Leading Māori Brain Scientist Sir Richard Faull Steps Aside at 80, One of our most influential neuroscientists is stepping aside after a career that has reshaped our understanding of the human brain.
Sir Richard Faull – Māori Neuroscience Pioneer and Champion for Brain Health
In a lifetime dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of the human brain – while honouring the traditions and values of his iwi – Sir Richard Faull has become one of the most respected figures in both global neuroscience and Māori health. From his whakapapa roots in Taranaki to the world‑class research labs of Auckland, his work stands at the intersection of cutting-edge science and cultural integrity.
Born on 21 October 1945 in Taranaki, Sir Richard Faull descends from Ngāti Rāhiri and Te Āti Awa, communities that imbued in him a deep respect for whakapapa, whenua and the sacredness of the human body.
He studied medicine at University of Otago, graduating in 1970, and later earned a PhD and later a DSc from University of Auckland.
It was during his time at Otago, as a medical student, that Faull first encountered a human brain. According to him, he was “spellbound”- a moment that would define his future.
Over decades of research, Sir Richard made discoveries that challenged long-held assumptions about the human brain. For example:
- His team was among the first to demonstrate that the adult human brain can generate new neurons, debunking the idea that brains were fixed and could only deteriorate.
- He played a key role in studies on neurodegenerative diseases – including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease, epilepsy and more – helping to improve understanding of how these illnesses affect whānau and communities across Aotearoa.
- In 1994, he founded the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand Human Brain Bank, a world‑class collection which provides brain tissue to researchers – enabling breakthroughs in brain disease research nationwide.
- In 2009, he established the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at University of Auckland. The CBR has since become one of Australasia’s leading neuroscience research centres, hosting dozens of research teams, scientists, students and clinicians working on everything from basic brain science to clinical applications.
Through his work, Sir Richard has contributed significantly to global neuroscience – but also made clear that this science must serve all the people of Aotearoa, including Māori whānau, especially as brain diseases become more widespread with an ageing population.
Crucial to Sir Richard’s legacy is how he addressed deep cultural sensitivities around brain research for Māori. In the late 1980s, he recognised that many Māori hesitated to participate in brain science because of tikanga: the head, including the brain, is tapu (sacred).
Understanding this, Sir Richard collaborated with kaumātua and Māori health leaders – including Eru Thompson, Te Kaanga Skipper and Professor Papaarangi Reid – to design a whakanoa ritual to lift the tapu before brain donation or study.
This kaupapa wasn’t just symbolic. It opened the door for Māori to contribute to brain science in a way that honours tikanga, identity and whakapapa. That inclusion has been transformative: it allowed more Māori and Pacific students into medical education, and enabled Māori whānau to see brain donation as a gift rather than a breach of tapu.
Sir Richard has often said that every donated brain is a taonga – and the researchers are mere kaitiaki (guardians) for its knowledge, which always remains with the whānau.
Over his distinguished career, Sir Richard has received many of Aotearoa’s highest academic and scientific honours:
- Rutherford Medal – the top science award in New Zealand.
- New Zealand Order of Merit (Knight Companion, 2016) for services to brain research.
- In 2023, recognition by his iwi and Māori communities: he was presented with a kōrowai (cloak) and tokotoko (carved staff) acknowledging his immense contributions to neuroscience and Māori brain health. The tokotoko – named “Aumangea,” meaning strength, leadership and wisdom – symbolises his status as rangatira.
When accepting the honour, Sir Richard described it as “the most wonderful, special day of my life,” reflecting that it reached beyond science – it was a celebration of whakapapa, whānau and responsibility.
Under Sir Richard’s leadership, the Centre for Brain Research has committed itself to equity in brain health. The CBR supports Māori involvement at all levels: from advisory boards to PhD scholarships, and an outreach programme that takes education and resources to marae across Aotearoa – from Kaitaia to Murihiku.
The CBR’s mission isn’t just to study the brain – but to serve communities, promote early detection of neurodegenerative diseases, support whānau, and ensure that new treatments respect cultural values and are accessible to all.
As Māori whānau face growing challenges from ageing, neurological disease, and social inequities, Sir Richard’s work offers hope. It shows that science and tikanga can walk together – and that brain research grounded in respect, whakapapa and community can lead to meaningful, life-changing outcomes.
Sir Richard Faull is more than a world-class neuroscientist. He is a bridge – between Western science and Māori mātauranga, between global research and local communities, between biomedical discovery and cultural respect. His legacy shows that in Aotearoa, brain health can be strengthened not only through laboratories and academic publications – but through marae, tikanga, kōrero and whānau.
