Molly Swanson, who attended MAGS from 2007-2011, has received a grant of more than $100,000 to assist her PhD research into early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and potential therapeutic intervention.Ms Swanson, a student at the University of Auckland where she gained a BSc majoring in Biomedical Science, will use the Neurological Foundation W & B Miller Postgraduate Scholarship to travel overseas to learn from experienced researchers in her field of interest. Her research extends from an early symptom of Alzheimer’s, the loss of the sense of smell. She will test whether the disease is triggered by inflammatory processes in the olfactory bulb.
“The support from the Neurological Foundation will allow me to travel to Germany to contribute to a 3D model of the human olfactory bulb that we hope will aid in our understanding of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease pathology,” says Ms Swanson. “Overall, I hope to further understand the potential role that specific cells and their related inflammation play in Alzheimer’s disease progression.”
Ms Swanson not only excelled academically at Mount Albert Grammar, she was also a champion long distance runner, and the Molly Swanson Cup is awarded annually to an athlete with similar talent. Ms Swanson is now a keen triathlete, and hopes to also travel to the Netherlands in 2017 for a World Championship event.