Introducing Dr Chris Puliuvea
Dr Chris Puliuvea is a Tongan immunologist who joined the department of Biomedicine and Molecular Diagnostics in AUT’s School of Science in September 2023.
Chris was born in Tonga but came to New Zealand as a small child with his parents, who settled in Northcote where he attended Onepoto Primary School. The family moved back to Tonga for his intermediate and secondary schooling, then returned to Auckland, where he attended Rosmini College for Year 12 and 13.
After finishing school, Chris studied a Certificate in Health Care at the AUT North Campus, later switching to a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at the City Campus. After graduating, he went back to Tonga and taught secondary science with senior Chemistry and Biology at Tupou College Toloa for two years. That experience encouraged him to return to New Zealand for postgraduate study at AUT, followed by completing his PhD in Biomedical Science at University of Auckland in 2023. His research studies Māori and Pacific gene variants, and how genetic variation affects immunological differences for Māori and Pacific peoples, who are not genetically distinct from each other.
As a lecturer at AUT, Chris has maintained a connection with Tupou College Toloa whereby he actively helps the school and their community. He credits the support of his family for keeping him grounded and focused through everything he has achieved, and shares his Tongan language and culture with his two sons to help ensure they grow up knowing their heritage. Chris understands the importance of being a role model for others, so that in the future we will see more Pacific and Māori scientists.
Thinking about his own drive and motivation to do science, Chris suggests that the outcomes Pacific and Māori scientists strive for might differ from those of non-Pacific and non-Māori.
“With more paddles on the vaka/waka, we can collectively journey into new territories not explored before in the field of science. We can settle there and share the benefits with others.”
In November 2024, Chris found out that he had won a Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowship. These prestigious awards are funded by the New Zealand government through MBIE, and administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. His fellowship is worth $820,000 and will allow him to work on his research for 80% of his time over the next four years.
Useful links
Lea Faka-Tonga
ʻE fakahoko ʻe Dr Chris Puliʻuvea ʻo e Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau ʻi he Auckland University of Technology ha fakatotolo ki ha ngaahi taʻau tukufakaholo fakatoto (genetic variant) ʻa ia ʻokú ne uesia e sōtia maluʻi ʻi he sinó pea ʻoku fakatefito ki he kakai Māori mo e Pasifika. ʻOku siʻi hono fakakau e kakai Māori mo e Pasifiká ʻi he ngaahi ʻahiʻahi fakafaitoʻo fakatuʻapuleʻangá mo e ngaahi ako fakasenōmiká (genomic). Ko hono ʻuhingá, ko e fakatupulaki ko ia ʻo e faitoʻo totonú, ʻe malava ke ʻikai hano lelei ʻoʻona ki he ongo kulupu ko ʻení. ʻOku siʻi ʻetau ʻilo fekauʻaki mo e kaunga ʻa e tukufakaholo fakatotó ki he ngaahi mahaki ʻi he kakai Māori mo e Pasifiká ʻi hono fakahoa ki he ngaahi kulupu matakali kehé, tautefito ki he ngaahi ako ki he maluʻi ʻi he sinó. ʻOku mahamahalo ʻa Dr Puliʻuvea ʻoku hoko e ngaahi taʻau tukufakaholo fakatoto ʻoku makatuʻunga ʻi he kakai Māori mo e Pasifiká, ko ha konga mahuʻinga ia ʻi he ngāue ʻa e sōtia maluʻi ʻi he sinó mo hono taʻaú. ʻE ngāue fakataha ʻa Dr Puliʻuvea mo e ngaahi kulupu Māori mo e Pasifiká ke nau faʻu ha ngaahi founga taau mo e ʻulungaanga fakafonuá, te nau ala fakaʻaongaʻi ke nau ako ʻaki e anga ʻo e fekauʻaki ʻa e taʻau tukufakaholo fakatotó mo e ngaahi fekehekeheʻaki ʻi he maluʻi fakasinó, ʻa ia ʻe lava ai ke nau maʻu e ʻilo mahuʻinga ko ʻeni ne teʻeki ke maʻú.
Te Reo Māori
Ka rangahaua e Dr Chris Puli’uvea o Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki-Makaurau ngā momo ira e pā ana ki te pūnaha raupatu, he mea motuhake ki ngā iwi Māori me ngā iwi o Te Moananui-a-Kiwa. Ko ngā whakamātautau haumanu o te ao me ngā rangahau ira tangata karekau he kanohi mō ngā iwi Māori me ngā iwi o Te Moananui-a-Kiwa. Ko te tikanga karekau pea e whai hua te ahunga whakamua i roto i te rongoa tika mō ēnei rōpu. He iti ake te mōhio mō te pānga o te ira ki ngā mate mō ngā iwi Māori me ngā iwi o Te Moananui-a-Kiwa ki ētahi atu iwi, inā koa mō ngā rangahau mate pūnaha raupatu. E whakapae ana a Dr Puli’uvea he whai wāhi nui ngā momo ira Māori me ngā momo ira-a-Kiwa i roto i te mahi me te rerekētanga o te pūnaha mate. Ka uru atu a Dr Puli’uvea ki ngā hapori Māori me ngā hapori o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa ki te whakawhanake i ngā tikanga tairongo ki te ako i te hononga o te rerekētanga o te ira ki ngā rerekētanga o te mate pūnaha raupatu, ka whakatika i tēnei āputa mātauranga nui.