Associate Professor Bronwen Connor, of Auckland, MNZM, for services to the treatment of neurological disorders
Bronwen Connor is a neuropharmacologist, head of the University of Auckland’s Neural Reprogramming and Repair Lab, and director of its NeuroDiscovery Facility. Leading a research team, she has investigated gene therapies and stem-cell-replacement therapies for conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, stroke and depression. Her pioneering work on the treatment of neurological disorders has included development of a process through which adult skin cells are transformed into neural stem cells. Associate Professor Connor is the Director for Educational Outreach for the Centre of Brain Research and has developed and led the Being Brainy programme, a platform of online learning modules for students in Years One to Eight.