科技部新聞稿
亞太科學家聯手挑戰繪製人類全腦神經圖譜圖:
SYNAPSE聯盟於新加坡揭幕啟動
日期：109年1月15日
發稿單位：自然科學及永續研究發展司
聯絡人：徐愛佳助理研究員
電話：(02)2737-7985
E-mail：achsu@nstc.gov.tw
由臺灣的科學家所提議創立的SYNAPSE（Synchrotrons for Neuroscience – An Asia Pacific Strategic Enterprise），目標在三年的時間內利用超高解析度的X光三維成像技術及超大型計算設施，繪製第一個超高解析度人類大腦全腦神經細胞及其網路連結的圖譜。計畫關鍵人物胡宇光特聘研究員服務於中央研究院物理研究所，在科技部卓越領航計畫、中央研究院以及國家同步輻射中心等之長期支持下，積極推動國際合作，這次於新加坡國立大學（National University of Singapore）舉行亞太六國人腦圖譜合作計畫簽約儀式。目前此聯盟現已發展成包括新加坡、澳洲、中國、日本、韓國和臺灣的六個強大的同步輻射光源以及神經科學、計算科學、物理、化學、工程的各類型研究單位數百名科學家參與的國際研究網絡。
胡宇光教授和清華大學的江安世教授將帶領的台灣研究團隊，整合了國家同步輻射研究中心（NSRRC）的先進同步輻射光源、國家高速網路計算中心(NCHC)與其他學術及應用研究單位，基於過去長期的研究經驗及成果，將負責構建人類全腦及小鼠全腦圖譜中最重要的影像擷取、處理、工作協調及資料管理。SYNAPSE聯盟將於今天在新加坡正式成立，並由創始成員簽署其中第一份研究備忘錄，誓言共同努力於2023年前領先全世界完成首張人腦全腦次細胞層級解析度的神經網路圖譜。
使用強大的三維X光顯微成像技術進行次細胞層級的人腦神經網路成像配合超高速的超大型運算，SYNAPSE聯盟預計於三年內完成第一個人類全腦神經網路的三維圖譜。隨著其他模式實驗動物圖譜的完成，這個巨大的資料必將推進困擾健康醫療的腦病變研究與有效地治療。研發的新成像和計算技術也將為生醫影像和先進的超大型運算提供新的策略與研究方向。
每個參與此項計畫的同步輻射設施將負責拍攝同一個人腦中某一區塊的影像取像工作。在利用同步加速器提供完全相同的X光的條件下，以0.3微米的影像解析度及每分鐘1立方毫米的取像速度，取得三維的影像資料交由計算中心進行神經網路的繪製。與現行具有類似解析度的三維影像取像技術，例如超解析度可見光顯微鏡或電子顯微鏡等相比，X光三維顯微成像技術其取像及處理速度快10到100倍以上。胡宇光教授估計，只要大約四年的時間，SYNAPSE團隊就能繪製出第一個人類全腦的神經細胞及其連結的神經網路圖譜，而若利用其他方法可能終其一生都可能無法完成。
在使用X光斷層顯微掃描術繪製人類全腦神經網絡連接結構圖譜外，SYNAPSE團隊也將使用例如X光奈米斷層掃描術、紅外線光譜顯微術、超解析度可見光三維顯微術和低溫電子斷層掃描顯微術等其它先進生醫影像技術，對選定的腦區進行更深入的成像研究。整合這些方法將提供整個大腦的超微小結構細節，並以類似Google Earth圖像連續放大的方式，對所有的神經網路細節進行分析研究。
人類大腦定位的過程將會產生大量研究數據，因此SYNAPSE 成員今日將會一起簽署第二份研究備忘錄，以共同建構一個高效率計算網絡來有效處理、收集、共享和分析所有數據。台灣國家高速網路計算中心（NCHC）的先進運算能力是提供SYNAPSE聯盟數據網絡的關鍵單位之一。NCHC將運用台灣最先進的高效電腦和高速國際網路參與SYNAPSE 的合作計畫。
SYNAPSE團隊將增進我們對人腦結構及其各種結構組成的理解，從而闡明人腦的正常功能，並幫助確定腦部疾病的原因。本聯盟的創始人之一，新加坡國立大學的劉建明教授（Chian-Ming Low）表示：”由於腦部疾病在全球對人類醫療保健所造成的影響越來越大，大腦圖譜研究必須盡速加以推動。SYNAPSE聯盟計畫以空前的取像速度、解析度和分析能力挑戰人類全腦神經圖譜的繪製。這個計畫所產生龐大的全腦神經圖譜，將應用於了解神經元如何連接以及它們如何相互作用的研究，以及這些病變如何影響認知能力和智能的研究。我們的發現可能有助於有效治療重要的神經退化性疾病，例如阿茲海默症和其他失智症。”，這也為本聯盟在醫療保健方面的重要性做了最確切的註解。
除了直接參與研究的亞太區域的科學家，本聯盟也邀請包括歐美科學家組成國際諮詢委員會。希望藉由委員們在神經病理學、電生理學、細胞生物學方法和影像學方面的卓越成就及國際聲望，支持SYNAPSE計畫的研究方向並確保其科學卓越性。
諾貝爾獎得主Kurt Wüthrich教授和Ada Yonath教授也受邀出席並見證SYNAPSE的兩份研究備忘錄簽署儀式和正式啟動合作研究，並和參與的研究學者分享他們對SYNAPSE計畫和同步輻射研究國際合作必要性的思考。
本研究團隊研究從2003年起長期接受國科會及科技部之奈米國家型計畫、卓越領航計畫、及江安世教授的前瞻研究中心等計畫支持。此外，科技部並連續獨立投入經費支援於新造之台灣光源建造腦成像專屬光束線。在應用目標並未完全呈現時，科技部就提供穩定大量之支援基礎研究，使研究團隊之從得以從X光成像之基礎研究著手，進一步利用獨特的研究成果發展針對生物系統的X光三維顯微成像技術，累積了充分的技術優勢，最終得以證明此技術具有足夠的性能指標，以突破腦成像解析度及成像速度之瓶頸，並吸引國際其他同步輻射設施，放棄設施科學競爭之基本任務，以最小風險的方式，共同朝單一科學目標合作。
SYNAPSE聯盟聯絡人
胡宇光教授
中央研究院物理研究所
電話：02-27896721, 0936118133
E-mail：phhwu@sinica.edu.tw
The historical scientific enterprise SYNAPSE inaugurated:
Asia-Pacific scientists join forces for the first comprehensive map of a human brain
A new strategy using powerful x-ray technologies and advanced computational techniques will provide a clear and detailed picture of the human brain and allow more effective treatments of brain diseases.
Singapore, 15 January 2020 ¾ Scientists from Taiwan initiated an international coalition that will produce the first comprehensive map of the neuron network of a human brain, with ultra-high resolution and in three dimensions. The coalition now grows to a network involves over 1,000 researchers from Singapore, Australia, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The team will use synchrotrons – extremely powerful x-ray sources – to trace the complex and intricate structure of the brain.
Professor Yeu-Kuang Hwu from the Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica and Professor Ann-Shyn Chian lead the team from Taiwan will directly work with the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) on constructing the map of the human brain. Taiwan will also coordinate the data management for this endeavor. The coalition will link six synchrotron facilities in the Asia-Pacific area, under a collaboration called “Synchrotron for Neuroscience – an Asia Pacific Strategic Enterprise” – in short, SYNAPSE. Formally inaugurating SYNAPSE at the Singapore today, the founding members will sign today a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing them to work together to complete the first human brain map by 2023.
Faster, crystal clear images of the brain
Each of the participating facilities will work on a portion of the same brain. Using synchrotron x-rays, they will image the brain network on a scale of 0.3 micrometers, with an image taking speed of 1 cubic millimeter per minute. The overall data acquisition and processing speed is more than 10 times faster than any other present method with comparable resolution, (such as super-resolution visible light microscopy or electron microscopy). Professor Hwu estimates that it will take the SYNAPSE collaboration about four years to map a human brain; other methods would require instead more than a person’s lifetime.
In parallel to the charting of the first whole brain circuitry map of human brain neural network with x-ray microtomography, SYNAPSE will complement the structural map constructed with subcellular and molecular information from other advanced imaging techniques such as x-ray nanotomography, infrared spectromicroscopy, super-resolution visible-light three-dimensional microscopy and cryo-electron tomography. This coordinated approach will provide ultra-small structural details of the entire brain, analogous to the detailed features of Google Earth images. By contrast, other current maps of the human brain can deal only with certain specific parts.
SYNAPSE will enhance the understanding of the structure of the brain and the composition of its various structures clarifying the normal brain functions and helping to identify the causes of brain diseases.
As mapping a human brain will generate a huge amount of data, a second MOU will be signed today by the SYNAPSE members to implement a High Performance Computing network to rapidly process, store, mobilize, access, and analyze such data. Taiwan, through the National Center for High Performance Computing Centre (NCHC), will be one of the key data hub of SYNAPSE. It will specifically take advantage of the recently implemented Taiwania high-performance computers and the high speed international network linking to other SYNAPSE partners.
“Globally, brain mapping has gained impetus due to growing impact of brain diseases. What we are setting out to do is a world first enterprise. The images captured by SYNAPSE with unprecedented speed, clarity and granularity will form an extensive human brain map showing how neurons are connected and how they interact to result in cognition and intelligence. Our findings could potentially contribute to effective treatment for increasingly important neurodegenerative pathologies such as the Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia” -- stated Professor Low.
An International Advisory Board (IAB) including experts from neuropathology, electrophysiology, cell biological approaches and imaging has also been established to support SYNAPSE and guarantee its scientific excellence.
Present at the MOUs signing ceremony and launch of SYNAPSE were Nobel laureates Professor Kurt Wüthrich and Professor Ada Yonath, who spoke about Reflections on the SYNAPSE Project and Next generation antibiotics.
The Taiwan research team, led by Professor Yeu-Kuang Hwu of Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica and Professor Ann-Shyn Chiang, National Tsing Hua University, initiated the human brain mapping project was supported by MOST since 2003 through a series of project aiming to develop higher resolution and higher speed x-ray imaging technology and its application in biomedical research. These projects include National Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and the Advanced Research Center led by Professor Ann-Shyn Chiang. The continuous support of MOST, before any of the high impact applications of these advance x-ray technologies emerges, is the key allowing the research team to build the substantial technology advantage over the world competition. The technology leadership in turn convince and attract those other synchrotron facilities to come to work on the common objective.
Media Contact
Professor YeuKuang Hwu
Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica
Phone: 886-2-27896721, 886-936118133
E-mail：phhwu@sinica.edu.tw
