New Zealand Brain Research Institute

04/12/2025

And this one!

We are proud to host the Christchurch Dementia Prevention Clinic - part of a network of clinics with Auckland and Dunedin, aiming to advance dementia research in New Zealand.

Congratulations Lynette and Campbell and the wider DPRC teams across all sites!

Neurological Foundation of NZ

03/12/2025

We are stoked that our Dr Campbell Le Heron is apart of this team.

Congratulations Erin, Joanna, and Campbell!

And Thank you to the Neurological Foundation of NZ for making this funding available.

Celebrating inaugural Neurological Foundation Programme funding Part 1: $𝟵𝟵𝟴𝗞 granted for 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝘇𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Dr Erin Cawston, Auckland; Associate Professor Joanna Williams, Dunedin; and Dr Campbell Le Heron, Christchurch.

This programme aims to make Alzheimer’s diagnosis faster, simpler, and more accurate through a blood test. Using the Dementia Prevention Research Clinic networks, it seeks to improve early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and access to therapies. The research prioritises Māori perspectives and tikanga. It provides a training ground for emerging scientists and clinicians, while contributing to a fairer and more effective dementia care system in New Zealand.

“𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝘇𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.” 𝗝𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀

16/10/2025

Great news, looking forward to having Elnathan with us over the summer!

Can early behavioural changes signal future dementia in Parkinson's patients? Elnathan Chung from the University of Otago, Christchurch, will use a $9000 summer studentship to investigate. He’s supervised by Dr Campbell Le Heron.

Read more www.neurological.org.nz/research/funded-projects

26/09/2025

This is an exciting development in Huntington's disease treatment.

Huntington’s disease, a devastating degenerative illness that runs in families, has been treated successfully for the first time in a breakthrough gene therapy trial

21/09/2025

September is Alzheimer's Awareness month and yesterday (21st) was World Alzheimer's Day!

Here are some tips from the Alzheimer's Association on how to keep your brain healthy.

It's never too late to start!

19/09/2025

Not too late to revise some roro (brain) related kupu (words) in acknowledgement of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week).

🌿 It's that time of year again! Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) kicks off today!
Aotearoa is celebrating 50 years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori - five decades of passionate advocacy, community action, and a growing movement to honour and uplift Te Reo Māori.
Want to learn more about the history of the movement and ways you can get involved? 👉 https://www.reomaori.co.nz

🧠 Check out our pānui whakaahua (poster) with lots of great kupu (words) related to te roro (brain) and aurora (health)! Perfect for your office, lab, or classroom!
📥 Download your own copy here: https://www.aotearoabrainproject.nz/tools-and-apps

18/09/2025

Basic is good, thanks for your thoughts on this Cliff.

Comment from the University of Otago: Both fundamental and 'blue skies' research is shrinking to unsustainable levels as funding focus shifts to economic impact instead, writes Professor Cliff Abrahams

09/09/2025

Our team presented 5 posters and gave 10 oral presentations at AWCBR 2025

And we even managed to secure a few prizes……

Ezra Muir – People’s choice chocolate fish for best poster ‘Flash Talk’
Ann Holden – Highly commended Student oral presentation
Dr Kyla Horne – Highly commended Early Career Researcher oral presentation (sponsored by Aotearoa Brain Project: ABP)
Dr Lee-Anne Morris – ABP Speaker Award – best Early Career Researcher oral presentation (sponsored by ABP)

Congratulations team!

Prizes were presented by AWCBR co-chairs Simon O'Carroll and Kyla Horne

05/09/2025

Our Spring 2025 Newsletter is out! You can read it at

In this edition, we’re excited to share highlights from our successful Music Meets Art fundraiser, held on July 26th at The Piano.

05/09/2025

Many of our Team have spent the week in attendance at the Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). This year was the first time the conference has been held in Christchurch, taking advantage of our fabulous convention centre, Te Pae.

The Team presented both oral talks and posters.

It is always great to connect with our neuroscience colleagues from across New Zealand and further afield.

25/07/2025

Dr Lee-Anne Morris has secured postdoctoral funding from the Neurological Foundation of NZ. Congratulations Lee-Anne!

Congratulations to our second First Fellow, Dr Lee-Anne Morris, University of Otago, Christchurch. She’s investigating how common medications used in Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia affect motivation. Read more https://neurological.org.nz/research/funded-projects/

08/07/2025

On Saturday July the 26th join us for an evening of Pegasus Bay wine, delicious canapes, live music, fine art, friends and fundraising for neurological research in Canterbury.

A programme of opera and musical theatre performed Rachel Doig, Eleanor Sim, Georgia Catherine, Holly Evans and Ben Knight with Alison Holden on the piano.

A performance of jazz favourites by Jennine Bailey (vocals), Tom Rainey (piano) and Michael Story (double bass).

Award winning wines sponsored by Pegasus Bay Winery.

Selection of canapes served by Lizzie’s Cuisine.

Art Auction sponsored by Team Sutherland Todd from Harcourts Holmwood.

An opportunity to support the fundraising of the Friends of the New Zealand Brain Research.

To buy your tickets visit

Music Meets Art - annual fundraising concert to support neurological research in Canterbury