Where your donations go
The NeuroSurgical Research Foundation raises money to fund research into disease and injury of the brain, spine and nerves.
This research is undertaken in Australian Universities and Teaching hospitals.
Every cent of every dollar donated to the NRF goes directly to research.
Some of the specific areas of research funded have been in the following areas:
- Brain Cancer—how cancer invades the brain
- Brain Tumours – reducing swelling and long-term damage
- Parkinson’s disease—slowing the advancement of Parkinson’s disease
- Concussion—preventing long-term damage
- Stroke—minimising brain tissue damage
- Spinal Cord Injury—restoring function
- Traumatic Brain Injury—how to stop life threatening brain swelling
- Paediatric Research—shunt infections and traumatic brain injury.
Grants Funded 2025 $1,590,904
- A/Prof Lisa Ebert - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Brain Tumour $100,000
- Prof Stuart Pitson - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation & Nick & Elise Ross - Brain Tumour $20,000
- Prof Stuart Pitson - Wilkins Family Foundation - Brain Tumour $45,000
- Prof Stuart Pitson – Fay Fuller Foundation - Brain Tumour $100,000
- Prof Jordan Hansford - NRF Paediatric Research Fund: $47,000
- Prof Stuart Pitson - Paediatric Brain Tumour: $50,000
- Dr Tessa Gargett – Brain Tumour $48,072
- Dr Nirmal Robinson - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $49,927
- Dr Briony Gliddon - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $50,000
- Dr Mel Tea –Brain Tumour $50,000
- A/Prof Cedric Bardy - Brain Tumour: $50,000
- A/Prof Pascal Dujif- Brain tumour: $48,332
- Dr Rebecca Ormsby – SA Neurological Tumour Bank (SANTB): $50,000
- Dr Marguerite Harding- Brain Tumour Meningiomas: $50,000
- Dr James McNeil- Brain Tumour Pituitary: $50,000
- Dr Iman Lohraseb – Brain Tumour $50,000
- Kaitlin Scheer - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma : $50,000
- Sidra Nawaz Khan- Brain Tumour Cart-T Cell trials: $50,000
- A Prof Larisa Bobrovskaya - Neurodegeneration: $50,000
- A/Prof Frances Corrigan - TBI/Concussion: $49,849
- A/Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino – TBI Research $50,000
- A/Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino - Angus McNamara – Neurodegeneration $50,000
- Dr Rebecca Hood – Stroke: $50,000
- Dr George Opie – Parkinson’s: $47,112
- Dr Shannon Stuckey- Stroke: 50,000
- Dr Ryan Quarrington - Hugh McCloskey- Neurodegeneration $50,000
- Mr Ryan Dorrian – Bridging Scholarship $17,104
- SETL PhD Bryan Gardham
- SETL PhD Dr Briony Gliddon
- Dinning Memorial Neurosurgical Scholarship – Dr David Tan $8,082
- John Crowley Scholarship Mr Abhiram Hiwase - $41,526
- University of Adelaide – Bridging Scholarships $16,125
- Vacation Scholarships 3 Uni SA and 3 University of Adelaide $14,400
- Richard Buttery Glioblastoma Vacation Scholarship – Seongham (Matthew) Lim
- Anthony Walsh TBI Vacation Scholarship – Hasini Kapwelle
- Donald Simpson Neuroscience Scholarship – travel 10 students $5,500
Grants Funded 2024 $1,378,531
- Dr Frances Corrigan - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Paediatric TBI $71,500
- A/Prof Lisa Ebert - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Brain Tumour $100,000
- Prof Stuart Pitson - Wilkins Family Foundation - Brain Tumour $30,000
- Prof Stuart Pitson - Harvey Foundation - Brain Tumour $25,000
- A/Prof Simon Conn - Perpetual - Brain tumour $100,000
- Prof Jordan Hansford - NRF Paediatric Research Fund: $67,000
- Prof Michael Brown - Paediatric Brain Tumour: $50,000
- A/Prof Lisa Ebert - Brain Tumour CAR-T - In Memory of Patrick Tocaciu: $50,000
- Dr Nirmal Robinson - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $49,890
- A Prof Larisa Bobrovskaya - Neurodegeneration: $49,848
- Prof Michael Brown - Brain Tumour: $50,000
- A/Prof Frances Corrigan - TBI/Concussion: $43,000
- Dr Tim Webber - Aneurym/Stroke: $49,751
- Dr Briony Gliddon - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma - In Memory of Pete Cutting: $50,000
- A/Prof Peter Gorayski - Paediatric Brain tumour: $47,790
- Dr Rebecca Hood - Stroke: $48,327
- Dr Chloe Shard - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma - In Memory of Rick Schembri: $46,950
- A/Prof Cedric Bardy - Brain Tumour: $50,000
- Dr Manjun Li - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $50,000
- Ms Lola Kaukas - Haemorrhage/Stroke: $25,980
- Dr Rebecca Hood - Abbott iSTAT Analyser Wireless equipment $10,507
- Dr Tessa Gargett - The CliniMACS Plus equipment $50,000
- Dr Mel Tea – In Memory Felicity Plew – Countess brain tumour equipment $11,054
- Dr Anna Leonard – CatWalkTX gait Analyser equipment $59,020
- A/Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino - Dual-arm digital stereotax equipment $34,060
- Mr Abhiram Hiwase - John Crowley Scholarship $49,660
- University of Adelaide – Bridging Scholarships $16,125
- Samuel Wallis - Richard Buttery Glioblastoma Vacation Scholarship
- Nandana Nair - Anthony Walsh TBI Vacation Scholarship
- Vacation Scholarships 2 Uni SA and 6 University of Adelaide $19,200
- Brain & BrainPET 2023, the 31st International Symposium Sponsorship $4,545
Grants Funded 2023 $607,303
- Mr Nick Candy – Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellowship $64,000
- Dr Chris Tsimiklis - Dinning Memorial Surgical Scholarship $15,000
- Prof Michael Brown - NRF Paediatric Research Fund: $35,000
- Prof Jordan Hansford - NRF Paediatric Research Fund: $33,000
- Mr Abhiram Hiwase - Traumatic Brain Injury: John Crowley Scholarship $17,920
- Dr Lisa Ebert - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma $50,000
- Dr Briony Gliddon - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma $49,991
- Dr Melinda Tea - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma $49,992
- Dr Nirmal Robinson - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma $49,780
- Dr Sunita Ramesh - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma $31,000
- Dr Briony Gliddon– Brave for Dave – Blood Analyser brain tumour equipment $11,054
- Dr Annabel Sorby-Adams - Stroke Research $35,195
- Dr Anna Leonard - Spinal Cord Injury $50,000
- Dr Gareth Rutter - Paediatric Equipment Braun Paediscope $29,475
- Dr Mel Tea - Pascale Family - GelCount brain tumour equipment $50,000
- Vacation Scholarships 3 Uni SA and 4 University of Adelaide $15,200
- Annaliese Thompson – SETL Phd $10,000
- University of Adelaide – Bridging Scholarships $10,750
- Brain Tumour Research SA Sponsorship $6,000
- 2022 Australasian Neurotrauma Workshop Sponsorship $5,000
Grants Funded 2022 $853,485
- Ms Kristyna Sedivakova - NRF Paediatric Research Fund: $50,000
- Assoc Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Parkinson's Disease $73,229
- Dr Frances Corrigan - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Paediatric TBI $71,500
- Dr Lisa Ebert - Brain Tumour glioblastoma: $43,000
- Assoc Prof Cedric Bardy - Brain Tumour: $42,248
- Dr Minh-Son To - Brain Tumour: $38,500
- Dr Santosh Poonnoose - Brain Tumour Bank: $32,743
- Dr Christopher Ovenden - Stroke: $25,000
- Dr Adam Wells - Traumatic Brain Injury: $20,000
- Dr Anna Leonard - Spinal Cord Injury Equipment Value: $17,328
- Dr Annika Mascarenhas - Traumatic Brain Injury: $41,430
- Dr Annika Mascarenhas - Traumatic Brain Injury: $15,220
- Prof Benjamin Thierry - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $25,000
- Dr Nirmal Robinson - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $42,809
- Dr Briony Gliddon - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $43,000
- Dr Guillermo A. Gomez - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $43,000
- Dr Melinda Tea - Brain Tumour Glioblastoma: $25,000
- Dr Claire Jones - Perpetual - Traumatic Brain Injury Research: $97,263
- Dr Xenia Doorenbosch & Dr Amal Abou-Hamden - Wilkins Family Foundation - Women's & Children's Hospital & Royal Adelaide Hospital - Equipment $90,000 + $15,415
- Erica McGiffert - Richard Buttery Glioblastoma Research Vacation Scholarship Uni SA:$1,800
Grants Funded 2021 $427,075
- Dr Adam Wells – Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellowship $50,000
- Dr Melinda Tea - NRF Paediatric Research Fund - Brain Tumour Research $34,727
- Assoc Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Parkinson's Disease $73,229
- Dr Guillermo Gomez - Brain Tumour Research - $29,856
- Dr Lisa Ebert - Brain Tumour Research - $30,000
- Dr Briony Gliddon - Brain Tumour Research - $29,972
- Dr Rebecca Ormsby - SA Brain Tumour Bank - $37,270
- Dr Brett Stringer -Brain Tumour Research - $43,000
- Assoc Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino - Parkinson's Research - $13,021
- Prof Leanne Dibbens - Adult & Paediatric Stroke research - $43,000
- Dr Annabel Sorby-Adams - Stroke Research - $43,000
Grants Funded 2020 $757,959
- Dr Adam Wells – Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellowship $50,000
- Dr Tessa Gargett - NRF Paediatric Research Fund - Brain Tumour Research $25,246
- Dr Melinda Tea - NRF Paediatric Research Fund - Brain Tumour Research $15,199
- Dr Melinda Tea - Paediatric Brain Tumour Research $34,727
- Assoc Prof Renee Turner - Perpetual - Stroke $6,675
- Assoc Prof Renee Turner - Perpetual - Stroke $76,629
- Assoc Prof Renee Turner - Coopers Brewery Foundation - Stroke $142,400
- Assoc Prof Lyndsey Collins-Praino - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Parkinson's Disease $73,229
- Dr Frances Corrigan - James & Diana Ramsay Foundation - Paediatric TBI $71,500
- Dr Stephen Santoreneos - Wilkins Family Foundation - Women's & Children's Hospital - Equipment $17,074
- Dr Frances Corrigan - Wilkins Family Foundation - Equipment $46,355
- Assoc Prof Renee Turner - City to Bay - Paediatric TBI $9,668
- Prof Stuart Pitson - In Memorial Hannah Philbey - UniSA - Brain Tumour Equipment $21,561
- Assoc Prof Amal Abou-Hamden - Women's & Children's Hospital - Paediatric $30,000
- Dr Paul Trim - Neurodegeneration Research - $29,998
- Dr Nirmal Robinson - Brain Tumour Research - $29,690
- Dr Anna Leonard - Spinal Cord Injury Research - $31,688
- Dr Gobert Lee - Spinal Cord Injury Research - $16,360
- Dr Amy Claire Reichelt - Traumatic Brain Injury Research - $29,960
Grants Funded 2019 $1,401,824
- NRF Brain Tumour Research Chair University of South Australia $1 Million
- Dr Adam Wells – Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellowship $50,000
- Dr Lyndsey Collins-Praino, Dr Frances Corrigan – NRF Paediatric Research Fund $35,246
- Assoc Prof Michael Brown & Dr Tessa Gargett - NRF Paediatric Research Fund - Brain Tumour Research $24,754
- Assoc Prof Stuart Brierley – Traumatic Brain Injury $24,812
- Dr George Opie - Traumatic Brain Injury $30,000
- Dr Lyndsey Collins-Praino - Neurodegeneration Research $27,552
- Dr Lyndsey Collins-Praino – Parkinson’s Disease Research $29,886
- Dr Lisa Ebert - Brain Tumour Research $30,000
- Dr Briony Gliddon - Brain Tumour Research $30,000
- Dr Guillermo Gomez - Brain Tumour Research $30,000
- Lola Kaukas PhD Student - Traumatic Brain Injury $30,000
-
Dr Melinda Tea - Brain Tumour Research $29,959
-
Dr Alexandra Whittaker - Paediatric Brain Tumour Research - $29,615
Grants Funded 2018 $467,888
Grants Funded 2017 $299,746
- Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellow - Dr Annika Mascarenhas Skull Base Surgery, $43,318
- PhD Scholarship: NMDA receptor antagonism for primary brain cancer, $25,000
- Ride Like Crazy Brain Tumour Research with Stuart Piston Lab UniSA, $68,462
- Dr Frances Corrigan - Neurodegeneration Research - $20,000
- Dr Lyndsey Collins-Praino - Traumatic Brain Injury Research - $30,000
- Associate Professor Amal Abou-Hamden - Paediatric research $26,066
- Equipment - Infinite Horizons Device for Spinal Cord Injury, University of Adelaide, $29,200
- Equipment - Eppendorf Liquid Handler SETL Brain Tumour Research UniSA, $45,000
- Neurosurgeon Research Donations: Dr Margeurite Harding, $7,700; Dr Adam Wells $5,000
Grants Funded 2016 $1,468,178
- NRF Paediatric Neurosurgical Research University of Adelaide $1million
- Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellow - Dr Alistair Jukes Skull Based Surgery $65,483
- PhD Scholarship - Water Channels in Brain Tumours $25,000
- Dr George Opie - Concussion $19,891
- Dr Lyndsey Collins-Praino - Traumatic Brain Injury $19,532
- Dr Frances Corrigan - Neurodegeneration $19,742
- Brain Tumour Research with SA Police Ride Like Crazy $80,000
- Paediatric Research James and Diana Ramsay Foundation $90,000
- Equipment - NanoZoomer large tissue University of Adelaide $101,732
- Equipment - Vascular Maddies Appeal Royal Adelaide Hospital $46,798
Grants Funded 2015 $899,607
- PhD Scholarship - Water Channels in Brain Tumours $25,000
- Brain Tumour Research with SA Police Ride Like Crazy $80,000
- Paediatric Research James and Diana Ramsay Foundation $90,000
- Equipment - Neurosurgical Microscope Flinders Medical Centre with Muriel Gunn Medical Research Fund $504,900
- Equipment - NanoZoomer large tissue University of Adelaide $10,740
- Equipment - Vascular with The Wilkins Family Foundation Royal Adelaide Hospital $45,617
- Dr Jillian Clark - Spinal Cord Injury Research $30,000
- Dr Frances Corrigan - Neurodegeneration & Concussion Research $20,000
- Dr Lyndsey Collins-Praino Traumatic Brain Injury Research $30,000
- Dr Lee-Anne Costello and Assoc/Prof Marianne Chapman - Traumatic Brain Injury Research Royal Adelaide Hospital $28,150
- Assoc Prof Renee Turner and Assoc Prof Amal Abou-HamdenStroke Research $35,200
Grants Funded 2014 $239,500
- PhD Scholarship - Water Channels in Brain Tumours $25,000
- Brain Tumour Research with SA Police Ride Like Crazy $80,000
- Paediatric Research James and Diana Ramsay Foundation $80,000
- Equipment - MAGPIX System with Muriel Gunn Medical Research Fund University of Adelaide $54,500
Grants Funded 2013 $220,000
- Neurosurgical Trainee Fellowship - Brain Haemorrhage Dr Tom Morris $60,000
- Brain Tumour Research with SA Police Ride Like Crazy $80,000
- Paediatric Research James and Diana Ramsay Foundation $80,000
Grants Funded 2012 $277,625
- Neurosurgical Trainee Fellowship - Stroke Dr Adam Wells $19,800
- Neurosurgical Trainee Fellowship - Stroke Dr Adam Wells $35,000
- Equipment - Operating microscopes with Muriel Gunn Medical Research Fund Women's & Children's Hospital $62,825
- Brain Tumour Research with SA Police Ride Like Crazy $80,000
- Paediatric Research James and Diana Ramsay Foundation $80,000
Grants Funded 2011 $311,800
- Neurosurgical Trainee Fellowship - Traumatic Brain Injury Dr David Gidley $50,000
- Neurosurgical Trainee Fellowship - Stroke Dr Adam Wells $29,800
- Equipment - NanoZoomer with SA Police Ride Like Crazy University of Adelaide $160,000
- Dean Bowman Brain Tumour Research Laboratory University of Adelaide $52,000
- Stroke Research - Dr Renee Turner $20,000
Grants Funded 2010 $60,000
- Neurosurgical Trainee Fellowship - Stroke Dr Adam Wells $50,000
- Parkinson’s Disease Research with Australian Executor Trustees $10,000
