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14 Dr Thomas Park receives his first Neurological Foundation grant to initiate his brain tumour research programme using the patient-tumour- derived glioblastoma cells from the Hugh Green Biobank. The development of the tumour biobank was also supported by the Hugh Green Foundation and the Freemasons Foundation. Dr Park recruits a PhD student, (now Dr) Jena Macapagal Foliaki, to investigate the immune microenvironment in glioblastoma. Dr Jiney Jose receives his first Neurological Foundation grant to investigate a newmethod to get chemotherapy drugs through the blood-brain barrier. Dr Kevin Lee receives his first Neurological Foundation grant to establish a newmethod for growing human brain slices in the lab, from tissue donated by patients undergoing neurosurgery. Dr Park receives his first large project grant to understand themigration of radiation-resistant glioblastoma cells. Dr Park recruits a summer student, (nowDr) Elizabeth Cooper, to test chemotherapy drugs on glioblastoma cells grown frompatient tumours. DrManisha Sharma receives her first Neurological Foundation grant to package glioblastoma treatment into nanoparticles that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Dr Park recruits a PhD student, (nowDr) Cooper, to further test and identify the best chemotherapy drugs to progress into animal studies. 2015 $12,000 from NF 2017 $132,511 from NF 2018 $256,478 from NF 2019 $167,144 from NF Supporting the development of a brain tumour research platform The Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at the University of Auckland has had a long-standing collaboration with neurosurgeons at Auckland City Hospital, where patients generously donate brain tissue, removed during surgery, for research. In 2011 Professor Mike Dragunow established a biobank to grow live cells from this tissue, funded by the Hugh Green Foundation. In 2015, a small project grant from the Neurological Foundation supported the development of the brain tumour research programme, using patient-derived brain tumour cells from the Hugh Green Biobank. Therapies tested on these cells grown from an aggressive brain cancer, glioblastoma, have now progressed to preclinical trials. A remarkable collaboration between patients, doctors and scientists is helping shape the future of care for peoplewith brain cancer inNewZealand.

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