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GRANT ROUND 2026A $3.3M awarded to neurological research Total number of grants awarded: 25 Total amount awarded: $3,342,752 Total funds requested: $16,681,160 Total number of applications: 84 PROJECT GRANTS Stroke Dr Fiona McBryde University of Auckland $300,000 This project is testing whether a simple, low-cost drug called nitrite can protect the brain during a stroke. The teamwill use animal models to see if nitrite improves blood flow and reduces damage, even when treatment is delayed. If effective, this approach could reduce long-term disability and help more people access treatment, especially those in rural communities. Huntington’s disease Professor Bronwen Connor University of Auckland $299,956 This project aims to develop a new treatment for Huntington’s disease by creating healthy brain cells from a person’s own skin cells and making them suitable for cell replacement therapy. An animal model of Huntington’s will be used to test howwell the cells survive and if they can repair damaged areas of the brain. This could bring a life-changing treatment closer to reality for people living with this disease. Dementia Dr Daniel Conole and Dr Amy Smith University of Auckland $299,907 This project is using human brain immune cells to study a protein called GPNMB that is found at high levels in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Turning this protein on and off will show how it affects brain inflammation and cell damage. By understanding how GPNMB works, the team aim to uncover newways to treat dementia. Multiple sclerosis Associate Professor Bronwyn Kivell Victoria University of Wellington $299,852 This project is developing treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) by testing a new group of drugs that can reduce inflammation and repair damage to the protective coating around nerves. Human cell models and animal models will be used to identify the most promising drugs for slowing the progression of MS and restoring nerve function. Research into dementia, multiple sclerosis, stroke and brain bleeds in premature babies is among 25 projects receiving funding in our latest grants round. We awarded $3.3 million to research addressing a wide range of neurological conditions, including Huntington’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, pain and cognition, and post-surgery delirium. A record 84 applications were submitted, reflecting both the strength of New Zealand’s neuroscience community and the growing demand for research funding. “This investment will benefit a wide range of New Zealanders, from the tiniest babies to our precious senior citizens,” says Neurological Foundation Chief Executive Rich Easton. “We are excited to back brilliant researchers as they seek answers to some of the most urgent questions in healthcare.” support her as she establishes herself as an independent researcher, and a project grant for a broader programme of work to develop new treatments for brain bleeds in premature babies. Her PhD was completed under the supervision of Associate Professor Joanne Davidson, Professor Laura Bennet and the late Professor Alistair Gunn, who together pioneered lifesaving head cooling treatment for brain injury at birth. All are named investigators on her study. Sadly, Alistair passed away suddenly earlier this year, leaving Simerdeep more determined than ever to make a difference in her field. “Alistair was an inspirational and incredibly generous mentor,” says Simerdeep. “He taught me the fundamental importance of well-designed, rigorous preclinical work and how essential it is for successfully translating treatments to the clinic. Our team is deeply committed to continuing to honour his legacy by carrying this vital work forward.” Hidden damage Premature babies are especially vulnerable to brain bleeds because the tiny blood vessels in their developing brains are extremely fragile. The most common type is an intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), when blood enters the fluid-filled spaces (ventricles) inside the brain. If one of these vessels ruptures, blood, and therefore iron, leaks into the surrounding brain tissue. The injury unfolds over days and weeks, causing irreversible neurological damage. Simerdeep’s research targets the harmful build-up of iron in the brain that unfolds over time as the red blood cells break down following a brain bleed. Simerdeep is exploring if a drug commonly used to treat people with iron overload could also be used to protect a baby’s brain following a bleed. The hope is that removing excess iron could reduce the secondary wave of damage that occurs after the initial haemorrhage, reducing a baby’s risk of lifelong disability. The research builds on new evidence that brain injury following a premature infant’s brain bleed is driven by a delayed wave of inflammation. Iron overload is known to directly contribute to neuroinflammation. “These findings suggest an exciting possibility that there may be a long window after the bleeding when treatment could still make a difference. This is crucial because injury from a brain bleed is typically silent, and diagnosis is often delayed,” Simerdeep says. The project grant will take the research a step further by exploring a combination therapy that removes iron as well as promoting brain repair. The teamwill test this by giving a naturally-occurring protein known to help the brain repair its white matter, after the excessive iron build-up has been removed. The research uses a sheep model because the developing brain of a premature lamb closely resembles that of a premature human baby, making it one of the best ways to study brain injury and test potential treatments before they can be safely trialled in infants. Over the next three years the research will look at different treatment timings and durations, doses and delivery methods. “We need to be careful to not remove too much iron. A developing brain needs iron for healthy growth, and if levels drop too low it can have negative effects on kidney and bone development,” says Simerdeep. Pinpointing the best window of opportunity to start the treatment is another priority for the team. One of the challenges facing neonatologists is that brain bleeds often cause no obvious symptoms and may not be discovered until a routine brain scan days after birth. Biomarkers, or biological warning signs, could alert doctors to brain bleeds before vital time to begin treatment is lost. “Those markers might be changes in blood pressure, heart rate, or brain activity which we can monitor on an EEG. We are building evidence on what changes are likely to indicate a brain bleed, as well as looking at how those signals change with treatment,” Simerdeep says. Each year in New Zealand approximately 173 babies born before 32 weeks of gestation are diagnosed with IVH. There is considerable potential to deliver large economic and health benefits to New Zealand. “These babies are at a high risk of life-long disabilities including cerebral palsy, motor and cognitive delays, and hearing and visual impairments,” says Simerdeep. “Lifelong neurological impairments have a significant impact on the quality of life for individuals and their families and pose immense financial and socioeconomic costs. “I’m extremely grateful to the Neurological Foundation. This funding will establish a new and unique research programme that could one day make a real difference for premature babies and their families.” “These findings suggest an exciting possibility that there may be a long window after the bleeding when treatment could still make a difference.” Dr Simerdeep Dhillon 16 Headlines 17 Headlines