"For an idea that does not at first seem insane, there is no hope." - Albert Einstein
Our laboratory developed a framework and as set of algorithms to create maps (simplified abstractions) of causal information in research findings that can be used to integrate information and guide research planning. Based on this framework and algorithms, we developed a free web application that helps biologists keep track and interact with causal information in research papers (www.researchmaps.org).
Why research maps? In the last 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in the complexity of experiments and publications in Biology, including Neuroscience. This problem is specially severe in neuroscience, since in this field experiments often attempt to integrate across different sub-disciplines and levels of complexity, including, molecular, cellular, systems, behavioral, cognitive and clinical neuroscience. This discipline, for example, includes nearly two million research articles reporting approximately 20 million experiments.
We are looking for neuroscience students to helps us with our researchmaps project! This is a great opportunity for students interested in learning how neuroscientists integrate and plan experiments! Contact us!
For a recent Ray Kurzweil's newsletter article on our researchmaps work click here...
Alcino Silva talks about Researchmaps in a 2015 Current Biology interview
- Matiasz, N.J., J. Wood, W. Wang, A.J. Silva, and W. Hsu, Computer-Aided Experiment Planning toward Causal Discovery in Neuroscience. Front Neuroinform, 2017. 11: p. 12.(PDF)
- Silva AJ, Müller KR. The need for novel informatics tools for integrating and planning research in molecular and cellular cognition. Learn Mem. 2015 Aug 18;22(9):494-8. PMID: 26286658 (PDF)
- Engineering the next revolution in neuroscience: the new science of experiment planning, 2013 by Alcino J. Silva, Anthony Landreth, John Bickle. Oxford Press, ISBN-13: 978-0199731756 ISBN-10: 0199731756 Edition: 1st. Book from Oxford Press 2013
- Landreth, A. and Silva, A.J. The Need for Research Maps to Navigate Published Work and Inform Experiment Planning. Neuron 2013 79 411-415 PMID: 23931992 (PDF)