About the Symposium
After receiving a Health Research Council of New Zealand Pacific Health Project grant in 2023, Dr. Edmond Fehoko and Dr. Zaramasina Clark, along with a team of fellow predominantly Pacific researchers, aimed to investigate the relationship between Pacific peoples and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This relationship was explored through the perspectives and lived experiences of individuals of various Pacific cultures, identities, and faiths as well as fertility care clinicians and healthcare professionals. The Pacific Infertility and Fertility Treatment Research Symposium (PIFTRS) is just one of many communication outputs from our research team and it perhaps the most exciting yet. This symposium will bring together community members, clinicians, and researchers together to share their experiences and expertise to uplift and improve fertility outcomes for the Pacific community.
Primary Investigators
Dr. Edmond Fehoko is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka—University of Otago with a background in criminology, sociology, cultural studies, mental health and addiction, reproductive health and public health.
Dr. Fehoko has extensive expertise in development, design and evaluation of Pacific and Indigenous interventions to promote health and positive wellbeing, qualitative and Pacific research methods and methodologies.
Dr. Edmond Fehoko
Dr Zaramasina Clark is Tongan ('Ohonua, 'Eua) and was born and raised in Suva, Fiji. She trained as a reproductive biologist and now lives in Aotearoa New Zealand where she is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Her research spans molecular reproductive biology, ovarian biology, reproductive health, infertility and fertility, as well as the lived experiences of Pacific peoples accessing fertility care and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Dr. Clark has expertise in developing laboratory-based research to develop a deeper understanding of the biology behind reproductive issues which contribute to known inequities faced by Pacific peoples. Through this work, her team aims to better understand infertility, address inequities in reproductive healthcare, and support more equitable and culturally responsive fertility care for Pacific peoples.
Dr. Zaramasina Clark
Research Team
Mr. Cameron Young is a PhD candidate and medical student at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka—University of Otago. He is currently a Fulbright NZ Visiting Research Student based in the United States, affiliated with University of Wisconsin–Madison and Johns Hopkins University.
Cam’s research lies at the intersection of reproduction, health, and culture, with a focus on maternal-foetal medicine, infertility, and reproductive healthcare access.
His doctoral thesis investigates dietary influences on foetal development and maternal adaptations to pregnancy. Cam is proud to have heritage from the Cook Islands, Sāmoa, and Scotland.
Cameron Young
Rebekah Kennedy is a fourth year medical student (MB ChB) at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka—University of Otago. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science with a major in Neuroscience (2023) and received the Pacific Peoples' Final Year Achievement Prize in her graduating year. Rebekah has a keen interest in reproductive health, mental health, health equity and Pacific health. In the future, she hopes to graduate as a doctor and continue research with the goal of advocating for patients.
Rebekah Kennedy
Katrina Sharlott is a PhD candidate in the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka—University of Otago. Her PhD research examines physical activity and health promotion in the Cook Islands from a sociological perspective. Her research interests centre around exploring Pacific lived experiences and improving health outcomes for Pacific communities, with a particular interest in sexual and reproductive health.
Katrina Sharlott
Simon Erickson is a PhD candidate in the Department of Human Nutrition at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka—University of Otago. His research focuses on weight stigma among Pacific and New Zealand European men.
Simon has expertise in qualitative research design and methodologies, reproductive health, and addiction. He is also passionate about promoting health equity and wellbeing among Pacific peoples and others in Aotearoa.
Simon Erickson
Symposium Committee
Noah Kelly-Foleni is a PhD student at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington in the School of Biological Sciences. His doctoral thesis focuses on reproductive health and the biological mechanisms behind infertility. Additionally, Noah also has a background in cancer genetics and biology. He is particularly interested in the development of better health outcomes for Pacific peoples, Pacific world views on biomedical science, and better integrating the Pacific community within scientific research.
Noah Kelly-Foleni
Ashley Darbyshire is a Masters student at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington in the School of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on reproductive biology, with particular interests in ovarian function, follicle development, oocyte quality, and assisted reproductive technologies. Her Masters project investigates how adiposity influences fertility and reproductive outcomes, with the aim of generating biological evidence to support more equitable and evidence-based approaches to fertility treatment.
In addition to her laboratory research, Ashley has experience conducting health services research, including contributing to a national stocktake survey examining New Zealand’s rural general practice workforce. She is passionate about translating research into meaningful improvements in health policy and clinical practice, with a particular interest in improving access to healthcare and reproductive services.