DOCUMENT

Dr Simon John Simon John is a neurosurgeon working with the Canterbury District Health Board in Christchurch. He has a research interest in non-accidental head injury in children. Simon joined the SAC in the middle of 2017. Associate Professor Johanna Montgomery Johanna is a neurophysiologist and Associate Professor at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on the physiological changes of autism disorders. In 2005 Johanna established the Synaptic Function Research Group inside the Centre for Brain Research at the University of Auckland. Johanna joined the SAC in 2014 as a way of giving back to the professional community. Dr Ailsa McGregor Ailsa is a Senior Lecturer in clinical pharmacology at the University of Otago, who previously worked as a research fellow at the Centre for Brain Research and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. Ailsa gained her undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen before completing a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow. Ailsa joined the SAC in 2018 to help support research initiatives that have real life impact for sufferers of neurological conditions. Professor Richard Siegert Richard is a clinical neuropsychologist and Professor of Psychology and Rehabilitation at Auckland University ofTechnology (AUT). Richard was a practicing clinical neuropsychologist before devoting his career to research 11 years ago, since which time he has taught at University of Otago, Victoria University ofWellington, Kings College London and most recently AUT. Richard joined the SAC in 2018 to support and enhance research into neurological conditions in New Zealand. Dr Scott Graham Scott is a Senior Lecturer in immunology and neuroscience at the University of Auckland and Head of the Neuro- Immune Interactions Research Group. Scott established his own research group in 2010 where he currently supervises eight postgraduate students at Honours, Masters and PhD level. Scott was asked to fill in for some absent colleagues on the SAC in 2015, during which the scientific rigour of the process convinced him to join the SAC the following year. Dr Nicholas Child Nick is a clinical neurologist at Auckland City Hospital and Clinical Lead for Stroke at theWaitemata District Health Board. Nick completed his neurology training in Auckland before spending 3 years at the Mayo Clinic in the USA.Whilst in the USA Nick undertook specialist training in epilepsy and deep brain stimulation, bringing these skills back to New Zealand in 2015. Nick joined the SAC in 2017 to aid the foundation’s support of training opportunities for neurologists. Associate Professor Ruth Empson Ruth Empson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Otago. Ruth’s laboratory uses a combination of electrophysiology, live imaging and molecular approaches to better understand the consequences of modifications to neuronal circuits. She is interested in those circuits or networks within the cerebellum and motor cortex that contribute to our ability to make controlled movements.This research has relevance for highly debilitating and poorly treated movement disorders such as ataxia, motor neuron disease and spinal injury. Ruth joined the SAC at the beginning of 2018. Associate Professor Lynette Sadleir Lynette Sadleir is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Otago,Wellington. In her clinical role as a paediatric epileptologist, she diagnoses and manages children with epilepsy and reports paediatric electroencephalograms for the Wellington Region. She has an active teaching role and is passionate about increasing the epilepsy knowledge of undergraduate, post graduate and Paediatric fellow trainees. Lynette joined the SAC at the beginning of 2018. Where: Ground Floor, Building 505, University of Auckland, Grafton Campus, Park Rd, Grafton Doors open at 5:30 PM. Event starts at 6:00 PM. An RSVP is essential to attend this event. Please email RSVP@neurological.org.nz, or call Jackie at 0508 BRAINS (0508 272 467). Headlines / 7