PHF Science

20/06/2026

A huge congratulations to PHF Science's Communications Advisor, Waveney Teale-Russ, who has returned from the IPF Bench Press World Championships in Warsaw, Poland with a silver medal 🥈

Waveney competed in the Open U69kg division ranked 8th among 20 of the world's best athletes but delivered an incredible performance to reach the podium. Three lifters successfully benched 117.5kg, with medal placings decided on bodyweight. The result saw Hungary take gold, Waveney claim silver, and Canada bronze.

This is only the second-ever medal won by New Zealand at the Open Bench Press World Championships, making it a remarkable achievement for both Waveney and New Zealand powerlifting. Congratulations Waveney!! 🏆

19/06/2026

Want to know what bugs are going around ? 👀

Andrea McNeill, Technical Lead - Epidemiology provides the latest winter respiratory illness update from 11 June 2026 🦠

Under the Weather Report is a series dedicated to breaking down the latest updates on the winter respiratory illnesses in Aotearoa New Zealand collected by PHF Science. More information can be found on the Respiratory Illness Dashboard 📊https://www.phfscience.nz/digital-library/respiratory-illness-dashboard/

Health advice can be found at healthnz.govt.nz

17/06/2026

Between mid 2017 and 2022 New Zealand experienced a mass poisoning event associated with synthetic cannabinoids with 127 suspected deaths.

What makes synthetic cannabinoids particularly dangerous is how quickly those who manufacture them can alter their chemical makeup.

PHF Science built a ‘Border to Grave Drug Surveillance’ project to connect intelligence across the whole harm pathway. This capability underpinned the national drug early warning system - High Alert.

This story sits within science working for New Zealand – 100 years and counting.

You can read the full story here https://www.phfscience.nz/news-publications/how-phf-science-responded-to-new-zealands-synthetic-drug-crisis/

Bioeconomy Science Institute Earth Sciences New Zealand

15/06/2026

POV: the water you drink has a whole unseen ecosystem working overtime.

About 40% of Aotearoa’s drinking water comes from underground, and it’s home to tiny creatures called stygofauna. These organisms live in dark, damp environments beneath our feet and play a key role in keeping groundwater clean by breaking down contaminants.
It’s a world we know surprisingly little about.

Meet Prudence, a University of Auckland PhD student working with us to uncover these hidden creatures of the dark and understand how they support the water we rely on every day.

Learn more about our groundwater research: https://www.phfscience.nz/expertise/water-environment/groundwater-science/

13/06/2026

🌿 As World Food Safety Week comes to a close, we're highlighting research that explores the connections between food production, sustainability, and science.

Imagine if we had a readily available, sustainable and cost-effective way of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions? Sounds like a dream solution, right? On the surface, maybe. Our Food Safety scientists dove into the research to find out for sure.

Around the world, seaweed is used for a variety of purposes, from sushi to cosmetics to experimental bioplastics. But seaweed’s amazing uses don’t stop there. Recent research suggests it may also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And it’s to do with its ability to reduce how much livestock belch.

The New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) was formerly named The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

13/06/2026

🔬 Meet the people behind food safety in Aotearoa.

PHF Science's Lucia Rivas has built a career at the intersection of microbiology, genomics, and public health, turning complex science into practical solutions that help reduce foodborne disease.

One of Lucia's key research areas is yersiniosis, one of New Zealand's most common bacterial gastrointestinal diseases. Working with colleagues and collaborators, she has helped identify important food sources and transmission pathways, providing the evidence needed for targeted food safety interventions.

This World Food Safety Week, we're celebrating scientists like Lucia, whose expertise, innovation and collaboration are helping make food safer for New Zealanders while contributing to food safety knowledge around the world.

12/06/2026

🔬 Meet the people behind food safety in Aotearoa.

For nearly 30 years, Peter has been helping protect public health through his expertise in risk assessment. His work has provided the scientific evidence used by government agencies to make informed decisions about food safety, consumer products, and environmental hazards.

From assessing chemical and microbiological risks in food to monitoring foodborne disease and identifying emerging threats, Peter's research has helped shape New Zealand's food safety priorities and responses. His contributions have also been recognised internationally through his work with the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee

The New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) was formerly named The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

11/06/2026

🌊 A swim at the beach. Fresh kaimoana. A classic Kiwi summer. 🦪

But hidden beneath the surface are naturally occurring bacteria called Vibrio, which can sometimes make people seriously unwell.

PHF Science researchers have taken a closer look at Vibrio infections in Aotearoa, analysing national surveillance, hospital and laboratory data from 1998–2024. Their findings suggest that Vibrio illness in New Zealand involves a wider range of species than current reporting systems capture, including some infections that can lead to hospitalisation and, in rare cases, death.

While some Vibrio infections are linked to eating raw or undercooked seafood, others can occur when seawater enters a cut or causes an ear infection.

Understanding the true burden of Vibrio disease is an important step towards improving public health surveillance and helping New Zealanders enjoy our waters and seafood safely.

🔬 Read more about how PHF Science is uncovering the hidden picture of Vibrio infections in Aotearoa.

The New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) was formerly named The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

11/06/2026

For World Food Safety Week, we're celebrating the expertise of PHF Science's food safety specialists and the impact their work has on protecting public health.

One of those experts is Nikki King, whose ability to transform vast amounts of complex data into clear, actionable evidence has helped shape food safety policy in New Zealand for more than two decades.
Early in her career, Nikki led the development of the landmark Review of Non-Commercial Wild Food in New Zealand (2005), a comprehensive publication that remains an important reference on the food safety risks associated with wild foods.

She later applied her expertise to producing food safety risk profiles for the Ministry for Primary Industries, bringing together scientific evidence on issues such as Salmonella in poultry to support regulatory decision-making. Her work reviewing microbial pathogens in raw milk helped provide the evidence base for new food safety regulations.

This World Food Safety Week, we recognise Nikki and all our food safety experts whose science, analysis and evidence-based advice help make food safer for everyone.

The New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) was formerly named The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

10/06/2026

When cooler weather arrives in Aotearoa, kai becomes one of our favourite comfort blankets. Cooking dinner for a hungry whānau is a small reminder of how much trust we place in our food.

During Food Safety Week, PHF Science is taking a closer look at one of the foodborne threats we watch closely: STEC. It is not something most people want to think about at the dinner table but understanding it helps keep people safe. STEC is short for Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli. It is a mouthful of a name for a foodborne pathogen that can mean a long miserable week with stomach cramps and diarrhoea, sometimes bloody, but can also lead to severe disease and kidney failure, especially for young mokopuna.

Learn more about the science of STEC and how to keep food safe.

The New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) was formerly named The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).