- Dr Francesca Crowe, 2007 to 2009
- Professor Leanne Hodson, 2004 to 2006
- Dr Gary Whitlock, 2001 to 2003
- Professor Rod Dunbar, 1996 to 1999
- Professor Peter von Dadelszen, 1994 to 1995
- Dr Peter Bethwaite, 1993 to 1994
- Professor Phillipa Hay, 1991 to 1992
- Professor Justin Roake, 198 to 1990
- Professor Garth Cooper, 1987 to 1989
- Sir Robin Irvine, 1986 to 1987
Find out more about them and their careers following their time at Oxford.
Areas of Research
Senior Research Fellows of Green Templeton who have opportunities for the fellow to join their department or research project are listed below, and they would be happy to speak to any applicant directly.
- Fellows listing to follow
Applicants may have other areas of interest they wish to pursue, however the Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellowship must be attached to a Green Templeton Senior Research Fellow’s department or research project. See a full list of fellows
Applying for the Fellowship
The Girdlers’ Health Research Council of New Zealand Fellowship is awarded every two years, and the next opportunity to apply will be in June 2023, for a start date in Oxford of September 2024.
The Health Research Council of New Zealand manage the application process directly and details on how to apply, and exact timings will be available on the Funding Opportunities page soon.
Current fellow Cervantée Wild and past fellow Kathryn Bradbury are happy to be contacted by email by any applicants who may wish to know more about the fellowship.
