Principal investigators

Prof Richard L M Faull Professor Anatomy with Radiology Room: 503-501C Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 86708; +64 9 923 6708 Email: rlm.faull@auckland.ac.nz	Prof Mike Dragunow Professor Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology Room: 503-501G Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 86403 Email: m.dragunow@auckland.ac.nz
Dr Henry Waldvogel Senior Research Fellow Anatomy with Radiology Room: 503-501 Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 86051; +64 9 923 6051 Email: h.waldvogel@auckland.ac.nz	Dr Russell Snell Email: russell.snell@vialactia.com

The neurodegenerative diseases of the brain – Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia – affect a significant proportion of the population and greater numbers of patients will be affected with the ageing population.

Our research studies the human brain, and on in vitro and in vivo models of these diseases will identify the genetic, cellular and chemical basis of these diseases in order to develop and assess new treatment strategies.

• Objective 1: A detailed molecular biological and anatomical profile of the chemical, protein, and cellular changes in neurodegenerative diseases of the human brain and in models of Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Epilepsy and Schizophrenia.
• Objective 2: To investigate the molecular mechanisms of nerve cell death and repair in these neurodegenerative diseases focusing upon the role of genetic factors, transcription factors and growth factors, and using cell culture techniques and human nerve cell lines and slice cultures.
• Objective 3: To develop and utilise in vivo and in vitro cell culture models and large species transgenic models of neurodegenerative diseases to assess the potential of novel treatment strategies in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.