The VirtualBrainCloud (TVB-Cloud) progress

The objective of The VirtualBrainCloud (TVB-Cloud) project is to develop and validate the VirtualBrainCloud platform, a dedicated cloud-based environment that leverages the potential of big data and high-performance computing (HPC) for personalized prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDD). TVB-Cloud is embedded in The European Cloud Initiative. It combines already existing technologies and contributes to the development of new Information and communication technology (ICT) services while ensuring the appropriate data safety and protection.

The progress of the TVB-Cloud project described below on a yearly basis. TVB-Cloud results @ EC Cordis

 

project results and achievements

2023

public technical reports

Optimization and evaluation of pipeline for practical use concluded

Seamless integration of electrophysiological data workflows with TVB modelling

Multi-resolution TVB models with evidence for optimal granularity

CTS2 standard compliant interface will be released to project partners

Publication of a causality study based on an instrumental variables approach

TVB human models will be made available. We will identify the biophysical terms in the TVB models that are altered in NDD as compared to healthy individuals, and in relation to cognitive status

Validated Use Case of a brain simulation platform for NDD, usable by scientists and clinicians, for subsequent refined clinical studies towards development of therapeutic targets associated with basic physiological mechanisms

 

events, dissemination and communication

Public summary on TVB-C progress - period 3 - 01.12.2021 - 31.05.2023 soon here

HEalth, Law, and Technology (HELT) Symposium 2023

scientific publications

TVB-Cloud results @ EC Cordis
White-matter degradation and dynamical compensation support age-related functional alterations in human brain
Learning how network structure shapes decision-making for bio-inspired computing

2022

public technical reports

Webinar with demonstration of personalized simulation (“case studies”) using the integrated model in TVB

Workflows established that link progression models and TVB

Final VBC platform is fully integrated and validated and full documentation of its functionalities

Validated and benchmarked data fitting workflow will be provided as a software for brain model personalization

Final analysis of relevant legal, ethical and regulatory framework, 2nd iteration, including a report on best practices and industry standards

 

events, dissemination and communication

Neuroscience 2022
TVB-EBRAINS Integrated Workflows Workshops
World Health Summit 2022
IBIO Neuroassembly on Cognitive Virtual Brain
Symposium: From Cortical Neurocircuits to Consciousness
2nd Expert Summit on the Future of Deep Brain Stimulation

scientific publications

TVB-Cloud results @ EC Cordis
Towards an efficient validation of dynamical whole-brain models
Large-scale network metrics improve the classification performances of rapid eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder patients
Brain Modeling of Neurogenerative Disorders
Brain simulation augments machine-learning-based classification of dementia

2021

public technical reports

Most appropriate RS-processing pipelines for TVB modelling finished

Group level SEEG brain dynamics measures and analysis pipeline for SEEG

Full-cohort individual MEG brain dynamics measures at the disposal

Framework for multi-modal integrated annotations established and in use

Evaluation and optimization of pipeline for practical use concluded

Publication of a study on deconfounding for inference

Semantically enhanced multi-viewer that embeds a newly developed TVB 3D viewer

A functionally integrated version of VBC is evaluated for therapeutical targets

VBC operation report and published services on EOSC/EGI Marketplace

 

events, dissemination and communication

Public summary on TVB-C progress - period 2 -  01.06.2020 - 30.11.2021

Brain Connectivity Workshop
“Personalized Multi-scale Brain Simulation” Virtual Course
15th International Conference on Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Disease AD/PD 2021
Alzheimer Europe co-hosts European Parliament Workshop on “Digital data for dementia research and innovation”
Brain Connectivity Workshop 2021
The virtual Brain lecture and workshop at McGill Summer School
Brain simulation in a GDPR compliant infrastructure at the HBP Internal Day, Human Brain Project Summit 2021
International School of Brain Cells & Circuits Lecture
National Research Data Infrastructure Initiative (NFDI) Neuroscience at the NFDI Conference 2021
5th HBP Student Conference on Interdisciplinary Brain Research
NER'21 Symposium Advanced Electrophysiology Signatures of Neurodegenerative Disease
15th International Conference on Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Disease AD/PD 2021
Conference Rehabweek 2021. IFESS program Special session on Neuroscience, Rehabilitation and Man-Machine Interfaces.

scientific publications

Virtual Connectomic Datasets in Alzheimer's Disease and Aging Using Whole-Brain Network Dynamics Modelling
Bridging Scales in Alzheimer's disease: Biological framework for brain simulation with The Virtual Brain. Frontiers in Neuroinformatics
EEG measures for clinical research in major vascular cognitive impairment: Recommendations by an Expert Panel. Neurobiology of Aging.
Brain Simulation as a Service: The Virtual Brain on the European Research Platform EBRAINS (2021)
Multi-scale brain simulation with integrated positron emission tomography yields hidden local field potential activity that augments machine learning classification of Alzheimer’s disease
Virtual deep brain stimulation: Multiscale co-simulation of spiking basal ganglia model and whole-brain mean-field model with The Virtual Brain
A deep learning approach to estimating initial conditions of brain network models in reference to measured fMRI data

2020

public technical reports

Gateway to PRACE documentation and guidelines

Paper manuscript describing the initial characterization of the studies, the equivalence of their variables and the summary statistics

Semantic framework for neurodegeneration research documented

Integrated, open source terminology versioning and management tool CTS2 compliant application

Initial version of full-scope containerized pipeline developed

Full-cohort MEG time series in BIDS share and analysis pipeline ready

Evaluation of cross-modal atlas-based compression for machine-learning

Data catalogue with harmonized annotations at project

Text mining workflow to use ontologies and terminologies in OLS for information extraction of “cause-and-effect” statements.

Digital atlas that maps signalling pathways on corresponding brain regions for different neurodegenerative states in humans

 

events, dissemination and communication

Public summary on TVB-C progress - period 1 - 01.12.2018 - 31.05.2020

Stakeholder conference on GDPR-impact
Stream: Bridging the gap between new technologies, health research and the protection of personal data
Stakeholder conference: Specific issues of neurodegenerative diseases – The patients’ perspective: AI approaches for dementia research, diagnosis & treatment & Dementia research and AI: ethical, legal and social implications
European Parliament Workshop: Digital data for dementia research and innovation (recordings)
TVB-Cloud booth @ Realising the European Open Science Cloud Expo
Advances in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Therapies Fokus Meeting
The Virtual Brain Node#10 Workshop: Personalized Multi-Scale Brain Simulation
Publishable Project Summary
TVB-Cloud Project Video
Data Sharing in Health Research Webinar

scientific publications

Mapping the European Legal Framework on Security Requirements for Cloud Computing Infrastructures in the Healthcare Sector
Brain Network Simulations Indicate Effects of Neuregulin-1 Genotype on Excitation-Inhibition Balance in Cortical Dynamics
From genes to network models of Alzheimer's disease: Biological framework for multi-scale brain simulation with The Virtual Brain
Evaluating the Alzheimer's Disease Data Landscape
The Bayesian Virtual Epileptic Patient: A probabilistic framework designed to infer the spatial map of epileptogenicity in a personalized large-scale brain model of epilepsy spread
Movement Disorders After Hypoxic Brain Injury Following Cardiac Arrest in Adults
Proposal of an Architecture for Terminology Management in a Research Project
Complexity Matching: Brain Signals Mirror Environment Information Patterns during Music Listening and Reward.
Modeling brain dynamics after tumor resection using The Virtual Brain
Are unimanual movements bilateral?

2019

public technical reports

Cloud implementation strategy applying “trusted cloud principles”

Interim source-space, multiresolution MEG time series in BIDS share. Initial MEG and SEEG brain dynamics measures.

 

events, dissemination and communication

Established contact with relevant external stakeholders
TheVirtualBrain @ Long Night of the Sciences Berlin 2019
CNS*2019 Workshop in Barcelona
TVB Node#9 Workshop in Warsaw
The Virtual Brain Booth and Dedicated Poster Session at SFN
TheVirtualBrain @ BrainModes 2019

scientific publications

Switching Operation Modes in the Neocortex via Cholinergic Neuromodulation
Modulating grid cell scale and intrinsic frequencies via slow high-threshold conductances: A simplified model
Frequency cluster formation and slow oscillations in neural populations with plasticity
The importance of standards for sharing of computational models and dataArbor – a morphologically-detailed neural network simulation library for contemporary high-performance computing architectures.
A macaque connectome for large-scale network simulations in TheVirtualBrain
Linking molecular pathways and large-scale computational modeling to assess candidate disease mechanisms and pharmacodynamics in Alzheimer’s disease