You are here

Home » Research

Latest Grants

PrintPrintPDFPDF

Neurological Foundation research approved December 2011

Research grants totalling $1,230,184 were approved by the Neurological Foundation Council on 2 December 2011.

Neurological Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships
For students who have already completed an Honours or Masters degree to allow them to undertake a PhD course at a New Zealand university.

Neurological Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship

For researchers who have completed a PhD and wish to develop their research careers. This work can be undertaken at either New Zealand or overseas universities or hospitals.

Neurological Foundation Repatriation Fellowship

Repatriation Fellowships are intended to support the repatriation of outstanding young researchers who have recently completed postdoctoral studies outside New Zealand and who propose to return to New Zealand and conduct research in scientific fields of relevance to the Neurological Foundation.

  • Summer Studentship - Cellular effects of novel anti-addiction compounds

    $4,000

    Leigh Walker School of Biological Sciences - Victoria, University of Wellington

    Addiction to drugs of abuse is a disease which has major social, health, crime and monetary costs to society. While some therapeutic drugs are available to help stop smoking, such as nicotine patches, there are no therapeutic drugs available to help stop drug addicts who crave psychostimulants such as methamphetamine (P), cocaine or amphetamine. This study will investigate the cellular action of compounds that possess pre-clinical anti-addiction effects. This study aims to develop better, more effective anti-addiction compounds.

  • Summer Studentship - Do BMP antagonists play a role in directing the fate of adult neural progenitor cells following neural cell loss?

    $4,000

    Shwetha George Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research - University of Auckland

    The ability for adult neural stem cells to migrate to areas of brain damage and generate replacement brain cells may provide a unique mechanism by which to develop novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of brain injury or neurological disease. However, the local environment appears to be critical for directing the final fate of adult stem cells in the damaged brain. This study will investigate whether brain injury alters the expression of a group of compounds known as bone morphogenic protein antagonists to promote adult neural stem cells to form glial rather than neuronal cells. The results of this study will enhance our knowledge as to how stem cells respond to brain cell loss and may assist in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of brain injury or disease.

  • Randomised controlled trial of memory aids after traumatic brain injury.

    $10,998

    Hannah Bos School of Psychology - Massey University, Wellington

    After brain injury, people frequently have difficulty remembering to perform planned actions at the appropriate time. This creates difficulties in daily life – forgetting to attend appointments and complete tasks, with the person often becoming dependent. This research will compare the effectiveness of two forms of memory aids in a randomised controlled trial: paper-based memory notebooks that have traditionally been used will be compared to providing reminders using smartphones. Despite much interest in using smartphones, to date little systematic research has been done in this area. This study will guide clinicians in providing the best available rehabilitation after brain injury.

  • Immunomodulation of stroke with risperidone.

    $11,999

    Associate Professor Bronwen Connor Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland

    Stroke is a leading cause of disability in New Zealand and the burden associated with this neurological disorder is increasing. Treatment of stroke represents a large, unmet medical need. Neuroinflammation is an important pathophysiological mechanism involved in stroke and impacts profoundly on the extent of cell loss, as well as injury progression. Neuroinflammation therefore offers an exciting therapeutic target for the treatment of stroke. It has been recently demonstrated that the anti-psychotic drug, risperidone, is effective at reducing neuroinflammation and disease progression in a model of multiple sclerosis. This project will now explore whether the anti-inflammatory properties of risperidone can reduce the progression and severity of stroke.

    This project is funded by Neurological Foundation members Mr EW and Mrs BD Wright, Christchurch  
     

  • Optimising the use of anti-psychotic agents for multiple sclerosis

    $158,007

    Professor Anne La Flamme School of Biological Sciences - Victoria, University of Wellington

    Multiple sclerosis (MS), which affects one in every 1400 New Zealanders, is a disease characterised by immune-mediated nerve degeneration. Symptoms may include difficulty moving; difficulties with coordination and balance; problems in speech (dysarthria) or swallowing (dysphagia), and visual problems. Immune cells are responsible for the damage to the nerves and subsequent clinical features of MS. There is no cure, and while disease-modifying drugs are available, they are often effective in only a subpopulation of MS patients. Recently Professor La Flamme’s laboratory has found that a commonly used anti-psychotic drug is effective at modifying MS in a mouse model of the disease. This project investigates the potential of this drug to treat MS. 

Pages