Emma Scotter
{{Short description|New Zealand medical researcher}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}
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Emma Louise Scotter {{Postnominals|country=NZL|MNZM}} is a New Zealand academic neuropharmacologist, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, and head of the university's Centre for Brain Research. In 2024 she was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Motor Neuron Disease research.
Academic career
Scotter completed a PhD in pharmacology at the University of Auckland, working on Huntington's disease.{{Cite web |title=Academic profile: Dr Emma Scotter |url=https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/emma-scotter |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=profiles.auckland.ac.nz}} She undertook postdoctoral work at the University of Waikato, and then received an international fellowship to work on motor neuron disease genetics with Professor Chris Shaw at King's College London.{{Cite web |title=The heart and soul of brain research - The University of Auckland |url=https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2022/04/11/the-heart-and-soul-of-brain-research.html |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=www.auckland.ac.nz}} Scotter then returned to Auckland as a postdoctoral research fellow, and in 2015 was awarded a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, for research on the blood-brain-barrier in motor neuron disease (MND).{{Cite web |title=Search Rutherford Discovery Fellowship awards 2010–2017 |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/funds-and-opportunities/rutherford-discovery-fellowships/rutherford-discovery-fellowship-recipients/search-rutherford-discovery-fellowship-awards/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Royal Society Te Apārangi}} She joined the faculty of the university, rising to senior lecturer. As of 2024 she is head of the university's Centre for Brain Research.
Scotter's team has shown that New Zealand has one of the highest incidences of motor neuron disease in the world. There are around 35 different genes involved in MND, but only around 10 per cent of cases are known to be genetic, and environmental causes are also believed to play a part. Scotter leads a large study into the genetics of the disease in New Zealand, and in one family was able to identify the specific genetic defect involved, allowing family members to be tested.{{Cite news |title='The whole room was in tears': Auckland scientists celebrate major MND breakthrough |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2024/04/auckland-scientists-celebrate-major-motor-neurone-disease-breakthrough.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422101731/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2024/04/auckland-scientists-celebrate-major-motor-neurone-disease-breakthrough.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 April 2024 |access-date=2024-07-19 |work=Newshub |language=en}} Her research group is trialling treatments, some of which appear to slow or stop the disease progression for some patients.{{Cite web |title=Dr Emma Scotter: MNZM for services to MND - MND NZ |url=https://mnd.org.nz/news/dr-emma-scotter-mnzm-for-services-to-mnd/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Motor Neuron Disease New Zealand |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2024-07-20 |title=650 people have donated their brains |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/research-drives-demand-for-donated-tissue-at-auckland-brain-bank/YKSLVAAUZPOVTF6YJXSJRNFN2Q/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}
Honours and awards
In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, Scotter was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Motor Neuron Disease research.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-03 |title=King's Birthday Honours 2024 - Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit {{!}} Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/kb2024-mnzm |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=www.dpmc.govt.nz |language=en}}
Selected works
{{scholia}}
- {{CiteQ|Q37503127}}
- {{CiteQ|Q33211909}}
- {{CiteQ|Q35906336}}
- {{CiteQ|Q28080628}}
- {{CiteQ|Q30574024}}
- {{CiteQ|Q34098196}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3CWwBGq8mo Dr Emma Scotter and Dr Natalie Gauld on the AM Show on Three], 22 February 2024, via YouTube
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Scotter, Emma Louise}}
Category:New Zealand academics
Category:New Zealand women academics
Category:Academic staff of the University of Auckland
Category:University of Auckland alumni
Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:New Zealand pharmacologists