The Neurological Foundations uses a peer-review system to grade research applications. While the National Council of the Neurological Foundation make the final decisions regarding allocation of funds for research, they rely heavily on expert advice from the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The 12-member SAC is composed of Clinical Neurologists and Neurosurgeons, Psychologists and Neuroscientists, each with many years of research experience, plus a representative from the Council and the Council Chairman. The 10 clinicians and scientists are drawn from hospitals and universities throughout New Zealand and generally serve on the SAC for 3 to 6 years. The SAC meets each June and November to consider applications and make recommendations to Council.

Dr Barry Snow (SAC Chairman)

At the SAC meeting reports on the individual proposals are presented and debated, and a vote is taken to reject or accept the application. It the majority are in favour of funding the research project each SAC member then scores the application according to their view of it's merit and these score are used to rank the research proposals. Finally, when all applications have been considered, they are tabulated in order of merit and the amount required to fund the approved applications is reviewed in light of the funds allocated for the research round. It is sometimes necessary to draw a line in the table if the cost of approved research exceeds the budget available. In this way the Neurological Foundation ensures that the money available is used to fund only the best neuroscience research.

History of the Scientific Advisory Committee

The first Scientific Advisory Committee meeting was held on 3 July 1972 in Wellington. Eight people interested in neurological science were present including John Seabrooke as chairman of the Council of the Foundation and Mr Len Hart, an Auckland chartered accountant acting as secretary, with Mr Wrightson as chairman.

Three research projects were approved and grants awarded totalling $12,500 (about $100,000 today). Since funding good quality research is the raison d'etre of the Foundation, this is the date we have taken as the start; this 30-year history of its progress started with those first projects.

Chairman Dr Barry Snow Consultant Neurologist, Auckland Hospital, Auckland Parkinson's disease   Members Prof. Alan Barber Neurologist, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland - Stroke and in particular imaging (SPECT, MRI and CT) in the investigation of stroke patients     Dr Jennifer Sommerfield Neurologist, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland Clinical neurologist working in the department of neurology at Auckland Hospital. Her research interest is neuroimmunology and in particular multiple sclerosis.       Dr Louise Nicholson Department of Anatomy, University of Auckland - Cell biology, neurodegenerative diseases, electron microscopy, molecular biology, immunohistochemistry       Dr Bob Knight Department of Psychology, University of Otago - Clinical neuropsychology, development, of neuropsychological tests, the study of information processing and memory deficits in patients with neurological lesions.       Professor Paul Smith Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago - Vestibular/auditory neuroscience and more generally molecular and neurochemical approaches to lesion-induced plasticity in the CNS. Biochemical, pharmacological, electrophysiological or behavioural methods which look at the mechanisms of neural damage (cerebellum, inferior olive, hippocampus as well as the brainstem vestibular nucleus)       Dr Anne La Flamme School of Biological Sciences, University of Victoria Her research centers on the role of the macrophage in initiating and regulating the immune response to chronic and parasitic diseases.       Dr Deborah Young Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland - Gene therapy, mechanisms in neurodegenerative disorders (epilepsy, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's Disease), growth factors, neurogenesis, learning, viral vectors       Dr John Reynolds Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago - functional synaptic plasticity, in particular the role of nigrostriatal dopamine within the striatum. areas of expertise: intracellular and extracellular recording, and behavioural analysis using intracranial self-stimulation; clinically trained        Dr Peter Heppner A paediatric and adult neurosurgeon at Starship and Auckland City Hospital. My surgical interests are neurosurgery for Children, Tumors and Spine. Research projects have looked at assessment of cerebral blood flow, as well as epidemiology and treatment of cerebral glioma.   Scientific Secretary   Dr Douglas Ormrod   Medical Adviser   Dr Jon Simcock Neurologist, Auckland Hospital, Auckland