Who is Simerdeep Dhillon, the Kiwi Indian researcher making her mark in NZ

A research programme that could potentially help premature babies in New Zealand prevent or improve brain injuries is being advanced by Dr Simerdeep Dhillon, a senior research fellow who has been granted a Senior Research Fellowship and Project Grant to support important research.

The Senior Research Fellowship will support Dr Dhillon in establishing an independent research programme focused on improving outcomes for babies affected by brain injury, while the Project Grant will fund a broader programme of research aimed at developing new treatments for brain bleeds in premature babies.

Together, the grants provide nearly $470,000 in funding from the Neurological Foundation.

“I was delighted and extremely grateful to receive the support of the Neurological Foundation. Research of this scale relies on sustained funding support, and these grants provide an important opportunity to address questions that could improve outcomes for babies affected by brain injury,” Dr Dhillon told The Indian Weekender.

“Contributing to better health outcomes for children and families is something I value deeply.”

In New Zealand, around 173 babies born before 32 weeks' gestation are diagnosed with brain bleeds each year, according to Dr Dhillon. Reducing the secondary damage that occurs after these bleeds could lower the risk of lifelong disabilities, including cerebral palsy and cognitive, motor, visual, and hearing impairments, she explained.

Professionally, the funding enables Dr Dhillon to develop an independent research programme while continuing to work closely with a team of collaborators, mentors, and colleagues, providing a strong foundation for advancing the work over the coming years.

“This support allows us to investigate important research questions, build new evidence, and advance work that could ultimately improve care for vulnerable Infants,” Dr Dhillon told The Indian Weekender.

From India to Auckland, a curiosity shaped by childhood

Born and schooled in India, Dr Dhillon moved to New Zealand to pursue a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Biomedical Science at the University of Auckland. She later completed her PhD at the University of Auckland, focusing on understanding how brain injuries develop and progress in the developing brain.

“Curiosity and learning were always encouraged in our family. My parents were incredibly supportive of us exploring our interests and asking questions about the world around us,” she shared.

Some of Dr Dhillon's favourite memories of growing up in India are family trips where her parents would teach her about the natural environment around them.

“They would explain why different tree and crop species were grown in different regions and encourage us to identify animal footprints on our farmland,” Dr Dhillon recalled.

Those experiences sparked an early fascination with how living things adapt to their environment.

“Looking back, that curiosity and enjoyment of understanding how things work played an important role in shaping my interest in science and research,” she said.

Understanding brain bleeds in premature babies

Brain bleeds, medically known as intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), are among the serious complications affecting babies born prematurely. Dr Dhillon explains that these bleeds occur because blood vessels in the developing brain are very fragile.

“The resulting injury can affect long-term development and lead to lifelong neurological challenges.”

There are currently no treatments that directly protect the brain after IVH.

“Our research aims to better understand how injury develops after a brain bleed and to investigate new approaches that may reduce that damage,” She explained.

“Specifically, we will examine whether a drug already used clinically to treat iron overload can help remove excess iron released when blood breaks down in the brain, reducing inflammation and secondary injury,” she added.

The research will also include an investigation of novel physiological warning signs associated with injury that could help clinicians identify brain bleeds earlier and intervene more quickly.

Building evidence before treatment reaches babies

A sheep model that closely mimics human infants will be used to test whether reducing harmful iron and adding growth factors can limit injury and support brain repair. This could improve treatment options and long-term outcomes for these vulnerable babies.

However, Dr Dhillon explains that, in research, before any treatment can be tested in babies, researchers must first demonstrate that it is safe and effective through carefully designed preclinical studies.

“This step allows us to understand how brain injury develops, identify the best treatment timing, and gather the evidence needed before moving into clinical trials.”

This is considered an essential part of developing safe and effective treatments for premature infants.

For Dr Dhillon, it was her fascination with fetal physiology and neuroscience, particularly how babies respond to challenges before and around birth, and how the developing brain can adapt and recover after injury, that shaped her career.

“That interest led me to complete my PhD under the mentorship of Professors Laura Bennet and Alistair Gunn and Associate Professor Joanne Davidson. Working alongside researchers who have made significant contributions to improving newborn outcomes reinforced my passion for this field.”

What keeps her going is seeking answers to how brain bleeds can have lifelong consequences for children and their families, yet there are currently very limited treatment options.

“The possibility of contributing even a small step towards better outcomes for these babies is what drives my research,” she shared with The Indian Weekender.

This phase of the research, funded by the Neurological Foundation, will run over three years. During that time, the researchers will evaluate safety, effectiveness, and treatment timing in a preclinical setting.

Although developing new treatments can take many years, these early studies are critical because they provide the evidence needed before researchers can responsibly move into clinical trials. Each step builds on the previous one to ensure that any future treatment is both safe and effective.

“Over the next three years, we will investigate whether this clinically available drug can safely reduce brain injury after a brain bleed and determine the most effective treatment window”

“We will also examine early warning signs that may help clinicians detect these injuries sooner,” she said.

The goal is to generate the evidence needed to guide future clinical studies and move closer to developing effective treatments for premature babies affected by brain bleeds.

Dr Dhillon believes that research on such a scale requires curiosity, persistence, and resilience, but it is never a solo endeavour. 

“Scientific progress comes from teamwork, and I am grateful to be part of a collaborative environment where people are committed to tackling challenging and important problems together.”

“By building a strong scientific foundation now, we hope to support the development of treatments that can improve outcomes for New Zealand families in the years ahead”