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12 The Neurological Foundation supports the Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand inaugural research conference. A First Fellowship is awarded to Dr Molly Swanson to investigate how brain immune cells, called microglia, become toxic in MND. Dr Swanson also receives a small project grant to investigate the protein clumps found in brain cells in MND. Dr Emma Scotter receives her first large project grant from the Neurological Foundation to identify genetic mutations causing MND in New Zealand families. Dr Alan Stanley receives his first large project grant from the Neurological Foundation for a clinical trial of triumeq in patients with MND, co-funded by Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand. 2019 $11,837 from NF 2020 $246,847 from NF 2022 $331,340 from NF Steady progress – stories of research over time Motor neuron disease (MND) is a terminal neurological disease affecting people in the prime of their lives. New Zealand has one of the highest rates in the world, and research is gaining momentum here. Dr Emma Scotter, who leads the MND Lab at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research, established the New Zealand MND Research Network in 2017. A patient registry was also set up in 2017 by Associate Professor Richard Roxburgh, and patients have been recruited into the first MND clinical trial ever to be conducted in New Zealand. Guidelines are being developed for clinicians to request genetic testing for everyone with MND. The Neurological Foundation is proud to have supported MND research in New Zealand with more than $1 million in funding in the last five years. Establishing a clinical trial network formotor neuron disease