Associate Professor Bronwen Connor has become a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the treatment of neurological disorders. A pharmacologist in the School of Medical Sciences, department of Pharmacology and head of the Neural Reprogramming and Repair lab, her specific interest is in new strategies to treat neurological disease.
Her particular focus is on the potential use of stem cell therapy and gene transfer techniques. Bronwen has worked on the development of stem cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease as well as new ways to treat depression. In addition, Bronwen established the Being Brainy science education program for primary and intermediate schools which is currently being used by over 150 schools across New Zealand.