TAU scientists participate in the Human Brain Projects

Tel Aviv University scientists are taking part in the Human Brain Project (HBP) – one of two projects selected as the Future Emerging Technologies Flagship projects.

The European Commission officially announced today (28.1.2013) the selection of HBP that will bring together top scientists from around the world who will work on one of the great challenges of modern science: understanding the human brain.

Opening new possibilities

The goal of the Human Brain Project is to combine all our existing knowledge and information about the human brain and various advanced research approach, to enable modeling of brain activity through the use of powerful supercomputers. The models offer a new understanding of the human brain and its diseases and the prospect of a completely new computing and robotic technology.

With the federation of more than 80 European and international universities and research institutions, the Human Brain Project is planned to last ten years (2013-2023), receiving funding of 1.19 billion Euros over the next decade, from various sources.

HBP will be coordinated at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, by neuroscientist Professor Henry Markram, together with co-directors Prof. Karlheinz Meier of Heidelberg University, Germany, and Prof. Dr. Richard Frackowiak of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL).

Israeli scientists have been involved in the Project from its inception; their significant role is testament to the high position that Israeli science holds at the forefront of international brain research. The scientific coordinators of the Israeli section of the HBP are Prof. Idan Segev of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Yadin Dudai of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Dr. Mira Marcus-Kalish of Tel-Aviv University will coordinate the medical informatics and data mining.

Additional research groups may join, as the HBP initiates an open call for further research projects.

Tel Aviv University's contribution​

The HBP research at TAU lead by Dr. Mira Marcus-Kalish, Prof. Yoav Binjamini and other world leading scientist in TAU, will focus on developing novel rule based tools, together with controlling the false discovery rate (FDR), to characterize human brain impairment by neurological disease. The broadest view on all relevant features will be provided, enabling the development of data-based diagnostic tools, as well as tools to predict the success of potential treatments.

Tel Aviv University is looking forward to contributing to other parts of the HBP, such as developing brain educational programs through the Sagol School of Neuroscience and other research areas such as field brain disorders and translational Neuroscience, based upon the open calls for further research projects.

The selection of the Human Brain Project as a FET Flagship is the result of more than three years of preparation and a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation by an independent panel chosen by the European Commission. In the coming months, the partners will negotiate a detailed agreement with the Community for the initial first two-and-a-half-year ramp-up phase (“testing” that will go until mid-2016). The project will begin working in the closing months of 2013.