Last year, a global consortium of researchers, led by the Allen Institute, achieved two major scientific milestones that greatly advance our understanding of the animal brain and its inherent complexity: Scientists successfully completed the first draft of a whole human brain cell atlas, revealing over 3000 different cell types and human specific features that distinguish us from our primate relatives; then in December, researcher finished the first complete whole mammalian (mouse) brain cell atlas, catalogue over 5300 cell types along with their spatial distribution across the brain. Both are considered seminal achievements that will serve as valuable foundations for further research that could unlock the mysteries of the human brain. Today from 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. PT (5:30-7:30 pm ET, 2130-2330 UT), two of the lead investigators on these projects, Hongkui Zeng, Ph.D., and Ed Lein, Ph.D., both with the Allen Institute for Brain Science will answer questions on what they've discovered in their research, the inherent complexity of the brain, and what these cellular brain atlases mean for science and the promise they hold for potential new treatments and therapies for brain diseases like Alzheimer's.

Guests:

• Hongkui Zeng, Executive Vice President, Director of the Allen Institute for Brain Science
• Ed Lein, Senior Investigator, Allen Institute for Brain Science

Date/Time: Monday, March 11, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. PT (5:30-7:30 pm ET, 2130-2330 UT)

Supporting Video:

• NHP Brain Cell Atlas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFQWtgpoIwU
• Mouse Brain Atlas: https://vimeo.com/889643149/b615c7e5b6?share=copy

Username: /u/AllenInstitute