Louise Nicholson (academic)
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Louise Nicholson | |
|---|---|
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| Awards | Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Rhodes Visiting Fellowship |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Auckland, University of Auckland, Epsom Girls' Grammar School |
| Theses | |
| Doctoral advisor | Patricia Bergquist, John Sidney Bullivant |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | University of Auckland |
Louise Frances Basford Nicholson CNZM (nee Green) is a New Zealand neuroscientist, and is professor emerita at the University of Auckland, specialising in molecular mechanisms common to neurodegenerative diseases. In 2021, Nicholson was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to neuroscience and education.
Nicholson attended Epsom Girls Grammar School.[1] She completed a Masters and then a PhD titled Structure and function of the Malpighian tubules of the larva of the New Zealand glow-worm Arachnocampa luminosa (Skuse) at the University of Auckland.[2][3][4] Nicholson spent two and half years as a visiting fellow at Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford, and then returned to New Zealand, where she taught science at Mahurangi College from 1981 to 1988.[5] Nicholson then joined the faculty of the Department of Anatomy with Radiology at the University of Auckland, initially as a senior lecturer.[5] She was Head of Biology for Medicine in 1989.[6] Nicholson worked on neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neuron disease, Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.[6] She was appointed full professor in 2009, and worked at the university for nearly 30 years, during which she spent a year at the Salk Institute.[7][5]
With Simon O'Carroll and Colin Green, Nicholson founded the Spinal Cord Research Facility within the university's Centre for Brain Research.[8] The facility is funded by the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust.[8]
In 2014, after years of severe headaches, Nicholson was diagnosed with a brain tumour, leading her to retire from research. On her retirement, she was appointed professor emerita, and she and her husband gifted $1 million towards spinal injury research.[7]
Honours and awards
Nicholson was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1978 to attend Lady Margaret Hall as a Visiting Fellow for two years. Only 32 Rhodes Visiting Fellowships were awarded.[9]
In the New Years Honours for 2021, Nicholson was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to neuroscience and education.[6]
