Taiwan’s first brain bank opens in Taipei

DONATIONS NEEDED: There are about 150 brain banks globally, and the presence of such institutions is a sign of prosperity, the minister of health and welfare said

Staff Writer, with CNA

The nation’s first brain bank opened in Taipei yesterday, with Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) expressing his hopes that it would also make Taiwan a bellwether in neuroscience in Asia. 

National Taiwan University’s (NTU) College of Medicine yesterday hosted a plaque unveiling ceremony for the Taiwan Brain Bank, which was attended by Chen, National Health Research Institutes president Sytwu Huey-kang (司徒惠康), NTU vice president Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳), Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) and Taiwan Brain Bank Association chairman Hsieh Sung-tsang (謝松蒼). 

“Many chronic diseases affecting the nation’s increasingly aging population — such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease — are related to the brain,” Chen said. 

“The establishment of the Taiwan Brain Bank would help scientists study various cerebral diseases, which could help prevent people from getting them and enable medical experts to begin patients’ treatment early,” he said. “This would also make Taiwan a bellwether in brain science in Asia.” 

The brain bank belongs to the nation, not NTU, Chang said. 

“Today is only the beginning, and the brain bank cannot sustain itself with the budget allocated to the medical school alone. We are calling for long-term financial support from the government,” Chang said. 

In the past, the focus of neuroscience was studying data gathered through neuroimaging, Hsueh said, adding that the brain bank would allow neuroscientists to analyze brains directly. 

“We understand that funding is needed to maintain the operations of the brain bank, so part of the technology budget would be used for this purpose. Another challenge would be to encourage voluntary donations of brains, which requires joint cooperation of the medical community and different patient groups,” Hsueh said.

“People need to know the importance of organ donations and give their consent to donate while they are alive. Their families should also give their consent,” he said. 

There are about 150 brain banks worldwide, Hsieh said, adding that having brain banks is an indicator of prosperity. 

“Unlike brain banks in other countries that were established by the government, the Taiwan Brain Bank was initiated by patients and their relatives who wanted to contribute by donating their brains for research,” Hsieh said. 

Hsieh began leading a workforce to establish the brain bank in 2017, when they faced the challenge of finding a legal basis for such an institution. The problem was resolved after the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued interpretations of relevant regulations. 

The brain bank also spent three years training its personnel and installing relevant facilities before it was officially established yesterday.