Research overview
CorticalDB is currently working on three exciting research projects: CCortex, CorticalMap and NanoAtlas. CCortex is a massive spiking neural network simulation running on a high-performance parallel supercomputer. It accurately represents the billions of neurons and trillions of connections in the human brain with a layered distribution of neural nets. The primary focus of these neural nets is to emulate the 6-layered neocortex and important subcortical structures, such as the thalamus, basal ganglia, hippocampus and amygdala. It achieves this simulation by dynamically employing the vast amounts of neurological data derived from the CorticalMap and NanoAtlas projects.
The CorticalMap is a comprehensive database of neurological structures that represents multiple levels of the brain, ranging from data on neurotransmitters, synapses, neuron morphologies, and axon and dendrite branching, to connectivity patterns and gross structures. The database contains billions of neurons with trillions of connections, including data on neuron cell types, morphology, connectivity, chemistry, physiology and functionality. The database results from extensive data mining of the neuroscience literature. The NanoAtlas is a 100-nm resolution digital atlas of entire human brain that is built using innovative whole brain histology, imaging and modeling techniques. These two projects complement each other in important ways, allowing for unparalleled matching and correlation of many different types of data.
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Research applications
Our research projects have exciting scientific applications in a variety of disciplines, from genetics and medicine to computer science and IT, including important emerging fields such as bioinformatics, computational modeling and artificial intelligence. These applications range from commercial scientific tools to academic partnerships and free public projects.
Our scientific research will lead to invaluable resources for researchers around the world. The CorticalMap and NanoAtlas projects will provide access to vast, integrated neurology databases with intuitive user interfaces and sophisticated modeling and analysis capabilities. The impact of these tools will include new techniques in medical imaging, identification of biomarkers and more efficient drug delivery systems, and improved understanding and treatment of CNS disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
We are actively seeking partnerships with other research organizations and universities, and we encourage multidisciplinary collaboration between professionals in such disparate fields as biology, medicine and computer science. Free versions of our databases and analysis tools will also be publicly available for the purpose of data sharing and general medical, scientific and technological advancement.
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