Rate My Professor Dianne Sika-Paotonu CQS

Professor Dianne Sika-Paotonu CQS is a Professor of Immunology and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pacific, at the University of Otago in the Division of Health Sciences. She holds qualifications including BSc in Physiology, BBMedSc in Molecular Pathology, MBMedSc with First Class Honours in Molecular Pathology, PhD in Immunology from Victoria University of Wellington undertaken at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Learning and Teaching (PGDipHELT), Postgraduate Certificate in Education and Professional Development (PGCertEdPD, Wellington), Diploma in Public Health (DPH, Otago), and Certificate in Anaesthetic Technology (CertAT, Auckland Institute of Technology). Her career includes serving as Scientific Lead for the Penicillin Research programme at the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Western Australia, within the Group A Streptococcal Disease team at the Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases. As a Fulbright Scholar, she worked as an Immunology Scientist at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre. Previously, she was Associate Dean, Pacific, in the Division of Health Sciences and Associate Professor. Dianne has held leadership roles in the tertiary sector, teaching, supervising, and mentoring students while contributing to numerous local, national, and international committees and boards as chair or convenor.

Her research specializations encompass immunology, cancer vaccines and early diagnosis, acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, infectious diseases including COVID-19, Pacific health, and health equity. She leads interdisciplinary projects as Principal Investigator with national and international collaborators, particularly in the Pacific region, emphasizing evidence-based, equity-focused approaches. Key publications include 'Budesonide-formoterol versus terbutaline reliever in adults with asthma using maintenance inhaled corticosteroids in New Zealand (INFORM ASTHMA)' in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (2026), 'Benzathine Penicillin G for rheumatic fever prevention - in remote Fiji' in The Journal of Immunology (2025), and 'Diabetes Cam: An Objective Methodology to Study Footcare Self-Management Amongst I-Taukei Fijians' in Health Promotion Journal of Australia (2025). With over 2,270 citations on Google Scholar, her work has significant impact. Awards include the Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize (2022, first Pacific scientist), Royal Society Te Apārangi Callaghan Medal (2024, first Pacific scientist), Health Research Council Liley Medal team award (2023), New Zealand Association of Scientists Cranwell Medal, and the Royal Order of Queen Salote Tupou III Commander from Tonga. She is a prominent science communicator, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocates for addressing health inequities.