Partners: David Haussler, Matt Elliot, David Parks, and Lon Blauvelt

SSEC Engineers: Cordero Core and Don Setiawan

Research Goals and Domain

Cerebral organoids are synthetic tissues derived from induced or natural stem cells within a laboratory setting. Once they are differentiated, these structures offer an avenue for researchers and students to probe and stimulate neural networks using AI programs. While their potential is astounding, they are currently only accessible to a select number of prestigious labs equipped with the necessary Biosafety Level 2 facilities, specimens, and tools.

Software Problem

WetAI is an innovative online platform designed to democratize neuroscience education and neuroscience experiments involving cerebral organoids by providing remote access and interactivity. The digital system empowers researchers and students to not only observe and manipulate neural network activity, but also to fine-tune remote devices during experiments and collaborate seamlessly. Due to the distributed nature of research groups and classrooms, the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Genomics Institute sought a simplified project distribution to ensure easy access and collaboration for all.​

Software Solution

SSEC engineers worked with researchers from the Genomics Institute and contributed a suite of automated Docker containers and standardized environments to streamline deployment of WetAI. This was combined with an automated distribution system that integrated cloud-based infrastructure and Jupyter Notebooks​. A CI/CD pipeline was implemented to automate testing and deployment, ensuring consistent software quality. ​

Impact

Wet AI is now an automated containerized environment and virtual classroom. This enables international students to conduct remote neurobiology experiments in genomics.​ The increased accessibility promotes education, collaboration, and a vibrant, AI-enhanced community within the realm of neuroscience research, accelerating advancements in the field as a whole. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a classroom used these tools. It also created a unique opportunity for students. 

Related Repositories

WetAI_Docker, braingeneerspy, braingeneers Docker repository