Cure Parkinson’s NZ is the only New Zealand charity solely dedicated to shaping and fueling cutting-edge research aimed at finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Our work is made possible through generous donations, philanthropic support, and strategic partnerships with key investors who share our vision of a world without Parkinson’s.
Rather than being a band-aid over an ever-growing wound, we prioritise research into disease-modifying therapies that can end Parkinson’s disease as we know it. We are building a fence at the top of the cliff.
There is a critical demand for improved diagnostic tools, more accurate markers of disease progression, and disease-modifying therapies.
Inspired by transformative breakthroughs in fields such as HIV, cancer, and other neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and MS, we are driven to invest in world-class research that could ultimately make Parkinson’s disease a thing of the past.
Our biggest challenge? Research takes time and time is critical in our pursuit of a cure.
In simple terms, a team of six dedicated expert researchers focused on new drug development and working within a continuous feedback loop will significantly speed up progress toward a cure.
Accelerating research leads us to better outcomes – FASTER.
If consistency is crucial for achieving faster research outcomes, it can only be sustained through reliable, long-term funding.
That’s because continuous funding prevents the disruptions and delays that occur when short-term funding runs out, forcing a new researcher to take over while additional funding is secured.
It also ensures our talented group of scientists can focus their time and energy on the research itself, rather than spending valuable hours preparing grant applications.
Continuous funding means that a decade of research could potentially be achieved in just five years – Imagine that!
ARE PART OF A GLOBAL RESEARCH EFFORT
The expertise and skill of our CURE COLLECTIVE is truly exceptional. Our research scientists are outstanding individuals whose dedication is making a tangible difference in our mission. Their relentless commitment is driving meaningful progress towards better treatments and a deeper understanding of Parkinson’s disease. Their impact is profound – both in New Zealand and globally.
Through Cure Parkinson’s NZ’s strategic collaborations with international partners like The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Cure Parkinson’s (UK), and Shake It Up Australia, we are united in our effort to accelerate the journey toward a cure.
Founder & Trustee, Centre for Brain Research University of Auckland
Sir Richard is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Auckland and the Founding Director of the University’s Centre for Brain Research. He is the recipient of many accolades over his 40+ years of leadership in brain research, including the Royal Society Rutherford medal, NZ’s highest scientific honour. He is widely recognized internationally for his work on neurodegenerative diseases and for the establishment of one of the best Human Brain Banks in the world, a highly precious resource for brain research that was made possible through the strength of relationships Sir Richard has built between researchers, clinicians, and the families of those with brain diseases. Tissue from this brain bank is used all over the world thanks to the many highly productive international collaborations Sir Richard has built over the years.
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Co-Director, Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank
Maurice began his career as a radiographer before switching to neuroscience, completing a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Auckland. Maurice’s research work is focussed on understanding the earliest changes that occur in the brain and other anatomical regions that indicate that Parkinson’s disease is going to strike. The goal of the research is to have degenerative brain diseases detected and treated years before brain cell loss occurs. In this presentation Maurice will talk about his group’s research to detect early changes in the olfactory system in Parkinson’s disease and their experimental therapeutic approaches. Maurice will also highlight recent work using machine learning to solve big challenges in the field of anatomy. Maurice is Professor of Neuroscience, Co-director of the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank, and a founding Director of the Medical Imaging Research Centre at the University of Auckland.
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Neurobiologist, Centre For Brain Research University of Auckland
Dr Victoria Low is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research at The University of Auckland. Victoria specializes in histological anatomy and advanced imaging techniques, and her field of research focuses on the human olfactory system. Victoria leads groundbreaking research combining biomedical sciences, clinical research, and artificial intelligence to investigate Parkinson’s disease and olfaction to assess disease onset, investigate methods for early disease detection, and identify pathways for targeted drug therapies.
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Neuropharmacologist, Centre For Brain Research University of Auckland
Dr. Ruth Monk’s work includes developing a human olfactory cell model to study early cellular changes in Parkinson’s, as well as collaborating on a drug discovery program targeting α-synuclein clearance.
Read MoreTHE IMPACT OF OUR CURE COLLECTIVE
In November 2024, we were thrilled to announce that several years worth of work by Professor Maurice Curtis and Dr Victoria Low, among others, with the support of CPNZ’s funding, has now been published in the international scientific journal Communications Biology. It is hugely exciting to see their ground-breaking advances finally published, meaning countless other researchers and clinicians worldwide can advance their own work and practice on the basis of these new findings.
Donations to Cure Parkinson’s NZ can support specific research costs, like antibodies or drug screenings, or help fund our dedicated research team’s salaries. Whether a one-off or regular donation, your support is invaluable.
For those whose finances are tied up in assets, leaving a gift in your Will is a powerful way to contribute to the cause and ensure your legacy in the fight for a cure.
OUR SCIENTISTS’ GROUND-BREAKING RESEARCH INCLUDES
EVERY CONTRIBUTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Donations to Cure Parkinson’s NZ can support specific research costs, like antibodies or drug screenings, or help fund our dedicated research team’s salaries. Whether a one-off or regular donation, your support is invaluable.
For those whose finances are tied up in assets, leaving a gift in your Will is a powerful way to contribute to the cause and ensure your legacy in the fight for a cure.
Companies can also make a significant impact through sponsorship, payroll giving, customer donations at checkout, or hosting fundraising events like charity golf days. If your business is looking to align with a bold and meaningful cause, Cure Parkinson’s NZ is the perfect partner.
In 2005 Bernie Crosby was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects wide-ranging neurological functions from the gut and sense of smell to the more widely recognized impact on movement and muscle control. It also affects memory and speech and is often accompanied by a tremor.
Fast-forward five years to 2010 and Bernie and his wife Kaye were at a fundraising dinner in Auckland raising money for the University of Auckland’s School of Medicine. Bernie found himself sitting next to Dr Maurice Curtis of the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at University of Auckland – a meeting that was fortuitous for both the CBR and the Crosbys.
Dr Curtis (now a professor) demonstrated such an enormous amount of passion, conviction and energy in his pursuit of knowledge of the brain and its disorders that Bernie, being an eternal optimist, decided they should raise money for the CBR to continue the work that Dr Curtis and his team were performing. He and Kaye established the Neuro Research Charitable Trust for this purpose in 2013, and they set a goal of raising $1M in 5 years. With the support of a wider team of trustees and a fundraising committee, the Trust has continued to raise funds to support CBR research to the tune of $2.3M by the end of 2022.
Bernie and Kaye remain committed to ongoing fundraising to support research toward a cure for Parkinson’s disease. It is only through further research that disease-modifying treatments to slow, stop or even reverse progression can become a reality. Bernie has a saying “NO DREAM TOO BIG” and the Trust he set up is now going big indeed – in late 2022, the Board of the Neuro Research Charitable Trust made the decision to employ a full-time CEO to turbo-charge fundraising and proactively drive research toward a cure, rebranding as Cure Parkinson’s NZ.
We invite you to join us on this journey.
We are working strategically and collaboratively with like-minded organisations, both here and overseas, to ensure that our charitable funds are well spent to get the best bang for buck.
We have established some key partnerships and continue to work on others to shape and enable research with the potential to lead to a cure.
After all, it doesn’t matter where a treatment that can stop or slow progression comes from. Any such treatment will benefit patients worldwide.
