# Global brain banking challenges through the lens of Southeast Asia’s inaugural brain bank

## TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges of setting up a brain bank in Singapore, highlighting lessons for diverse regions.

## Contribution

It provides insights into ethical and cultural challenges in establishing brain banks in multicultural societies.

## Key findings

- Establishing brain banks in culturally diverse settings requires tailored ethical strategies.
- Brain Bank Singapore serves as a model for sustainable brain donation programs in Southeast Asia.

## Abstract

Brain Bank Singapore (BBS) is the first and only national brain donation programme in Southeast Asia. This perspective article explores the challenges that have risen from establishing an ethically governed post-mortem brain bank in a small multicultural society like Singapore. These experiences reflect the complex realities of developing brain banks in culturally diverse settings and the strategies essential for creating sustainable and internationally aligned repositories.