Rate My Professor Stephanie Bozonet

Dr. Stephanie Bozonet is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch, affiliated with the Mātai Hāora – Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine. She earned her BSc with honours in medical microbiology and PhD in redox cell biology and signalling from Newcastle University in the UK. After postdoctoral work there, she moved to New Zealand in 2008 to join the centre. Previously, she gained practical experience in the brewing and pharmaceutical industries, honing skills in microbiology, cell and molecular biology, microscopy, flow cytometry, protein expression and analysis, enzyme kinetics, neutrophil function, and HPLC. She has co-supervised three PhD students, serves as biological compliance officer for the centre, and is the university health and safety worker representative.

Bozonet's research interests centre on redox biology and the effects of oxidants on cell systems. She investigates the bioavailability of ascorbate (vitamin C), an essential enzyme co-factor and biological antioxidant, and its roles in the immune system. Her work explores oxidants' contributions to innate immunity, inflammation, and disease, noting that immune cells such as neutrophils produce oxidants to fight infections but may also damage host cells and tissues. Currently, she is characterising the effects of oxidants on the regulation of cell death pathways. Key publications include Pullar et al. (2025), "Improved human skin vitamin C levels and skin function following dietary intake of kiwifruit," Journal of Investigative Dermatology; Peskin, Magon, and Bozonet (2025), "High-dose vitamin C blocks HOCl production by myeloperoxidase: A potential therapeutic strategy," Biochemical & Biophysical Research Communications; Bozonet et al. (2015), "Restoring physiological levels of ascorbate slows tumor growth and modulates hypoxia signalling in cancer cells," Cancer Medicine; and Bozonet et al. (2021), "Neutrophils Isolated from Septic Patients Exhibit Elevated Uptake of Vitamin C: Implications for Sepsis Management," Antioxidants. Her contributions have advanced knowledge on vitamin C's potential in treating cancer, sepsis, and inflammatory diseases.