Tairāwhiti/East Coast researchers are scoping new ground by scanning more than two dozen children in what they hope will advance the world famed longitudinal Dunedin Study.
Using MRI technology, researchers are creating detailed models of children’s brains, hearts, lungs, and musculoskeletal systems, aiming to revolutionise paediatric medicine with more precise diagnoses and treatments.
The Tairāwhiti Study involves 30 local children, equally split between males and females, and Māori and Pākehā. The goal is to provide models or imaging of children’s anatomy, offering insights that have the potential to change the future of paediatric healthcare.
Mātai Medical Research Institute Tairāwhiti Study lead Leigh Potter explained, “Scanning head to toe — in the same session — for the same child is a world first. The key goal for me will be having enough data to start picking up early biomarkers of disease, allowing us to prevent diseases much earlier.”
The detailed imaging is not for diagnosing illness but for collecting data to understand how young bodies function. This process involves studying MRI scans, as Paul Condron, an MRI technologist, points out, “the amount of data we have is a game-changer in understanding children’s development”.
The Tairāwhiti Study’s scope extends beyond what the Dunedin Study achieved since its inception in the 1970s. Condron emphasises, “we’re incorporating imaging, seeing structure and function in real-time. We hope this study has the longevity of the Dunedin Study”.
Participants will undergo scans every one to two years. “With long-term data, we aim for proactive medicine. By tracking subtle changes from an early age, we can foresee health issues and take preventive measures.”
“If we start imaging 8-year-olds now, most have never had a hangover, smoked, taken drugs, or had head injuries. As they age to 16/17/18, we can observe who drinks, uses drugs, or remains abstinent, allowing us to plot these processes over time.”
One of the unique aspects of the study is the in-scan entertainment provided to the children. As one participant noted, “When you’re in there for a long time, it’s harder, but with music or a movie, it becomes manageable.”
While at the institute, the tamariki receive educational services to inspire medical careers. Tonui Collab’s Shanon O’Connor, who runs the program, said, “Our goal is to show what a STEM career looks like through 3D modelling, virtual reality, and robotics.”
The team is seeking additional funding to expand the study and include more children. Leigh Potter highlights the long-term goal, “With enough data, we can identify early biomarkers of disease, improving prevention strategies significantly.”
The East Coast is set to become a centre for groundbreaking medical research.
Mātai is a registered Charitable Trust (CC56831) undertaking not-for-profit medical imaging research in Gisborne-Tairāwhiti, Aotearoa-New Zealand.
06 863 1425
info@matai.org.nz
466 Childers Road
Gisborne, 4010
New Zealand