Wellington, March 19 NZPA - A new school of public health at Massey University will bring together work on some of New Zealand's biggest health problems.

The school, which opens in Wellington on Wednesday, encompasses five existing research centres whose study includes the impacts of alcohol, tobacco, diseases such as asthma, industrial and occupational diseases and cancers, and how health issues affect groups such as Maori and Pacific Islanders.

As well as focusing on research, the centres will provide supervision for doctoral students and postgraduate students.

"Massey University's school is based on different disciplines working together to improve our understanding of health and prevention of disease," said Associate Professor Cindy Kiro, who heads the School of Public Health.

The school brings together 140 researchers at the Social and Health Outcome Research and Evaluation Centre in Auckland, Te Ropu Whariki in Auckland, the Centre for Public Health Research in Wellington, the Sleep/Wake Research Centre in Wellington, and the Research Centre for Maori Health and Development based in Wellington and Manawatu.

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