Romain Brette, Research Director InsertMarcel Stimberg, research engineer, both members of the Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics (CNRS / Sorbonne University Laboratory, ERL Inserm 1150), and Dan Goodman (Imperial College of London), jointly developed the software Free Brian, a pulse biological neural network simulator with diverse Applications for the scientific community.

This innovative project was rewarded on November 29th with the award of the Open Science Prize for Free Research Software 2023 in the “Documentation” category under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. This award recognizes the significant impact and promising nature of this instrument for the world of research.

Originally developed in 2007, Brian has evolved significantly since then and is now considered the flagship software in the field of neurobiology. This development has proven crucial in meeting the needs of computational neuroscience research, which requires powerful tools to simulate the precise and rapid functioning of the brain. Initial development began at École Normale Supérieure, then extended to the Vision Institute and currently to ISIR.

What’s special about Brian is the way he represents models using mathematical equations and physical units, providing great flexibility. This feature is important because it allows researchers to explore different models without compromising the usability, accuracy, and reliability of the simulator. In other words, Brian offers scientists a more flexible and efficient way to study the brain.

Brian is among eight projects recognized by the ministry this year for its exceptional contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge and its promising character.

Congratulations to Romain Brette, Marcel Stimberg, Dan Goodman and all their staff for this great recognition!