In August, Dr Natalie Gauld, MND NZ’s Research Advisor travelled to Melbourne to attend the Australia and New Zealand MND Research Symposium. Here, she shares her insights and highlights from the conference. The Australia and New Zealand MND Research Symposium was a two-day jam-packed series of presentations by clever people working hard to find the … Read more
We are delighted to share that Dr Maize Cao has received a Neurological Foundation grant to study ALS. Dr Cao, an early career Research fellow at the University of Auckland, says: “what makes development of therapies difficult, is that there are many genes that can cause disease (‘suspects’ of ALS). Beyond that, at the molecular … Read more
A new study has recently been published on the difference in levels of proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease
We are thrilled Dr Emma Scotter has been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for outstanding services to motor neurone disease (MND) research, as part of today’s Kings Birthday Honours. We are immensely very grateful to Dr Scotter for her unwavering passion to tackle MND with new approaches and insights, for … Read more
In the final instalment of Newshub’s three-part series on motor neurone disease, journalist Amanda Gillies spoke with Dr Emma Scotter, head of the Motor Neuron Disease Research Lab at the Centre for Brain Research, on recent breakthroughs in understanding the genetic code of MND. We are truly grateful to Dr Scotter and her passionate team … Read more
Ally Barton, once an active hiker and gym goer, was diagnosed with MND at just 34, one of the youngest with the condition in New Zealand. Newshub recently interviewed husband Paul – who is calling for better data collection by making MND a “notifiable disease” – at the monthly MND Support Group in Christchurch. Thank … Read more
Lighthouse II is an international clinical trial looking at whether human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) play a role in MND, and whether the anti-retroviral therapy Triumeq might slow the progression of the disease. The clinical trial in New Zealand is jointly funded by Motor Neurone Disease NZ and the Neurological Foundation. Alan Stanley, Consultant Neurologist and Principal … Read more
Update from Dr Alan Stanley, Consultant Neurologist and Principal Investigator for Lighthouse II Phase 3 clinical trial. Lighthouse II is an international clinical trial looking at whether human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) play a role in motor neurone disease (MND), and whether anti-retroviral therapy might slow the progression of the disease. HERVs are ancient viruses that … Read more
The inaugural webinar in the newly developed MND New Zealand Community Forum series went successfully, with an impressive turnout and high engagement during the Q&A session. The webinar also saw the announcement of the publication of the NZ-based Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of People with MND. “As a early stage slow progressing MND … Read more
A new set of clinical guidelines for the management and care of individuals with MND has been published today, 8 November 2022. Developed over a number of years by a working group of New Zealand MND clinicians and funded by MND New Zealand, this first-ever New Zealand based best practice recommendations (BPRs) represent what specialists … Read more
In his inaugural lecture on 17 October 2022, Professor Shaw gave insight to the remarkable progress recently achieved with a pioneering gene therapy delivery method for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMA is characterised by the loss of motor neurons, or nerve cells, in the spinal cord and is classified as a motor neuron disease. This progress has sparked a proliferation of … Read more
Join us for this inaugural webinar in the newly developed MND New Zealand Community Forum where leading researchers and neurological practitioners will provide an update on key areas of motor neurone disease research happening on both sides of the Tasman. Register for the MND Community Forum Webinar – 8 November 2022 Registration to this webinar … Read more