Recipients January 2026

Catalyst Seeding Fund

Funding Round Overview

Awarded Grants 

The Catalyst Seeding General Fund facilitates new small and medium pre-research strategic partnerships that cannot be supported through other means, and with a view to developing full collaborations. 

Descriptions of the funded projects are provided below the results tables. 

Results for the General Call

General Call

Principal Investigator: Dr Boda Ning, Auckland University of Technology - Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau

Title: Ocean-Sky-Cloud Digital Twin Intelligence: Closed-Loop Autonomous Monitoring for Coastal Water Quality and HAB Early Warning in New Zealand

New Zealand’s coastal environments are vital to its economy and ecosystems but face increasing
risks from harmful algal blooms (HABs), pollution, and climate-driven variability. Monitoring
capability is improving, yet remains fundamentally fragmented: satellite observations provide broad
coverage but are uncertain in complex coastal waters, while in-situ sensors and laboratory
sampling provide accurate but spatially limited data. Current approaches are largely open-loop,
detecting conditions without adaptively guiding what to measure next.
This project addresses a critical gap: the absence of a closed-loop framework that links multimodal
environmental observations to predictive understanding and actively directs sensing
to reduce uncertainty in real time. We propose Ocean-Sky-Cloud Digital Twin Intelligence,
integrating satellite, aerial (UAV), and underwater (AUV) observations within a cloud-based digital
twin.
The system will continuously fuse heterogeneous data into uncertainty-aware forecasts of coastal
water quality and HAB risk, and autonomously task sensing platforms to collect the most
informative next observations under realistic communication and energy constraints.
By transforming fragmented monitoring into adaptive, decision-driven intelligence, the project will
deliver a scalable platform for earlier warning and improved environmental management,
supporting New Zealand’s aquaculture sector and long-term coastal resilience.

Principal Investigator: Dr Kiran Kumar Thingbaijam, Earth Sciences New Zealand

Title: A strategically aligned collaboration to advance next-generation seismic hazard modelling by leveraging earthquake rupture models

When earthquakes strike, they don’t always follow simple patterns - some can rupture multiple
faults at once, producing stronger and more complex ground shaking. New Zealand and Japan
share similar tectonic environments, where interactions between subduction zones and crustal
faults pose common challenges for understanding and modelling earthquake hazards.
This project, led by Earth Sciences New Zealand and Disaster Prevention Research Institute -
Kyoto University, brings together leading scientists from both countries to understand these
complex events and their impacts on communities. By sharing knowledge and developing new
approaches to model earthquake behaviour and ground shaking from multi-fault ruptures, including
subduction-interface events, the team aims to improve how earthquake hazards are assessed. The
collaboration will help New Zealand remain at the forefront of earthquake science while
strengthening international partnerships. Ultimately, this work will support safer buildings, more
resilient infrastructure, and better preparedness for future earthquakes in New Zealand and around
the world.

Principal Investigator: Dr Shannen Mills, Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa 

Title: How does magmatic saturation drive silicic eruptions

Volcanic eruptions have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand’s landscape and continue to pose
significant risks to communities, infrastructure, and industry. Rocks left behind by past eruptions
preserve valuable clues about how volcanoes behave, but they cannot fully explain a critical
question in Earth science: what causes a volcanic system to shift from a stable, non-erupting state
to an active eruption, and at what rates and conditions this transition occurs?
The Catalyst: Seeding project will establish a new international collaboration between New
Zealand and the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin, building
research capability for New Zealand to address this question using experimental petrology – a
capability not currently available in New Zealand. By recreating the conditions inside New Zealand
volcanoes in the laboratory and linking these experiments to microscopic features observed in
natural volcanic rocks, this research will provide new insights into how magmatic systems evolve
toward eruption.
This project brings together world-leading experimental petrologists from the United States with
New Zealand experts in volcanic micro-textures, creating a complementary team. The resulting
data and partnerships will advance fundamental understanding of volcanic processes and
contribute to improved assessment of volcanic hazards, supporting New Zealand’s long-term
resilience to disasters.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Gabor Kereszturi, Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa 

Title: Satellite enabled geothermal monitoring - Building a New Zealand–Indonesia Research Partnership

Earth Observation presents powerful solutions for environmental monitoring by capturing diverse
signals of ecosystem and geological processes. However, many geothermal fields in both New
Zealand and globally are difficult to monitor because dense vegetation cover obscures key surface
expressions of geothermal activity and complicates exploration efforts. At the same time,
vegetation growing in geothermal environments provides a unique opportunity: plants in these
systems adapt to stresses such as elevated ground temperatures, local hydrology, nutrient
limitations, and exposure to toxic elements (e.g., antimony and arsenic).
The concept of monitoring geothermal systems indirectly through vegetation observed from space
is currently in the proof-of-concept stage and is being developed by the PI. The proposed Catalyst
project will open new research opportunities to benchmark and validate these Earth Observation–
based computational tools using data from Indonesian geothermal fields. Our collaboration with
Universitas Gadjah Mada and New Zealand will not only explore scientific opportunities but also
the commercial potential of rolling out new Earth Observation solutions to reduce the operational
costs of geothermal resource management and monitoring. The collaboration positions New
Zealand as a leader in the emerging field of satellite-enabled geothermal monitoring, strengthening
the country’s international reputation in geothermal science and renewable energy innovation.

Principal Investigator: Dr Louise Kregting, Bioeconomy Science Institute

Title: AI-enabled fluid–structure interaction modelling of flexible components

This project aims to develop an AI-enabled predictive modelling approach to estimate drag and
deformation of flexible aquaculture and fisheries systems under realistic ocean conditions. Flexible
marine structures are increasingly used in offshore aquaculture but remain difficult to model due to
large deformations and complex fluid-structure interactions (FSI), creating engineering uncertainty
and constraining innovation.
The project will establish a high-value international collaboration between a New Zealand team
with expertise in aquatic design and bioengineering and CFD modelling, and world-leading
partners in large-scale experimental testing, FSI modelling and artificial intelligence. Together, the
team will explore a novel hybrid modelling framework that integrates Physics-Informed Neural
Networks (PINNs) with experimental loads and structural response of flexible systems.
Catalyst Seeding funding will support early integration of experimental, numerical and AI
approaches, enabling joint problem definition, researcher exchanges, and development of shared
workflows. This will de-risk a new modelling pathway not currently available in New Zealand and
establish a strong foundation for future international research programmes. The project is expected
to deliver strategic benefits to New Zealand by strengthening national capability, leveraging
international infrastructure, and enabling more efficient, resilient and sustainable aquaculture and
fisheries systems.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Ghader Bashiri, University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau

Title: Establishing a cryo-electron microscopy pipeline for next-generation antibiotics

Antibiotics have long been a cornerstone of modern medicine, but their effectiveness is increasingly under threat by the rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance. Resistant infections are becoming more frequent and difficult to treat, while the development of new antibiotics has declined sharply. This leaves healthcare systems with a shrinking arsenal of effective therapies and there is an urgent need for therapies with new mechanisms of action. This project proposes a transformative approach to antibiotic discovery by targeting how pathogenic bacteria sense and adapt to hostile conditions encountered within human host cells. We focus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, which relies heavily on iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters as molecular sensors essential for survival and pathogenesis. The machinery responsible for
iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis is highly conserved in bacteria, yet absent in humans, making it an attractive and selective therapeutic target. Leveraging world-class facilities and expertise, this project aims to establish a new strategy for antimicrobial development by defining how iron-sulfur clusters are assembled and developing inhibitors that disrupt this process. Beyond tuberculosis, the integrated mechanistic and
drug discovery pipeline developed here will be broadly applicable to other pathogens, delivering a versatile platform to support future efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Jichao Zhao, University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau

Title: AI-Driven Bio-Fabrication of Patient-Specific Electroconductive Cardiac Patches for Precision Myocardial Repair

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality and heart failure worldwide, including in
New Zealand where Māori and Pacific populations experience earlier onset and significantly higher
mortality rates. Although modern treatments improve survival, many patients develop permanent
myocardial scarring and progressive cardiac dysfunction because current therapies cannot restore
the structural and electromechanical properties of damaged heart tissue.
This project proposes a novel AI-driven digital-to-biofabrication platform that directly converts
patient cardiac MRI data into the automated design and manufacturing of personalised
electroconductive cardiac patches. By integrating AI-based cardiac imaging analysis,
computational modelling, and advanced multi-material 3D biofabrication, the project will enable the
production of patient-specific cardiac patches that match the anatomical geometry, mechanical
properties, and electrical conductivity of the damaged myocardium. The research brings together
the University of Auckland’s expertise in AI-enabled cardiac imaging and modelling with Xi’an
Jiaotong University’s world-leading capabilities in high-precision biofabrication, establishing a new
paradigm for intelligent, personalised cardiac repair.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Jichao Zhao, University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau

Title: Toward Precision Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation: Moving Beyond Trial-and-Error Care

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder and a major cause of stroke, heart
failure, and hospitalisation. One of the most promising treatments is catheter ablation, a procedure
that aims to correct abnormal electrical signals in the heart. However, this treatment often involves
trial and error, and doctors currently have limited ability to predict who will benefit most.
This project aims to move beyond trial-and-error treatment by developing new tools that help
doctors choose the right patients for ablation. Researchers from the University of Auckland will
collaborate with leading clinicians at the University of Washington Medical Centre to analyse
thousands of heart scans and clinical records. Using artificial intelligence, the team will identify
patterns in heart structure and fat surrounding the heart that may explain why treatment succeeds
for some patients but not others.
The project will create advanced computer models that combine medical imaging and patient data
to better understand how AF develops and responds to treatment. Ultimately, this work aims to
support more personalised care, improve treatment success rates, and reduce complications. By
combining New Zealand’s strengths in AI with world-leading clinical expertise overseas, the project
will also build a long-term international research partnership.

Principal Investigator: Dr Maedeh Amirpour, University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau

Title: Towards AI-Driven Personalised Bone Regeneration: A Closed-Loop Design and Manufacturing Framework

Large bone defects caused by injury, cancer surgery, or infection remain difficult to treat. Current
solutions often rely on standard implants or time-consuming trial-and-error design, which can lead
to poor fit and suboptimal healing. This project will develop a new approach to designing patientspecific
bone scaffolds using artificial intelligence (AI), medical imaging, and advanced 3D printing.
These scaffolds are tailored to each patient to better support bone regeneration while maintaining
the necessary mechanical strength.
The project brings together complementary expertise from the University of Auckland and the
University of Technology Sydney. The Auckland team will develop AI-driven design tools, while the
Sydney team will fabricate and experimentally validate the designs. This partnership enables
access to state-of-the-art 3D printing and scaffold characterisation facilities in Australia to generate
high-quality experimental datasets for AI-based modelling. These activities—particularly crossinstitutional
data integration, research exchange, and pilot validation—are not feasible within
existing resources and are uniquely enabled by Catalyst: Seeding funding.
By integrating design, manufacturing, and validation into a single workflow, the project aims to
accelerate personalised scaffold development. This will support improved patient outcomes and
strengthen New Zealand’s capability in AI-enabled medical technologies and advanced biomedical
manufacturing.

Principal Investigator: Dr Sophie Horton, University of Canterbury - Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Title: Wave run-up on rock coasts: filling the hard-coast gap in hazard assessment

Coastal hazard assessments of wave inundation risk on New Zealand's rock coasts rest on runup
formulae derived from fundamentally different environments. The physical processes governing
wave transformation on hard-substrate, low-gradient coastal surfaces are not represented in
existing empirical parameterisations, and no validated alternative exists for New Zealand
conditions. The consequence is systematic, unquantified error in coastal inundation extents and
hazard zone boundaries for the majority of New Zealand's coastline, leaving transport corridors,
coastal settlements, productive farmland, and public infrastructure with poorly constrained flood
exposure and adaptation requirements. Cross-shore instrument arrays deployed at rock coast sites
in the Wellington region, Bay of Plenty, and Auckland will measure wave transformation and runup
under documented conditions, with LiDAR surveys quantifying platform morphology and substrate
roughness at each site. Combined with flume experiments, these field datasets will calibrate and
validate numerical wave models to produce the first rock coast runup equations calibrated to New
Zealand conditions. LiDAR-derived morphological variables will provide the basis for developing a
revised national dataset of wave inundation, enabling regional councils to produce coastal hazard
zone boundaries and infrastructure flood exposure assessments on rock coasts without requiring
site-specific modelling and improving coastal adaptation planning across New Zealand.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Sarah Kessans, University of Canterbury - Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Title: Advancing international microgravity protein crystallisation capacity

Protein crystallisation on the International Space Station has proven the value of microgravity for producing high-quality protein crystals for protein structure determination, benefitting the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. With decreasing costs and increasing launch frequencies over the last decade, microgravity has now become a valuable domain for delivering innovations not possible on Earth. Our University of Canterbury team has developed a fully-automated, high-throughput microgravity crystallisation platform, Crystalis, opening up opportunities for previously inaccessible microgravity experimentation, with in-orbit crystal characterisation and streamlined integration of experiments into
fixed-target X-ray synchrotron beamlines. By leading NZ's first mission to the ISS and establishing commercial microgravity crystallisation facilities, our team is now building a network of international partners to realise the value of microgravity research services. The National Crystallization Center (NCC) at the University of Buffalo is a world-leading United States National Resource providing unique protein
crystallization services to nearly 2,000 laboratories and performing over 25 million crystallisation experiments since 2000. The establishment of a new collaboration between UC and the NCC will fill a gap in NZ protein crystallisation expertise, provide NCC researchers access to our innovative microgravity protein crystallisation services, and establish an enduring partnership towards the development of future commercial crystallisation initiatives.

Principal Investigator: Dr Ella Guy, University of Canterbury - Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Title: Next generation chronic respiratory disease monitoring and care - pilot testing for multi-site clinical trial

Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is a prevalent and leading cause of death globally. In Aotearoa, 20%
of people have CRD with >NZD$8B annual cost. It is Aotearoa’s 3rd leading cause of death. Globally,
6% of people have CRD and they kill over 4M people annually, more than the population of the New
Zealand’s North Island. Māori and Pacific peoples have around double the hospitalisation rate
compared to non-Māori non-Pacific people. These statistics are highly reflective of the lack of Māori and
Pacific data in respiratory reference datasets (both clinically and in research). While we have the ability
to develop new technology to address equity issues and clinically pilot test them, New Zealand lacks
the infrastructure to run the efficient large scale clinical trials required to obtain certifications necessary
to generate impact through clinical use. This grant enables collaboration development with a leading
European research hospital (CHU de Liége) and Niue Foo Hospital which will allow both large-scale
globally recognised clinical testing of new technology, and the representation of New Zealand and
Pacific data in collected datasets, with protocols guided by these voices. Thus, enabling a NZ-led
international research consortia for novel medical technologies and access to international resources
and funding.

Principal Investigator: Professor Harald Schwefel, University of Otago - ~Otākau Whakaihu Waka

Title: Bridging CMOS and Photonic Spectroscopy for Stratospheric Water Vapour Measurements

Water vapour is the most abundant greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere and plays a critical role
in climate, extreme weather, and ozone recovery. However, measuring water vapour in the
stratosphere remains challenging, and recent events—such as major volcanic eruptions—have
revealed important gaps in current observations, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere.
This project brings together researchers from Aotearoa New Zealand and NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) to advance next‑generation sensors for measuring stratospheric water vapour.
The New Zealand team is developing a novel photonics‑based sensor, building on national
investment through an MBIE Endeavour Programme focused on climate monitoring. JPL
contributes a compact, flight‑proven microwave instrument that will serve as a reference for
calibration and validation.
Over two years, the teams will work closely through research visits, workshops, and joint
engineering studies to prepare for future airborne measurements using New Zealand’s Kea Atmos
stratospheric aircraft. Flying complementary sensors side by side on this unique platform will
accelerate technology development while reducing risk.
The project will strengthen New Zealand’s capability in space and Earth observation, support
climate resilience, and position the country to contribute to future international airborne and
satellite missions monitoring key climate variables.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor Monica Gerth, Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka

Title: Microbial Navigation in Soil: Establishing a 4D Biophysics and Modelling Platform for Pathogen Prediction and Biosecurity

This international project establishes a multidisciplinary platform to quantify microbial navigation by leveraging expertise from New Zealand (microbiology), the UK (computational imaging), and Spain (theoretical physics). By integrating soil microbiology, high-speed digital holographic microscopy (DHM), and machine learning, the team will observe movements that are currently inaccessible within the opaque soils. Focusing on Phytophthora zoospores—the swimming agents of kauri dieback and avocado root rot—the research investigates how physical constraints and biological cues govern pathogen dispersal in soilmimicking microfluidic chambers. A primary objective is establishing enduring DHM capability in
Wellington. By adapting existing optical infrastructure, the team will capture 3D swimming tracks at thousands of volumes per second, offering a significantly more rigorous analysis of navigation than standard 2D methods.
Together, the partners will transform high-frequency experimental data into predictive models of how cell-scale behaviors manifest as large-scale disease spread. This work aligns with the Catalyst: Biotechnologies priority, advancing New Zealand’s technical capability in microbial imaging and quantitative modeling. By bridging biophysics and environmental microbiology, the project provides a vital foundation for protecting
national biosecurity across indigenous forests, agriculture, and horticulture.