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The influence of insulin signalling on PSA-NCAM in the normal and Alzheimer’s disease brain Catherine AnneWebb, Department Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland $116,327 –W & B Miller Scholarship Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, involves a loss of connection between brain cells. Studies have found that AD brains show reduced insulin levels and reduced sensitivity to insulin. Additionally, insulin given as a nose spray passes into the brain and improves the memory function of patients with early AD. Catherine will be using human and rodent brain tissue to explore the relationship between insulin and a molecule called PSA-NCAM that controls how easily brain cells make connections.This will improve our understanding of how insulin affects brain plasticity, and why it has therapeutic effects in AD. Summer studentships Elucidating the biological effects of novel blood-brain barrier crossing dyes conjugated with anti-cancer drugs on patient-derived glioblastoma cell lines with DrThomas Park Elizabeth Cooper, University of Auckland $6,000 Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant of primary brain tumour in adults. It carries a dismal prognosis with a median survival period of 15 months and minimal treatment options.The front-line chemotherapy agent, temozolomide, is not effective in all patients due to the presence of treatment-resistant cells. Elizabeth’s project aims test novel near infra-red emitting dyes that are conjugated to anti-cancer tyrosine kinase inhibitors on patient-derived GBM cells.We envisage that these compounds will have an anti- proliferative and cytotoxic effect on the GBM tumour cells. Structural plasticity as a biomarker for depression and antidepressant action with Professor Neil McNaughton Kachina Siddall, University of Otago $6,000 – Funded byWilliam Robins Depression is a major cause of disability worldwide.This is of concern due to the negative impacts the condition has on many people’s lives as well as the socio-economic burden it places on society.To date, very little is known about the biological basis of depression. All antidepressant treatments appear to promote re-wiring in the brain. Kachina’s study aims to investigate whether the direct removal of protein scaffolding that normally prevents re-wiring results in antidepressant action.This would support the hypothesis that mis-wiring may underlie the biology of depression and promoting re-wiring underlies its effective treatment. Characterisation of novel GABA signalling on the human cerebral vasculature with Dr Andrea Kwakowsky Nicholas Smith, University of Auckland $6,000 – Funded by Neville and Christine Anderson Changes to blood vessels in the brain are involved in several neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The neurotransmitter GABA is crucially important for brain function, and defects in GABA systems are thought to be involved in AD, though the exact mechanism is unknown. Nicholas’ research aims to investigate the functional role of GABA signalling on small blood vessels in the brain using molecular and cell physiology techniques.This could allow the identification of potential drug targets for early intervention in AD. ASAP: Assessment of Sensation in the Adult Population with Associate Professor Cathy Stinear Lily Sullivan, University of Auckland $6,000 Stroke can cause a loss of sensation in the arm and hand, and this can be examined using several types of assessments. However, the reliability of these sensory tests is currently unclear. Another common problem post-stroke is a loss of coordination between the hand, but there are currently no assessments that fully examine this. Lily’s project aims to test the reliability of four sensory tests between testing sessions and between examiners, and a newly developed test of arm coordination.This information will have important implications for the use of these tests in research and clinical practice. Travel grants Dr Janusz Lipski, University of Auckland $4,200 To attend the 13th Meeting of the International Basal Ganglia Society (IBAGS) held in Biarritz, France. Mr Matthew Rowe,Victoria University ofWellington $4,200 To attend the 2019 Single Cell Biology Keystone Symposia in Breckenridge, Colorado, USA, and onwards travel to Sweden for a laboratory visit. Thank you to all our supporters who have enabled us to continue funding these, and other, incredible researchers. Your support and generosity will help us continue this research for future generations. Headlines / 11