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10 Headlines $2.3 million awarded to brain research The Neurological Foundation has awarded more than $2.3million in its latest funding round to vital New Zealand research to improve our understanding of the brain and neurological conditions. A diverse field of topics received funding including studies into Parkinson’s in Polynesian populations; the potential of headgear to reduce harm in junior rugby; the consequences for adolescents exposed to methamphetamine in the womb; and many more. The Neurological Foundation receives applications from all over the country and is only able to support a small portion of them. For this round the Foundation received 71 applications for funding with a total value requested of $10,501,425. “The demand for research into neurological conditions is much higher than what the Foundation is currently able to fund and, as we receive no Government funding. Everything we give is thanks to donations from everyday New Zealanders,” says Neurological Foundation CEO Rich Easton. Below is a summary of the grants awarded. Projects Funded Dr Christina Buchanan, Auckland District Health Board PINK1 variants in early-onset Parkinson's disease in a Pan-Pacific cohort $83,524 Christina’s research will investigate a form of early-onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) caused by changes in the PINK1 gene, which appears to be more common in people of Polynesian descent. While rare in most populations, the researchers have found it in 13 out of 15 Polynesian EOPD patients tested so far. Christina and her research team will confirm population carrier frequencies, and determine how many generations ago they shared a common ancestor. This study will help improve our understanding of EOPD, improve health planning for patients and build knowledge towards development of targeted therapies. Professor Nick Draper, University of Canterbury Collisions in junior rugby: Incidence, peak linear accelerations, peak rotational accelerations and the potential of headgear to reduce impact accelerations $120,768 Rugby union is a popular contact sport played by 7.7 million players in 129 countries. In New Zealand over three-quarters of active rugby players are juniors. The physical contact and collisions inherent in rugby increase the risk of children being exposed to concussion. This project aims to accurately assess the number and size of collisions in rugby and to assess the potential of World Rugby approved headgear to reduce collision forces. No research exists for teenage rugby players in these important areas of athlete safety and health. Dr Scott Graham, University of Auckland How do we kill glioblastoma with Natural Killer (NK) cells effectively? Identification of glioblastoma’s evasion and suppression mechanisms $234,432 Glioblastoma is a devastating disease being the most lethal form of brain cancer. This study aims to better understand how glioblastoma cells control and suppress Natural Killer (NK) cells. NK cells are important immune cells whose job it is to detect and destroy cancer cells. Dr Graham believes NK cells have great potential in the battle against glioblastoma. His research seeks to better understand how to kill glioblastoma cells with NK cells, and also how the glioblastoma cells evade and escape detection. Professor Trecia Wouldes, University of Auckland Inhibitory control in adolescents exposed prenatally to methamphetamine $180,126 The use of methamphetamine, often referred to as “P”, by women during pregnancy has increased significantly in New Zealand and worldwide. This may have serious consequences for both the mother and her child. Dr Wouldes’ research team has shown that mothers’ methamphetamine use during pregnancy is associated with delays in motor development, and the regulation of behaviour called inhibitory control in early childhood. This research will determine whether the problems observed in poor inhibitory control in early childhood persist in adolescence. Full results from our latest grant funding round