Four Otago researchers have been granted almost $690,000 for their research into neurological conditions.
Dr Toni Pitcher, Dr Bruce Mockett, Professor Stephanie Hughes and Associate Professor Megan Wilson have been awarded a total of $688,465 from the Neurological Foundation for their research into Parkinson’s disease, dementia, Batten disease and scoliosis.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Professor Richard Blaikie, is delighted to see the mahi produced by Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka academics rewarded.
“We know that research makes a considerable difference to the lives of New Zealanders, and so it’s fantastic to see our kaimahi receiving the funding they need to continue their work,” Richard says.
“As one of Aotearoa’s most research-intensive universities, one of our main goals is to produce impactful and relevant research, and it’s clear that the teams led by Toni, Bruce, Stephanie and Megan are doing just that.
“Congratulations to them and the other recipients – we look forward to seeing what innovations might come from their work to better the health of people everywhere.”
Two Otago summer students, Amy Pollard and Jordan Doran, also received $8,500 from the Foundation for their research. Amy is investigating whether the treatment Agmatine could reduce hyperactivity and brain inflammation after prenatal exposure to viral infections. Jordan’s research examines how mutations in the CRNKL1 gene might lead to neurodevelopmental disorders.
More about the researchers
Dr Toni Pitcher, University of Otago Christchurch
Dr Toni Pitcher
Toni received $194, 910 in funding to continue her research programme into Parkinson’s Disease.
Her programme tracks the number of people with Parkinson’s disease in New Zealand, with the goal of providing up-to-date information on the demographics of those with the disease.
This information includes the location of patients, regional uptake of advanced treatment options such as subcutaneous administration of medication and deep brain stimulation and the main causes of death within this population.
“Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder which has prominent motor symptoms and vast array of non-motor features,” she says.
“As our population ages, the number of people living with the condition will increase, and so the hope is that this project helps those involved in Parkinson’s healthcare, research, and advocacy.”
Dr Bruce Mockett, Division of Sciences
Dr Bruce Mockett
Bruce is grateful to receive $175, 549 to support his dementia research, particularly because the number of people suffering from the disorder will increase.
“Those with age-related dementias like Alzheimer’s disease is predicted to more than double by 2050 to around 150 million worldwide and, at present, there are no therapeutic treatments that prevent the development of this or stop its progression once established,” Bruce says.
“These diseases lead to significant cognitive impairment, memory loss, personality changes and social isolation, with all dementias being progressive and ultimately resulting in death.
“This grant from the Neurological Foundation is exciting because it will support our ongoing work to develop a gene therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia.”
Bruce plans to use the grant to enable his team to continue translating more than two decades of laboratory research into a therapy for clinical use.
Such a therapy would consist of a one-time injection into the blood of a non-pathogenic virus carrying the DNA for a therapeutic protein that would enhance brain health and counteract the symptoms of dementia. The virus itself would then be eliminated from the body.
This work is being carried out in collaboration with Professor Cliff Abraham, Professor Stephanie Hughes, and with researchers from Harvard University who are working to enhance the ability of the virus to cross into the brain from the blood.
Professor Stephanie Hughes, School of Biomedical Sciences
Professor Stephanie Hughes
CLN1 Batten disease is a fatal genetic childhood brain disease which Stephanie Hughes has been researching in collaboration with Senior Research Fellow Dr Indranil Basak and collaborators in the United States.
The disease results in blindness, seizures, dementia and motor deficits, with treatments currently limited to symptom relief.
The $174,851 Neurological Foundation grant will enable Stephanie to continue researching the disease by testing the strategies her team has already developed.
The most common mutation in CLN1 Batten disease is a premature stop signal which results in a short protein being produced and a loss of the enzyme required to keep neurons healthy, she says.
Her team’s goal is to trick the cell into correcting the faulty stop signal so that a functional protein is produced.
If successful, this approach could benefit many CLN1 Batten patients.
“I am thrilled the Neurological foundation continues to see the value of our work in rare diseases,” Stephanie says.
“The benefits of continuing this research could help both New Zealanders and people overseas affected by Batten disease.”
Associate Professor Megan Wilson, School of Biomedical Sciences
Associate Professor Megan Wilson
Megan says her team is delighted to receive $143,155 for their research on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), a debilitating spinal condition affecting five per cent of the global population.
Despite its prevalence, the genetic and molecular causes of AIS remains unclear.
Megan’s study focuses on the role of proprioception—the body’s sense of position—and its link to scoliosis, particularly understanding the role of the LBX1 gene.
Using a novel model that mirrors several human AIS features, they will explore how LBX1 overexpression disrupts proprioception and leads to spinal deformities.
The research includes testing exercise interventions alongside spatial transcriptomics that looks at gene expression, to uncover molecular changes and identify new, more targeted therapeutic strategies.
It’s hoped this data will contribute to future treatment options.
“This model can help us evaluate whether exercise interventions can reduce or prevent the progression of spine curvatures,” Megan says.
“The goal is to bridge the gap between understanding the genetics and what is observed in progressive spine curvature.”
People with scoliosis due to proprioceptive impairment could have an earlier intervention option targeted at the underlying biology, rather than only treating the symptoms.
– Kōrero by the Division of Health Sciences Communications Adviser, Kelsey Swart