RESEARCH INTERESTS - Microglia in post-mortem human brain tissue - Neuroanatomy - Novel automated image analysis pipelines - Neurodegenerative diseases (including Alzheimer’s disease and Motor Neuron Disease) My research focuses on understanding how the immune cells of the brain, called microglia, change in neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia normally function to help the brain heal from damage and/or disease. There is increasing evidence that microglia become dysfunctional in neurodegenerative diseases, which can be toxic to neurons thereby contributing to disease. Because of their potential to both help and harm the brain throughout disease, understanding how they change in disease is key to developing potential therapies. Distinctions/Honours: - Neurological Foundation of New Zealand First Fellowship (2020) - Neurological Foundation of New Zealand W & B Miller Doctoral Scholarship (2016) - University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship (2016) - Brain Research New Zealand Doctoral Research Funds (2016) - University of Auckland Blues Awards for Sport (2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019)