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Building the Centre for Brain Research In 2009, brain research was underway across the university – in laboratories, with clinicians in hospitals, and with patients and communities. Sir Richard brought these strands together to form the Centre for Brain Research, with a shared purpose to understand the brain and improve lives affected by neurological disease. The CBR has since grown to encompass more than 100 research groups and 500 researchers. From the world’s first Alzheimer’s sheep and stem-cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease to therapeutic choirs and Māori dementia research, it is one of the nation’s most productive scientific communities. “Our success comes from working together,” says Sir Richard. “It’s not about ego or empires. The CBR was built on humility, manaakitanga and service. Brain research and new discoveries belong to all people of Aotearoa.” It has also led to the development of three patient clinics. The largest of the Dementia Prevention Research Clinics is based at the CBR. The CBR Neurogenetics Research Clinic, led by neurologist Associate Professor Richard Roxburgh, focuses on clinical care and rehabilitation in neurogenetic disease. The CBR is also home to the Stroke Research Clinic, led by Neurological Foundation Chair in Clinical Neurology, Professor Alan Barber. A legacy of connection with Māori Perhaps Sir Richard’s most enduring legacy lies in his tireless outreach to Māori communities. For the past decade, he and Deputy Director Māori Dr Makarena Dudley have visitedmarae fromKaitaia to Invercargill to kōrero about brain health, dementia mate wareware, and the importance of research that honours tikangaMāori. These visits have shaped new models of culturally-informed dementia research and care. “When we talk about the brain, we talk about the person – their wairua, their whānau, their story. That’s what makes it meaningful,” he says. In 2023, Sir Richard’s iwi, Te Āti Awa, honoured him with a korowai and tokotoko named Aumangea, recognising his contribution to Māori brain health. “They said, ‘Now you are a rangatira.’ It was humbling beyond words.” Invitations for Sir Richard and Makarena continue to roll in frommarae across Aotearoa. Even as he steps back from day- to-day leadership, he intends to continue this outreach work. “It’s one of the greatest privileges of my life,” he says. “I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m able.” Milestones of discovery Under Sir Richard’s leadership, the CBR has made an extraordinary series of world-leading contributions to neuroscience: • The Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank – now co- directed by Sir Richard Faull and Professor Maurice Curtis – holds tissue from more than 1,000 donors, providing New Zealand researchers and international collaborators with one of the world’s most valuable scientific resources. • TheHughGreen Biobank – led by ProfessorMikeDragunow –was thefirst in theworld to growhuman brain cells from donated tissue, transforming possibilities for stemcell research. • Alzheimer’s sheep research – in 2021, CBR scientists led by Professor Russell Snell bred the world’s first sheep with Alzheimer’s disease using gene-editing, opening a pathway toward research into gene-based therapies. • From skin to neurons – CBR scientists led by Professor Bronwen Connor have turned patients’ skin cells into brain cells, paving the way for regenerative treatments. • Bench to bedside partnerships – collaborations such as the Freemasons Neurosurgery Research Unit and the CatWalk Spinal Cord Research Cure Programme have created bridges between discovery science and patient care. • Community at the heart – initiatives like the CeleBRation Choir and More than Words Gavel Club bring research directly into people’s lives, restoring confidence and communication for those living with neurological conditions. “Each of these achievements came from people believing in the kaupapa – scientists, donors, families, and clinicians all working together for the common good,” says Sir Richard. “That’s the CBR way.” Headlines 13