About BrainRNAseq

BrainRNAseq is a site dedicated to sharing scientific data. From its inception, our goal has always been to create a database that was simple to use, access, and interpret. To that end, we have curated datasets that are amenable to quick and easy interpretation. We hope these data will be valuable to you and your work. Because of the simplicity of this site, we encourage you to supplement the information here with the numerous other databases that exist in the space of brain transcriptomics / proteomics.

The original data from this website were collected in the lab of Ben Barres. We created and maintain this site in his memory, as he was, and still would be, the most frequent user of these datasets. One could always find Ben on his phone or computer searching the cell type signatures of new genes that he read or heard about. Most importantly, Ben was adamant that datasets (such as these) that were generated in his lab should be shared with the broader neuroscience community. To him, this did not simply mean publishing spreadsheets online, but creating tools that would enable others to maximize information gathering quickly and easily.

In addition to the data you will find here, it is in the spirit of Ben's altruism that we are pursuing tools that will enable other researchers to create similar websites with their own data. Our hope is to make data accessibility an easy and (somewhat) standardized process for all skill levels. We believe strongly that our community is stronger with efforts to share data freely and broadly.