Brainstorming with Clare de Lore: MND
Education, Living with MND, Research
18 June 2026
In the latest episode of Brainstorming with Clare de Lore (Newstalk ZB), made in partnership with the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research, the focus turns to motor neurone disease (MND).
Journalist Clare de Lore speaks with Associate Professor Emma Scotter, who leads the MND Lab at the Centre, and Dr Natalie Gauld ONZM, who is living with the ALS subtype of MND.
Together, they cover:
- The role of genetics and genetic testing in MND
- Why MND looks different for everyone
- Current treatments, including riluzole and tofersen
- Ongoing research at the MND Lab
- The NZ MND Registry and MND Insight study
It’s an honest, informative kōrero that reflects both the reality of living with MND and the progress being made through research.
About the Brainstorming podcast
Most health podcasts talk to the experts. This one talks to the people living with the condition too.
Brainstorming with Clare de Lore is a Newstalk ZB podcast created in partnership with the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research. Each episode focuses on a different neurological condition.
A researcher explains the science — what the condition is, who it affects, what we know, and where research is heading. Alongside that, someone living with the condition shares their experience.
That combination matters. Scientific insight and lived experience are often shared separately. This series brings them together in the same conversation, with equal care and attention.
New episodes are released every second Wednesday on iHeart and major podcast platforms.
🎧 Listen to the episode:
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/podcasts/brainstorming-with-clare-de-lore/