A New Chair in Neurosurgery Freemasons Support Launches Campaign

Connections November 2013 Issue Seven A New Chair in Neurosurgery Freemasons support launches campaign Autism Research Initiative Brain Day 2013 Report Huntington’s Expert Visits CBR Attendees at the Autism Research Network of New Zealand’s launch get their first look at the ‘Minds for Minds’ campaign material, being introduced here by Professor Richard Faull. Front Cover: From left, Terry McConnell, In this issue Freemasons Charity, Professor Richard Faull, Selwyn Cooper, Freemasons NZ, and Contents David Mace, Freemasons Roskill Foundation, Letter from the Director 3 at Freemasons Chair of Neurosurgery campaign launch. Neurosurgery campaign launch 4 November 2013 Issue Seven Heavyweight support for CBR 6 Neurosurgery Chair The Centre for Brain Research is a unique Campaign Launch - Pg. 4 Neorosurgery changes a life 7 partnership between scientists, clinicians and the community. Research teams carry Brain Day 2013 8 out world-class neuroscience, alongside clinical collaborations with leading New initiative to fight autism 10 neurologists, neurosurgeons and physicians in the Auckland region. New Zealand Brain Bee 11 Development agenda for Postdocs 12 Editorial contact details Connections is published by the Centre for Inaugural PhD student day 13 Brain Research (CBR). Previous issues of Brain Bee 2013 Connections are available from the CBR or Research funding success 14 Round-up - Pg. 8 www.cbr.auckland.ac.nz Huntington’s expert visits CBR 16 Stories may be reproduced with prior consent from the editor. All rights reserved. Awards 18 Designed by Sara Reid. Research re-examined 20 Edited by Sara Reid and Andrea Lee Written by Sara Reid, Laura Fogg, Pauline New staff introductions 22 Curtis, Suzi Phillips, Andrea Lee. Centre for Brain Research Photography by Godfrey Boehnke, Laura The University of Auckland Fogg, Sara Reid, Aaron Fritz, Andrea Lee, Huntington’s Expert Private Bag 92019 Kirsty Harkness, and Gary Baildon. visits CBR - Pg. 16 Auckland, New Zealand Phone +64 9 923 1913 2 | Connections 2013 Letter from the Director 2013 has been a landmark year for the Centre for Brain Research. We are celebrating exciting developments which are shaping the future of the CBR. We are all about promoting interdisciplinary, collaborative brain research at the University of Auckland. Our research spans a divide, combining the Professor Russell Snell’s international effort to expertise and strengths of brain researchers create the world first transgenic sheep model in the University with the neurologists, for Alzheimer’s disease, and ongoing support neurosurgeons and psychiatrists in our from the Gus Fisher Trust for Parkinson’s hospitals in order to deliver new treatment disease research. opportunities to help the community and Finally and most importantly, let’s update families affected by brain disease. you on our recently launched philanthropic Over the last 12 months, our researchers funding drive towards the establishment of have enjoyed excellent support from our most an Academic Unit of Neurosurgery, which competitive granting agencies: over $3.5M is detailed more fully later in this newsletter. from the Health Research Council, $1.4M Our vision and passion is to provide a bridge from the Marsden Fund and Royal Society, between the research excellence at the CBR $400K from the Neurological Foundation, and and the top class Neurosurgery teams at $453K from the Auckland Medical Research Auckland City and Starship Hospitals by Foundation as well as support from other creating a new Chair of Neurosurgery and granting agencies. appointing a top-class professor. There are However, despite our successes, we continue huge opportunities for our CBR brain scientists to rely heavily on philanthropic funding, which to undertake collaborative research with Addressing attendees at our amazing is vital to our success at the CBR. Philanthropic ADHB neurosurgeons to study human brain Neurosurgery Chair campaign launch in funding is the life blood of innovative research function and further enhance their surgical September. treatments. World models in neurosurgical developments. It is critical for stimulating blue- be named: ‘The Freemasons Chair of care show that whenever brain surgery is sky thinking and gives us flexibility to develop Neurosurgery at the University of Auckland’. I undertaken in an environment of exciting exciting new research initiatives. We are very would like to thank Mark Winger, the present research, patient care and the development of grateful to have philanthropic experts and Grand Master of Freemasons NZ, and David innovative treatments will follow. pillars of society as our CBR Ambassadors: Mace, a past Grand Master and Chairman of Dame Jenny Gibbs, Dame Rosie Horton, The establishment of this new chair has the Freemasons Roskill Foundation, who were David Mace, and Sir John Graham, who are resulted from a special relationship between instrumental in making this happen. This is an working alongside us to raise our profile in the the University of Auckland, the Neurological incredible and fantastic start. To supplement wider community. Foundation and the Auckland District Health this incredible foundation grant, Sir Graeme Some of our philanthropic successes and Board (ADHB). The ADHB kick-started this and Lady Ngaire Douglas generously initiatives over the last year are going to campaign by contributing 50% of the salary donated $1M to the campaign and Sir David change the face of our brain research for ever. for the new professor. The University of Levene generously contributed $500K. These Particularly, philanthropic funding packages Auckland has enthusiastically supported the foundation gifts have made our campaign partnered with University funding have been development of the chair, by jointly funding vision a reality. To date we have a grand critical to establishing and expanding new the remaining 50% of the Professor’s salary overall total support of $4,823,530 towards research platforms. Our NeuroDiscovery for the first five years, together with the our $8M target. Aotearoa Foundation from the Robertson Research Platform, funded intially with Much of this success has been due to the family in New York. Our campaign aims to $150K of philanthropic gifts, received a partnership between the University and the find the remaining funds to support the Chair critical additional equipment grant from the Neurological Foundation. The NF created the and Academic unit in perpetuity. To make Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Development prototype through the establishment of the the academic neurosurgical unit effective, it fund this year, with matching funding from Chair in Clinical Neurology which resulted is critical to provide additional funds for the the School of Medical Sciences. In addition, in the appointment of Professor Alan Barber. appointment of a senior research fellow and we have just received another $150K of Professor Barber’s appointment has made a administrative support to assist the professor philanthropic funding from the McHale Trust mindset change in enhancing neurological in developing an exciting and creative unit. which will secure a further 2 years for the research between the Centre for Brain This total package requires an endowment NeuroDiscovery Unit. The philanthropic seed Research and the Auckland Hospitals, and of $8M. funding meant we could go to the University now that vision can be extended and realised for strategic equipment funding and, in To address this challenge, the University and for neurosurgery. turn, this has attracted further philanthropic CBR, in partnership with the Neurological In conclusion, to our scientists and clinicians, support for the unit That’s the magic of the Foundation, launched a fundraising campaign donors and supporters – thank you for your Philanthropic–University partnership; one on 17 September in a dazzling gala event at contributions and unwaverying support, in the drives the other to the benefit of all! Shed 10 on the Auckland Waterfront. On past, in the present the night it was my pleasure to announce There are other equally exciting stories of and in the future. philanthropy including: $500K from Bernie that the first $2M of the endowment had and Kaye Crosby’s Neuro Research Trust been generously provided by the Freemasons in Hamilton to support Dr Maurice Curtis’ of New Zealand. In recognition of the research, $50K Freemasons’ support to Freemasons’ generosity the new chair will Centre for Brain Research | 3 Freemasons Neurosurgery Chair Over four hundred people, including some very distinguished guests, joined with the Centre for Brain Research at the newly refurbished Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront to celebrate the launch of our campaign to fund a Professorial Chair in Neurosurgery, with the aim of generating strong research-led advances in the field. Professor Richard Faull with two of CBR’s most dedicated ambassadors, Dame Jenny Gibbs (left) and Dame Rosie Horton (right), at the Shed 10 launch event. The event, held on September 17, was The director of the University of Auckland’s Mark Winger, speaking on behalf of the attended by two Dames, seven Knights Centre for Brian Research, Distinguished Freemasons said, “We are delighted to have including two All Black Knights, and the Professor Richard Faull, announced that enjoyed a relationship with Professor Richard University of Auckland Chamber Choir a generous gift of $2 million from the Faull for nearly fifteen years – facilitating chorales. Many exciting gift announcements Freemasons of New Zealand

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