Rate My Professor Howard Maxwell

Dr. Howard Maxwell is the Scientific Officer for Māori Health Advancement in the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago. Hailing from Ōpōtiki in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, he whakapapas to Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-ā-Āpanui, Ngāti Porou, and Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi. Maxwell began his tertiary education at the University of Otago in 2013, initially enrolled in a physical education programme. Experiencing a shift in interests towards the scientific underpinnings of health, he transitioned to a Bachelor of Science, incorporating studies in politics and microbiology. Drawn to the molecular biology of microbes, he pursued a PhD in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, which he completed in 2023. His doctoral thesis, funded by a Health Research Council Māori Health Research PhD Scholarship valued at $129,900 over 36 months, explored whether inhibition of quorum sensing increases the spread of antibiotic resistance. The research revealed a dual regulation mechanism involving SmaR and identified bacterial defence systems directly controlled by quorum sensing, aiming to curb the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes via CRISPR-Cas activity. This work addresses the heightened threat of infectious diseases to Māori communities.

In his current role, Maxwell supports academics across the Division of Health Sciences in crafting research that aligns with Māori aspirations, Vision Mātauranga, and Māori Health Advancement expectations. His expertise spans microbiology, genetics, CRISPR technologies, and indigenous genomics, with 199 citations on Google Scholar. Notable publications include co-authorship on 'Preparing for the next pandemic: insights from Aotearoa New Zealand's Covid-19 response' (2025, Epidemics, with N.P. French et al.), contributions to evaluations of COVID-19 contact tracing systems in New Zealand, and analyses of pandemic response improvements relative to the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. Supervised by Peter Fineran and Hannah Hampton, and mentored by Māori scholars such as Phil Wilcox, Māui Hudson, and Ben Te Aika, Maxwell integrates te ao Māori with te ao pūtaiao. His efforts enhance research outcomes for positive health impacts in New Zealand, particularly for Māori populations.