The Human Brain Project: an international resource

As the amount of basic neuroscientific information increases dramatically, its day-to-day integration and application becomes an increasing difficulty. Technological advances, particularly in computer and information sciences, should allow this information 'explosion' to become more manageable. To this end, the Human Brain Project, an initiative of several NIH Institutes and other United States Government agencies, is being developed to provide a computer database that will allow neuroscientists access to information at all levels of integration, from genes to behavior. In this article Michael Huerta, Stephen Koslow and Alan Leshner outline the genesis and ideas behind the initiative and discuss its future development.