Blue Brain Project leader Henry Markram presenting a brain in 2016.
Keystone
Researchers from the Blue Brain Project in Lausanne have announced the unveiling of their ‘Cell Atlas’, a 3D, interactive, constantly-evolving simulation of a mouse brain.
“Like going from hand-drawn maps to digitized versions of satellite images of cities and geographical features – allowing us to navigate the brain the way Google Earth allows us to navigate the earth,” was how one researcher described it.
The Blue Brain Cell Atlas, by integrating data from thousands of brain tissue stainings over five years, offers the first ever digital 3D atlas of every cell, in all 737 regions, of the mouse brain.
A press releaseExternal link by Lausanne’s Federal Institute of Technology EPFL, where the Blue Brain Project is based, described the development as “a major step toward a full simulation of the rodent brain” that will also potentially “massively” accelerate progress in human brain science.
“Knowing the circuit components and how they are arranged is an essential starting point for modelling the brain – just as demographic data are essential for modelling a country,” said lead author and atlas creator Csaba Erö.
The project goes further than previous mapping attempts in that it doesn’t just consist of stacks of brain slices, but gathers all available data into numbers and positions for every known cell in the brain in the form of a digitally navigable atlas.
It is also the first atlas that is “dynamic”, EPFL states: that is, as researchers discover more about the rodent brain, they can contribute to improvising the atlas by inserting their findings – something that the authors are keen to encourage.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
UBS has cut 10,000 jobs since Credit Suisse takeover in 2023
This content was published on
UBS Group has cut more than 10,000 roles since it bought Credit Suisse, marking a milestone in the lender’s efforts to integrate its former rival.
Swiss multinational SGS to move HQ from Geneva to Zug
This content was published on
The Swiss multinational SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, plans to move its headquarters from Geneva to canton Zug in central Switzerland.
Swiss army takes part in international tank competition
This content was published on
Around 20 Swiss army personnel and two Leopard 2 tanks are taking part in an international tank competition in Grafenwöhr, Germany, this week.
Omega-3 supplements seem to slow ageing process, Swiss study finds
This content was published on
Taking a daily omega-3 supplement appears to slow down the rate of biological ageing by up to four months, according to a study by researchers at the University of Zurich.
This content was published on
The Swiss writer and translator Alain Claude Sulzer has been awarded the Solothurn Literary Days Prize 2025 for his lifetime's work.
Prix de Lausanne features 85 dancers from 23 countries
This content was published on
The 53rd Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition is underway. A total of 85 young dancers from 23 countries are competing in the Swiss city.
Swiss Solidarity charity collected CHF34 million in 2024
This content was published on
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), raised CHF34.4 million ($37.7 million) in donations in 2024 and spent CHF63 million on humanitarian projects.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Zurich scientists develop special brain scanner
This content was published on
Researchers from the ETH Zurich have been recognised for building a brain scanner that is less expensive and much smaller than current models.
Swiss non-profit aims to break taboo of women’s brain health
This content was published on
If depression is twice as common in women than men worldwide, does that mean we need to change how we think about gender, health, and science?
This content was published on
The European Commission says its outside experts have agreed there must be more integration, better infrastructure and an emphasis on concrete results. In a blog postExternal link on Monday, Thierry Van der Pyl, the commission’s director of “excellence in science”, also said the experts stressed the project will greatly influence how neuroscience research is done…
This content was published on
Earlier this month, the group of EU researchers labelled the Human Brain Project as badly organised and said it was too narrowly concentrated on brain simulation. More than 600 researchers have since signed the letter. “As a public authority for research, we take all such signals seriously,” said Robert Madelin, who is responsible for the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.