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Who are we?
Mātai is a research, education and innovation institute located in Tairāwhiti Gisborne, New Zealand. Established in October 2020 with the pivotal support from Kānoa Regional Development Unit, Mātai has become a leading force in medical imaging, with a state-of-the-art GE 3-Tesla MRI machine and a team of experts. The core focus of Mātai is to enhance the capabilities of medical imaging through advanced software, post-processing techniques, and artificial intelligence. By doing so, Mātai seeks to advance preventative and predictive approaches through medical innovation and discovery. The strength of Mātai lies in the creativity, expertise, and collaborative efforts of its team. Positioned as a leader in medical research, Mātai drives innovation and strives to make a lasting impact on healthcare, social issues, education, and economic outcomes.
Our Research
See Our Latest News
Matai 2024 Internship
In the summer of 2024/25, Mātai was able to offer local summer internships to 16 students. June 2025 From cutting-edge medical imaging to bioengineering, leadership, innovative research, and mātauranga Māori, our Mātai Summer Internship Programme gave 16 outstanding interns the chance to tackle real-world health challenges. The interns explored a range of topics, including research methods, scientific training, leadership, and…
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Prostate cancer funding pathway helps 100 Gisborne-Tairāwhiti men
Mātai News Prostate cancer funding pathway helps 100 Gisborne-Tairāwhiti men Gisborne Herald 20 Apr, 2025 Full article here Head of radiology Te Whatu Ora Tairawhiti and Matai clinical lead Dr Daniel Cornfeld. Photo / Supplied Around 100 men in Gisborne-Tairawhiti have benefited so far from joint funding that supports an advanced approach to prostate cancer diagnosis. Prostate cancer is…
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Our Changing World: The advances in MRI coming out of Gisborne
Our Changing World: The advances in MRI coming out of Gisborne 7 November 2024 Listen to the episode to learn more about the research happening at Mātai, and about their plans for the future. Listen here When Dr Samantha Holdsworth started her academic path, she studied physics at the University of Canterbury, focusing on astrophysics. Switching to medical imaging for…
READ MOREOur Community
Mātai actively supports our community by offering opportunities for predominantly local students to engage in medical sciences and technology development. This includes mentorship and hands-on experiences in medical research, imaging, scientific enquiry, innovation, Matauranga Māori, and leadership. The atmosphere at Mātai is positive, empowering, and vibrant – catering to innovators, scientists, scholars, students, and medical professionals.
Community Health
Our whānau will have access to advanced equipment and expertise, resulting in earlier diagnosis and treatments.
Inspiring Our Rangatahi
Our local rangatahi have opportunities to gain scholarships and internships, providing the pathway to future career's in the health and research field, while giving back to their community.
Support our research
Mātai Medical Research Institute is a non-profit research institution dedicated to advancing our understanding of the brain, heart, and body to bring about health benefits not only locally but also on a global scale. We greatly value the support of individuals like you, as it plays a crucial role in furthering our mission.
Thank you for considering supporting Mātai Medical Research Institute and joining us on our mission to create a healthier future for all.
