The Challenge of the Human Brain

Professor Richard Faull

"My life has been an exciting voyage of discovery.  I'm forever amazed at the complexity and beauty of the human brain.  It's the last frontier and presents so many challenges.  Despite all our research we still don’t even know what constitutes an original thought.  But we are starting to see through the haze, to begin to understand some of the marvels of the human brain. We get to the top of one mountain and, my gosh, there are still further ranges of Himalayas before us which are even higher."  Faull, 2007

The human brain is the most complex and marvellous organ in the human body.  Recent research has shown that, contrary to all dogma, the adult human brain contains stem cells and has the capacity to repair itself throughout life. These findings have completely changed our perception of the human brain and opened up new strategies for fighting brain disease.

Professor Richard Faull is Director of the Centre for Brain Research at The University of Auckland and recognised internationally as a leading expert on neurodegenerative diseases of the human brain.  His research provided the first evidence the diseased human brain can repair itself by the generation of new brain cells and led to new insights into the treatment of brain disease.

Professor Faull has been given numerous awards including Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (2005), Liley Medal (2005) and New Zealand’s top science honour, the Rutherford Medal (2007).  This year he was named the Supreme Winner of the 2010 World Class New Zealand Awards.

Auckland

6.30pm Wednesday 13 October

Events Centre, Auckland Museum, The Domain, Parnell, Auckland (entry via the Southern Entrance, car parking available in the Domain and also in the Museum underground car park $8)

This lecture will be recorded by Radio New Zealand for broadcast as part of the ‘Talking Heads’ lecture series in November.  Entry to the Auditorium will not be permitted after the start of the lecture.