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2 Headlines Editor Danelle Clayton Contributors Thorne Snow Stephanie Murdoch Kim Maunder Margo White Design The Design Cellar Ltd Cover Dr Helen Murray in front of her 'Flashes of Brilliance' image 'Over the Brainbow' ISSN 0114-9768 CONTACTUS Neurological Foundation, PO Box 110022 Auckland Hospital, Auckland 1148 Phone: 09 309 7749 Free call: 0508 BRAINS (0508 272 467) Email: info@neurological.org.nz Website: neurological.org.nz If you are moving, please let us know your new address so that you don’t miss the next issue of Headlines . If you are not a current subscriber and would like to receive this free publication four times a year, please send your details to marketing@neurological.org.nz. DONOR RELATIONS CONTACTS Upper North Island: Theresa Liebenberg – 027 233 0710 theresa.liebenberg@neurological.org.nz Lower North Island: Margie Carter – 021 042 8114 margie.carter@neurological.org.nz South Island: Kim Maunder – 021 642 485 kim.maunder@neurological.org.nz Headlines is printed on paper from responsible resources Kia ora kōtou, At the beginning of this year, we didn’t know what to expect. Since 2020, COVID-19 has taken the lead on the ways we live, and the ways we work. Although this has meant innovation, using technologies to become more flexible and efficient, it has also meant uncertainty. The pandemic greatly affected neurological research – with experiments destroyed, schedules abandoned, and potential breakthroughs stalled. We didn’t know whether this year would bring the same. Thanks to you though, it hasn’t. During Brain Awareness Month in March, you all got behind our 'Give the Green Light' campaign, to support researchers to return to their life- changing work, while also ensuring that if further community outbreaks were to occur, the research would continue. And it has. More than that, it has flourished. Thanks to your continued support, we funded more than $1.6 million worth of neurological research in our first grant round, and as I write this, our committees are assessing and reviewing another $8.3 million worth of funding applications. The future of neurological research is exciting – and each of you are at the centre of it. But what does this future look like? This issue may give you a clue. From implants that assist with spinal injuries, to pill-sized pressure sensors that can detect fluid on the brain, right through to the reengineering of viruses to treat brain cancer – New Zealand researchers are at the cutting-edge. On pages 12-13, you will also read about a group of students who completed their Summer Studentships last summer. These are the next generation of changemakers who will carry the baton of hope into the future. We thank you again for your support this year and wish you and your loved ones a safe and restful holiday. Mā te wā, Rich Easton Message from our Chief Executive Our Upcoming Events Flashes of Brilliance – the Secret Life of Cells The Tiny Devices with Enormous Potential Meet Kim, our new South Island Donor Relations Specialist The Incredible Story of Bill Miller, the Man behind the Miller Scholarships The Next Generation: a Round-up of our Summer Students The River Dancer – Living with Parkinson’s Disease Going Viral – Viruses Could be the Key to Treating Brain Cancer Research From Around the Globe Contents 3 4-5 6-9 9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-19