History

The ABI began as a research group and has since expanded into a large scale research institute with over 150 staff, students and affiliates. Take a look at some highlights from our history.

2001   |  2002   |  2004   |  2005   |  2006   |  2007   |  2008   |  2009

• The Bioengineering Institute is created as a cross-faculty research centre incorporating members from the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences

• The institute is established at UniServices House at the City Campus at The University of Auckland.

• The institute focuses on the development of commercial activities, including the UnEmap System and Telemetry Research. The Entrepreneur In Residence scheme begins.

• The institute purchases major equipment to support its expanding research programme. The High Performance Computing facility, microCT, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging hardware are bought at this time.

• Professor Peter Hunter is elected to the Royal Society
• The institute expands its commercial activities. The Telemetry Research, and Paragon Voice of Market projects experience growth.
• The institute begins open source development of the CMGui and OpenCMISS projects

• Accelerated growth of the CellML markup language and its associated tools and processes
• The institute creates the start-up company, eBonz. This venture aims to provide 3D anatomically-based models of all joints in the human body.

• The institute becomes The University of Auckland’s second Large Scale Research Institute. The Institute is now officially known as the Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• The creation of the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) is confirmed by Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). The new entity provides opinion and advice to the Institute on commercialisation and knowledge transfer opportunities
• Associate Professor Martyn Nash is awarded a James Cook Research Fellowship in Engineering Sciences and Technologies

• Three ABI research programmes win a share of Government investment in the Health Research Council of New Zealand funding round
• Professor Peter Hunter is honoured with the Royal Society of New Zealand’s highest accolade, the Rutherford Medal.