Our team
The IDEA programme is driven by a passionate and diverse team of interdisciplinary researchers and clinicians, with a shared commitment to understanding dementia and promoting equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our team brings together expertise in ageing, dementia, epidemiology, and culturally responsive care. Together, we are dedicated to creating meaningful change for individuals, families, and communities affected by dementia, ensuring that our research reflects the values and needs of all New Zealanders.
Meet our researchers here, and do not hesitate to get in touch.
Ngaire Kerse
Ngaire Kerse is the Joyce Cook Chair in Ageing Well, a GP, and Professor of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland. With over 350 publications and 50 research grants, she is an international expert in falls prevention, bi-cultural ageing, and primary health care. Leading multiple research teams, Ngaire spearheads projects such as LiLACS NZ, focusing on equity, health service use, and well-being in advanced age. Her work on fall prevention includes studies on older individuals post-stroke and in residential care. Currently, she leads the IDEA programme, investigating the prevalence and impact of dementia in Aotearoa.
Visit Prof Ngaire Kerse’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Sarah Cullum
Dr Sarah Cullum is an old age psychiatrist and an Associate Professor at Dept Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland. She has an excellent clinical and research understanding of the issues in dementia research. She leads the LiDiA (Living with Dementia in Aotearoa) research group. The overarching aim of the LiDiA research programme is to understand the extent and the cultural, psychosocial and economic impact of dementia in the major NZ ethnic groups.
Visit A/Prof Sarah Cullum’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Gary Cheung
Dr Gary Cheung is an academic old age psychiatrist at the School of Medicine, the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He was awarded the 2021 Alzheimers New Zealand Fellowship to recognise his contribution of disseminating and researching Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, an evidence based psychosocial intervention for people with dementia in New Zealand, including adapting it for Māori. Dr Cheung is an interRAI associate fellow and the Chair of New Zealand interRAI Research Network.
Visit A/Prof Gary Cheung’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Rita Krishnamurthi
Professor Rita Krishnamurthi is a public health researcher and the Deputy Director of the National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Rita is currently involved in several research projects focused on stroke and dementia epidemiology. She is a co-director of the Auckland Regional Community Stroke studies as well as a member of the Global Burden of Disease Project Stroke expert panel. Her special interest areas are prevention of cerebrovascular diseases, and Pacific and Asian health and well-being. Rita currently supervises a number of PhD students.
Visit Prof Rita Krishnamurthi’s profile at AUT’s website here.
Susan Yates
Dr Susan Yates is a Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist. She has a special interest in neurodegenerative diseases, cognitive assessment, neuropsychology, and healthy ageing. She works in the Dementia Prevention Research Clinic (DPRC) and the Living with Dementia in Aotearoa (LiDiA) Research Group at the University of Auckland. She is currently involved in several research projects including a longitudinal study investigating progression of memory problems, using routinely collected health data to improve health outcomes, and adapting the WHO iSupport manual for use in New Zealand.
Visit Dr Susan Yates’ profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Xiaojing Sharon Wu
Dr Xiaojing Sharon Wu is a health researcher at the University of Auckland and a registered dietitian. Sharon has dedicated her career to advancing knowledge and practice in clinical nutrition and healthcare. She has a background in exercise and sports science and rehabilitation nutrition interventions. Her PhD focused on nutrition interventions in improving clinical outcomes for people with swallowing difficulties and cognitive impairment. With a strong focus on malnutrition, dysphagia, nutritional assessment, and nutrition intervention, Presently, Sharon works as the programme manager in the IDEA programme.
Visit Dr Sharon Wu’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Lynette Tippett
Lynette Tippett is a Professor in the School of Psychology and a registered clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist. Her research explores clinical and neuropsychological changes in individuals with neurological disorders, particularly neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injury. Her research addresses the nature of clinical variability (cognitive, behavioural and emotional) in these conditions; how this interacts with underlying pathological mechanisms, identification of earliest changes as contributors to biomarkers signatures and implications for the development of therapeutic strategies.
Visit Prof Lynette Tippett’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Claudia Rivera Rodriguez
Dr Claudia Rivera Rodriguez is a Senior Lecturer at the Dept of Statistics, University of Auckland. She completed her post-doctorate at Harvard University. Her expertise includes routinely collected and correlated/longitudinal medical data. She has extensive experience working with interRAI data and an investigator on several projects that use routinely collected data to study mental health.
Visit Dr Claudia Rivera Rodriguez’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Emme Chacko
Dr Emme Chacko is an old age psychiatrist with additional training in integrative therapies. She also holds the position of Director of Medical Student Affairs at the Medical Programme Directorate. She is currently completing a PhD at the University of Auckland, which involves adapting a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy programme for distressed family carers of people living with dementia in New Zealand. Her interests include family carers, health professional wellbeing, integrative therapies and ethnic minority health research.
Visit Dr Emme Chacko’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Amy Chan
Dr Amy Chan is Associate Professor and co-lead of the Medicines Intelligence group at the School of Pharmacy, University of Auckland. She is a mental health pharmacist by training with over 15 years’ experience working in hospital, where she led the mental health pharmacy team. Amy’s interest in dementia research is in the use of big data and pharmacoepidemiology methods to look at dementia medicines use and outcomes. Amy has over 120 peer-reviewed research outputs including 13 book chapters and one co-edited book. She has received over 50 research grants and has influenced respiratory policy at a national and international level including input into WHO guidelines and civil society policies. Amy is also a Minister-appointed councillor for the Pharmacy Council New Zealand, and member of the Medical committee for the Auckland Medical Research Foundation.
Visit A/Prof Amy Chan’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Jackie Broadbent
Dr Jackie Broadbent is a Geriatrician with Health NZ Waitaha Canterbury. Originally from Melbourne, she completed her specialist training in Christchurch in 2007. She spends her clinical time visiting patients, families and whānau, in their homes and in residential care, in urban and rural locations. She works in the context of a community interdisciplinary team, and has a special interest in frailty and cognitive impairment. She is a member of the ANZSGM Out-of hospital Special Interest Group, and chairs the Clinical Advisory Committee for Third Age Health. She provides clinical support for the Christchurch arm of the IDEA study.
Braden Te Ao
Dr Braden Te Ao is a Senior Health Economist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. His interests include access, quality and efficiency of health care services and has worked directly with government and non-government organisations within the health sector relating to neurological disorders. His expertise includes healthcare financing, resource allocation, prioritisation of health care initiatives, inequities and disparities in health and unmet needs for socially disadvantaged groups. Dr. Braden Te Ao is also part of Māori dementia research national collaborators.
Visit Dr Braden Te Ao’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Joanna Hikaka
Dr Joanna Hikaka is a co-director for the Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research (CCREATE-AGE) at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. A registered pharmacist with over 20 years in clinical practice, her clinical and research work focuses on older adult and Māori health, spanning primary, secondary and aged residential care settings. Joanna’s current research focuses on exploring Māori experiences and expectations of care in the residential and community settings and equitable health service development and delivery. She holds a number of regional and national governance and advisory roles.
Visit Dr Joanna Hikaka’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Nick Garrett
Oliver Menzies
Dr Menzies is a Geriatrician, General Physician and Prevocational Education Supervisor working at Te Toka Tumai Auckland, New Zealand, where he has worked since 2011. He has worked with the team that developed the MANA cognitive tool, a cognitive assessment instrument for Māori, and is currently involved with a mate wareware / dementia prevalence study in Māori, as well as collaborating in the IDEA Study. He is interested in mate wareware assessment for Māori, the translation of research on mate wareware prevalence into prevention activities for Māori, and optimising services for older Māori.
Makarena Dudley
Dr Makarena Dudley is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Auckland. She is the foremost Māori dementia research in Aotearoa and has been leading research in this area since 2016. Her research is focused on cognition and the ageing brain, with a particular emphasis on developing a theory and diagnostic tool for mate wareware (dementia) in Māori. She is a leader in the development of culturally-responsive healthcare practices and has designed innovative programs that address the specific needs of Māori living with dementia and their whānau.
Visit Dr Makarena Dudley’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Fuafiva Fa’alau
Dr Fuafiva Fa’alau is a Senior Lecturer in Pacific Health at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland. Her research interests are focused on Pacific health. She was recently awarded major HRC funding for a project which investigates what dementia means for Pacific communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. This research aims to build a knowledge base to develop a Pacific-responsive screening and assessment tool to assist clinicians in the diagnosis of dementia.
Visit Dr Fuafiva Fa’alau’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.
Etuini Ma'u
Dr Etuini Ma’u is an consultant old age psychiatrist at Te Whatu Ora Waikato and a Senior Lecturer in the Dept of Psychological Medicine at University of Auckland. Etu was raised in Tonga where he completed most of his schooling. His research interests are in the areas of dementia prevention and equitable allocation of dementia resources in New Zealand. He was awarded an HRC Pacific Clinical Research Training Fellowship in 2019 and the Alzheimers New Zealand Fellowship in 2022.
Visit Dr Etuini Ma’u’s profile at The University of Auckland’s website here.