Mātai is a not-for-profit research centre based in Gisborne-Tairāwhiti, New Zealand.

Mātai is focused on enhancing the capabilities of medical imaging using new and advanced software, post-processing and artificial intelligence. We take a collaborative approach, drawing on a network of leading expertise nationally and internationally.

We lead our research with a view to supporting kaupapa Māori and our community on our journey toward a better understanding of a healthy brain, heart, and body.

Mātai will lead world-class research to advance our understanding of the brain, heart and body with the goal of improving health and social outcomes for Kiwis of all ages.

The primary areas of research interest will be mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and cardiovascular disease, alongside projects that impact the well-being of Tairāwhiti’s community.

The team is headed by Dr Samantha Holdsworth, a leading academic in the field of human brain imaging. Dr Holdsworth made important breakthroughs in new MRI technologies as a senior research scientist at Stanford University.

Mātai has a collaborative national and global network of 32 affiliate faculty advisors and 37 medical research, scientific, and engineering advisors. These include world leaders in their respective fields across several disciplines, and who are committed to collaborating across a range of medical research projects.

Mātai means ‘to investigate or examine’. Our whakatauāki, Te Mata Mātai Hura, means ‘the investigative revealing eye’.

We are a non-profit entity, with a collaborative, multi-disciplinary outlook, drawing on a network of leading expertise nationally and internationally. A strong focus is on using our facilities and expertise to support our local community health needs, that could lead to positive health outcomes.

To enable strength, health, and innovation for our whānau and our people through world-leading imaging discoveries.

Our team would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Provincial Growth (PGF), Trust Tairāwhiti, The University of Auckland, the JN Williams Memorial Trust and the HB Williams Turanga Trust, GE Healthcare, the Dame Bronwen and Dr Peter Holdsworth Trust, and Pultron Composites for their support.

We received generous support from many volunteers, collaborators, and organisations, including the Centre for Brain Research, Malaghan Institute, Auckland Bioengineering Institute, Centre for Advanced MRI, Hauora Tairāwhiti (TDHB), Ngāti Porou Hauora, Turanga Health, Business Success Partners NZ Ltd., Coates Associates Gisborne, Ltd., BRNZ, and Manaaki Tairāwhiti.

A special note of thanks goes to Mark Kopua for his gift of our name and whakatauāki.