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Headlines 5 I currently lead the Neural Reprogramming and Repair Lab at the Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, and I am proud to say that I have been continually supported throughout my career by the Neurological Foundation. When I started university, I was going to study sports science. In my first year I decided to take a general psychology class in which we learnt about the human brain. I started reading about the brain and I fell in love! What an incredible organ of which we still know so little about. So, I decided to study neurophysiology and neuropharmacology to complete a BSc in 1993. I then decided to do a PhD in neuropharmacology as it is important to me that my research may one day result in a new treatment for people suffering from neurological disease. On completion of my PhD, I was supported through a Neurological Foundation Wrightson Fellowship to undertake a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago from 1997-2000. This research demonstrated the clinical potential of GDNF (glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor) gene therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease. I returned to an academic position at the University of Auckland in 2000 where I continued my research in gene therapy, demonstrating that BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene therapy can prevent the progressive death of cells in Huntington’s disease. My research also investigated the ability for the adult brain to repair itself using resident neural stem cells and the identification of compounds to enhance the self-repair process. Then in 2012, I developed a unique technique which allows us to make brain cells directly from the skin cells of patients with neurological disease. This is an invaluable tool as it allows us to study live human brain cells, providing knowledge as to how the disease begins and progresses. This will hopefully give us new targets In celebration of the Foundation’s 50th Anniversary, we will be hosting four celebratory events throughout the year highlighting the scientists and clinicians who were awarded the Chapman and Wrightson Fellowships, and to honour our founders. Please join us on 15 September at 6.30pm to hear Professor Bronwen Connor discuss her career, her research and how the Wrightson Fellowship shaped the scientist she is today. Date: 15 September 2021 Time: 6.30pm Location: Wellington National Library To get a ticket to this event, please choose from one of the options below: Phone: 0508 BRAINS (0508 272 467) EXT 3 Email: RSVP@neurological.org.nz Website: neurological.org.nz/headlines- wellington21 Renowned researcher Professor Bronwen Connor NZOM reflects on more than 20 years of studying that incredible organ - the brain. for drugs to prevent brain cells from dying. Alternatively, we can inject the brain cells back into the patients’ own brain to replace the cells that have died. Using this technology, we were able to develop a unique human cell model of Huntington’s disease. This has enabled us to identify new drug targets that can be further investigated for future drug development. Most excitingly, we have shown that patient skin cell-derived brain cells can be transplanted into an animal model of Huntington’s disease where they can generate new replacement brain cells to replace the cells that die. We believe both these strategies have huge potential to be translated to the clinic, with our ongoing research looking to extend the cell replacement strategy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury. Over my 20-year career I have received more than $1,250,000 in research funding from the Neurological Foundation, and 10 of my graduate students have been awarded Neurological Foundation Scholarships to support their PhD. My proudest achievement of my career was being awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for research in the treatment of neurological disease. This research has not been possible without the wonderful people who donate to the Neurological Foundation. By donating, you are helping support research such as our innovative cell replacement and drug discovery programme with the potential to develop new treatment strategies for people suffering from neurological disease. Your ongoing support will allow the Neurological Foundation to continue to grow in strength and will ensure excellent and innovative neurological research is supported for the next 50 years.