Driving our Research

Our Mission

The Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ) is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading independent medical research institute.

Our research is guided by a simple philosophy: it must challenge dogma, increase knowledge, and have the potential to improve clinical practice and outcomes, both in Aotearoa New Zealand, and internationally.

The MRINZ’s research teams are dedicated to investigating important public health problems, delivering high quality evidence on which to improve the management of disease and patient care.

An internationally recognised academic institution, the MRINZ is a registered charitable trust, pursuing advances in clinical practice and providing a base for specialist training in medical research.

Core Values

Guiding Principles

Independence
and Impartiality

The MRINZ is an independent research institute and a registered charity (ID CC22439). This independence allows us to conduct our research free from external influences, such as from industry and government. 

Commitment to Equity
and Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Committed to contributing toward a more equitable society that respects Te Ao Māori and upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the MRINZ is working to support tangata whenua-led processes, where Māori worldviews and values help shape our research.

Impact
and Capability

We currently publish an average of 75 peer-reviewed publications each year, and our work has contributed to significant changes in medical practice globally. Our ability to function as an independent trial coordinating centre enables us to achieve this high output. This extends to both local and large-scale multinational clinical trials, leveraging our capability through extensive research networks in intensive care, hospitals, general practice, and pharmacies.

Transformation
and Implementation

Our research is driven by the potential to improve and innovate clinical practice. Consequently, our studies have played a pivotal role in advancing care across multiple medical fields. We have authored and contributed to numerous treatment guidelines, ensuring our findings directly influence and improve patient care here at home and globally.

Training
and Education

We are authorised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) to award our own Medical Doctorate (MD) degree. This degree represents the core of our postgraduate training programmes which include PhD, Masters, and Diploma degrees, in collaboration with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka. 

22 Years of Research

Our History

Since its establishment in December 2001 the MRINZ has dedicated more than two decades to investigating the causes of important public health problems, and using this knowledge to improve the prevention and treatment of a wide range of diseases.

The MRINZ has been at the forefront of many ground-breaking studies and clinical trials, providing valuable knowledge to the medical community both here at home in New Zealand, and globally.

Beyond research, MRINZ has played a crucial role in providing an established base for specialist training in medical research. Through collaborations with leading universities and institutions both nationally and internationally, MRINZ has facilitated practical clinical research experience and training opportunities for aspiring researchers and healthcare professionals, furthering the advancement of medical knowledge and patient care.

Publications and International Evaluation

Performance
and Impact

The MRINZ explores critical issues in public health and clinical practice, challenging dogma, and generating valuable evidence to improve disease management and patient well-being.

Through national and international collaboration, our research has resulted in a substantial body of work with over 900 publications to date, contributing to advancements in clinical practice and management guidelines globally.

In 2023, the MRINZ had its research performance assessed using SciVal, a global database for research metrics. This evaluation compared MRINZ performance with universities and research institutions worldwide, focusing on two key metrics:

Field-Weighted Citation Impact: This measures how often MRINZ research papers are cited by others, adjusted for different citation habits across academic fields. A higher score reflects more significant impact.

1.

Publications in Top 10% Journals by SJR: This shows the proportion of MRINZ research published in highly influential journals.

2.

The analysis covered the five years up to 2023, excluding the latest year for accurate indexing.

Results revealed that the MRINZ surpassed all eight New Zealand universities in citation impact and publications in the highest ranked journals. Our citation impact exceeded that of the top five universities globally, as per the Times 2021 ranking, underscoring our strong international impact and leading position internationally.

Collaboration

Facilities
and Networks

Our robust clinical research infrastructure and networks enable us to conduct impactful research across various medical fields. 

Our
Home Base

The Institute’s main offices and clinical research facility are housed at Wellington Regional Hospital, Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Wellington Regional Hospital also provides access to a four-bed Te Whatu Ora – Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley Clinical Trials Unit for inpatient studies. 

Collaborative
Community Networks

The MRINZ works in partnership with community health spaces such as the Maraeroa Marae Health Clinic and Papakura Marae Health Clinic ensuring that research initiatives are culturally responsive, community-centred, and effectively address the health needs of a diverse population.

Other
Trial Groups

The MRINZ is the New Zealand coordinating management centre for a number of significant clinical trial groups, including:

  1. The Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group

  2. The New Zealand Cardiothoracic Surgery Network

  3. The New Zealand Respiratory Clinical Trials Group

  4. The New Zealand Rehabilitation Research Group.

Pharmacy Research
Network (PRN)

The PRN connects pharmacies throughout New Zealand and Australia, streamlining large-scale Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) in community settings.

Primary Care
Network

The Primary care network comprises General Practices and independent Clinical Trials Units across New Zealand, dedicated to coordinating healthcare research within community healthcare environments. 

Collaboration

Data Management Standards

At the MRINZ, we leverage cutting-edge information technology and adhere to stringent data management standards to ensure the integrity and reliability of our research findings. 

Standards Compliance

We have been members of CDISC (Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium) since 2019 and have conducted several studies in accordance with CDISC data collection standards.

We also apply MedDRA (Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities) terminologies to ensure consistency, accuracy, and compatibility across safety datasets.

ECRIN Accreditation

MRINZ is actively pursuing certification from ECRIN (European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network), a testament to our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of research excellence and data management practices.

By employing robust data management strategies and complying with international standards, we strive to uphold the integrity and quality of our research outcomes, ultimately benefiting both scientific advancement and patient care.