Human and artificial intelligence join forces to study complexity of the brain
VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)
A team of scientists lead by prof. Stein Aerts (VIB-KU Leuven) is the first to map the gene expression of each individual brain cell during aging, though they started small: with the brain of a fruit fly. Working with fruit flies as model organisms, the scientists took the challenge head on, immediately starting with the most complex organ of all–the brain. We have made all of our fly brain data freely available on a unique online analysis platform, where other scientists can deposit their data as well, says Aerts. Together with international colleagues who use single-cell technology to study different organs of the fruit fly, he founded the Fly Cell Atlas consortium. Everyone can submit questions concerning this and other medically-oriented research directly to VIB via this address.