Location, location, location: the role of brain atlases and spatial integration of multimodal imaging data in whole brain mapping projects

Spatial integration of multimodal imaging data is a common denominator of all whole brain mapping projects. This process requires robust image registration pipelines, high‑ quality 3D brain atlases, as well as, scalable methods for quantitative image analysis. During the talk, I will discuss the computational challenges behind these components, exemplify ways of addressing them, and discuss requirements for setting up one’s own computational pipeline. I will also demonstrate how these novel computational methods and approaches could provide a deeper understanding of the structure and function of the central nervous system, especially in the context of high-throughput and large‑scale experiments. The talk will be complemented with examples of specific neuroscientific findings arising from whole brain mapping projects in rodents and primates, highlighting synergy between the computational and experimental aspects in these projects.