Funding: 

Access to the OpenScope program is available to scientists internationally. All experimental work is generously supported by an NIH U24 resource grant (U24 NS113646-01A1) to serve the global scientific community. The Allen Brain Observatory platform was initiated and established in 2016 thanks to funding from The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and the Falconwood Foundation. 

Application and selection process:

In 2023, we will have two complementary tracks for OpenScope, a double-blinded track and a community track.

• Double blinded track: This track is exactly similar to our previous rounds and follow a two-stage selection process. Short letters of intent are first selected for a full application submission. The review is done using double-blinding in order to remove any selection bias.

  Applications for this track will be open in July 2023.

• Community track: This track is new to 2023. We will work with the community to draft and select a proposal in the open among a set of shared ideas on our community forum. Proposals will be voted and selected by the community. To participate in this track, join the forum and participate in discussions in the OpenScope Category.

Advantages:

• The OpenScope platform tests novel hypotheses on brain function using an established data collection pipeline
• Platform utilizes cutting- edge Neuropixels recordings, two-photon calcium imaging and behavioral training
• Data is curated, standardized and disseminated with open standards.
• Experimental data is eventually released to the public after a minimum one year embargo.

All datasets collected on the platform are cross-referenced through shared standards and data access, allowing further meta-analysis and comparison by the community. An external team will need to analyze and then submit the outcome to bioRxiv and a journal. We don’t own the data, which will have restricted access for a one year period.

Possible scientific applications: 

• To test an existing hypothesis on brain function at scale with in vivo neuronal recordings.
• To characterize neuronal responses with either two photon calcium imaging (single or multi-plane imaging) or electrophysiological recordings (single or multi-probes recordings).
• Used to study neuronal communication during either passively viewing or behavioral tasks.
• Used to distribute standardized experimental datasets to the community.

OpenScope Publications: 

1. Mayner, W. G. P. et al. Measuring Stimulus-Evoked Neurophysiological Differentiation in Distinct Populations of Neurons in Mouse Visual Cortex. eNeuro 9, (2022)
2. Prince, L. Y., Bakhtiari, S., Gillon, C. J. & Richards, B. A. Parallel inference of hierarchical latent dynamics in two-photon calcium imaging of neuronal populations. bioRxiv 2021.03.05.434105 (2021)
3. Gillon, C. J. et al. Learning from unexpected events in the neocortical microcircuit. bioRxiv 2021.01.15.426915 (2023)
4. Gillon, C. J. et al. Responses of pyramidal cell somata and apical dendrites in mouse visual cortex over multiple days. Sci Data 10, 287 (2023)
5. Wyrick, D. G. et al. Differential encoding of temporal context and expectation under representational drift across hierarchically connected areas. bioRxiv 2023.06.02.543483 (2023)
6. Shin, H. et al. Recurrent pattern completion drives the neocortical representation of sensory inference. bioRxiv 2023.06.05.543698 (2023)

Published Datasets on DANDI Archive: 

• Allen Institute Openscope – Differential encoding of temporal context and expectation
• Allen Institute Openscope – Effects of Periodic Visual Stimulation on Neural Activity in Mouse Visual Cortex
• Allen Institute Openscope – Measuring Stimulus-Evoked Neurophysiological Differentiation in Distinct Populations of Neurons in Mouse Visual Cortex
• Allen Institute Openscope – Responses to inconsistent stimuli in somata and distal apical dendrites in primary visual cortex