The project

The project is markedly interdisciplinary in nature, requiring the collaboration of scientists from different fields. The long-term objectives of the Cajal Blue Brain can be summarized as follows

Key Objectives

To decode the synaptome or detailed map of the synaptic connections of the cortical column and, as a result, reconstruct all its components.
To give a strong boost to research on the cortical column, exploring in depth current hypotheses about its normal function and dysfunctions (especially Alzheimer’s disease)
To devise new methods to process and analyze the experimental data obtained in the aforementioned research studies.
To develop computer technology to study neuronal functions using graphics tools and visualization methods

Other Objectives

To understand the implication of glial cells and blood vessels in the organization of the cortical column.
To study the modulation of the functional organization of the cerebral cortex by cortical and subcortical afferent connections.
To decipher the functional organization of cortical circuits in vitro and in vivo.
To simulate in silico the activity of the cortical column by means of a supercomputer.

About Javier DeFelipe, the Project Director

Javier DeFelipe Oroquieta is a Doctor in Biology and Research Professor at the Cajal Institute (CSIC) specialized in the microanatomical study of the brain. He was the first Spanish scientist to receive the prestigious Krieg Cortical Kudos award from the Cajal Club of the United States and collaborated with NASA to study the effect of space flights on the brain. In 2009, the Cajal Cortical Circuits Laboratory was created at the UPM Biomedical Technology Center, where Javier DeFelipe directed a research team for the development of the Cajal Blue Brain project.

CV and Resume

As the Universidad Politécnica did not have a Neuroscience laboratory equipped with the tools and personnel required to become a world leader in the research proposed through this ambitious project and other related projects, the joint UPM-CSIC “Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales or LCCC (Cajal Cortical Circuit Laboratory)” was created, which is part of the Centro de Tecnología Biomédica or CTB (Biomedical Technology) of the UPM Montegancedo Campus. The work carried out at the LCCC, the maintenance of this laboratory and the progressive acquisition of the most advanced tools and technologies is essential in order to obtain the neurobiological data required to meet the project’s objectives. The maintenance of the LCCC is therefore a priority in the Cajal Blue Brain project as it generates the knowledge which is the basis for the subsequent development of computer tools and data analysis methods the project requires.