Operational, molecular, and cultural perspectives at the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank, New Zealand

Post-mortem human brain tissue is an irreplaceable resource for advancing understanding of the brain and neurological disease. Brain banks that collect, preserve, and distribute this tissue underpin discoveries across neuropathology, genomics, and emerging molecular disciplines. Yet brain banking is a resource-intensive enterprise that faces distinct operational, cultural, and scientific challenges depending on the national context in which it operates. Here, we present the perspective of the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank (NFHuBB) - New Zealand's sole post-mortem human brain bank, based at The University of Auckland. Operating as the only such facility in the country, the NFHuBB confronts a unique convergence of challenges: the logistical complexity of coordinating donation across a dispersed population, the scientific imperative to preserve tissue for molecular-era multi-omics technologies, and a multi-cultural population that needs culturally informed consent practices. We describe the growth of the bank's donor registry and collection over 45 years with specific emphasis on donations in the last five calendar years (2021-2025), outline recent advances in tissue processing, including the development of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) RNA preservation protocols and integration of whole-genome sequencing from un-fixed cerebellar tissue. Finally, we discuss the community engagement strategies that have supported increasing donation rates in New Zealand.