Disseminating FlyWire: a whole-brain connectome resource for neuroscience researchers
Official title: Dissemination of FlyWire, A Whole-Brain Connectomics Resource
Funded at Princeton University · NIH-11377446 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded project to share FlyWire, a complete Drosophila brain map created with AI-assisted segmentation, so scientists worldwide can study brain circuits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,080,092 |
| NIH project number | 5U24NS126935-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377446 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include researchers and clinicians interested in brain circuitry and neurobiology who may contribute to or utilize connectomics data.
✕Less likely to help
Direct clinical benefit to patients is indirect; the project focuses on data sharing and methodology, not a patient intervention.
What this research studies
If you are curious about how the brain wires itself, this project aims to make a powerful fly brain map widely accessible. It uses AI-assisted tools to outline neurons in a full Drosophila brain and then lets experts clean up errors to produce accurate circuits. The team will expand outreach, manage a proofreading group, and improve the online interface so researchers can easily access and explore the connectome. By sharing this resource, scientists can ask new questions about brain organization and region-specific circuits. This work builds on prior BRAIN Initiative progress and seeks to accelerate community-driven discoveries.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could benefit in the long term as better brain maps inform understanding of neural disorders and guide future therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large connectomics efforts have produced foundational results; FlyWire aims to broaden community access and scalability.
Where this research is happening
-
Princeton University
Princeton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murthy, Mala — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Murthy, Mala
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.