NeuroBlueprint#
NeuroBlueprint is a folder structure specification for (systems) neuroscience research projects. It is inspired by, and based on the BIDS specification, widely used in human neuroimaging.
The NeuroBlueprint specification provides a set of rules and guidelines for project folder organisation, ensuring consistent data management within and between labs. The focus is on ensuring minimal overhead for researchers.
NeuroBlueprint is being developed at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) for Neural Circuits and Behaviour by members of the Neuroinformatics Unit (NIU). As such, it prioritizes interoperability with NIU-developed data analysis tools. That said, the specification is designed to be as general as possible, and should be useful to anyone within the neuroscience field.
To facilitate NeuroBlueprint’s pain-free adoption we are also developing datashuttle—a tool that integrates into data acquisition workflows and automates the creation and transfer of NeuroBlueprint-compliant folders.
We (the NIU) welcome feedback and contributions from the wider community and commit to maintaining the specification as a living and evolving document. Check out the NeuroBlueprint Zulip chat or raise a GitHub Issue to get in touch. We will also collaborate with ongoing efforts by the INCF and BIDS community to extend the BIDS specification to non-human animal research.