Who we are

We are a group of researchers from various fields who want to find a way to control Didymo in Aoteraoa New Zealand’s rivers.

The person who is the passion behind the project is Dr Tom Cawood. He’s a senior hospital doctor with a laboratory science Ph.D. but his main qualification is his love of our rivers that flows from his lifelong hobby of trout fishing. He has seen the decline of some of our rivers over the last 20 years and would love to leave this planet with those rivers no longer affected by didymo.

Tom has brought together the expertise of some of the world’s finest researchers in their fields, many of whom happen to be here in New Zealand. They each have crucial expertise in the different disciplines needed for this project.

This group is a not-for-profit collective, and whilst we need funding for the research to be done, there is no personal profit incentive. We have applied for Charitable Status (we should hear back from them by October), as Control Didymo Aotearoa, and our NZBN is 9429052941535. 

If you might be interested in helping, please visit our Support page.

Professor Susie Wood

Professor of Freshwater Management, Lincoln University, New Zealand

Professor Jemma Geoghegan

Evolutionary Virologist, University of Otago, New Zealand

Dr Alexis Marshall

Molecular Biology and Genetics, RMIT University, Australia

Dr Anne Sawyer

Molecular Plant Biologist, University of Queensland, Australia

Professor Arvind Varsani

Molecular Virologist, Arizona State University, USA

Dr Jonathan Bray

Freshwater Ecologist, Lincoln University, New Zealand

Dr Tom Cawood

Consultant physician, Christchurch Hospital, Te Whatu Ora, New Zealand.