Virtual Fly Brain

Virtual Fly Brain lets researchers explore Drosophila neuroanatomy, connectivity, gene expression, and imaging data in an interactive atlas.

virtualflybrain.org
Virtual Fly Brain homepage screenshot

About Virtual Fly Brain

Virtual Fly Brain (VFB) is an interactive web-based atlas built for neurobiologists researching the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. It aggregates published neuroanatomical data, bulk imaging datasets, connectomics records, and gene expression information onto a standardized 3D brain template, enabling cross-dataset comparison and analysis.

Users can search for neurons, brain regions, genes, and phenotypes using names from scientific literature, run targeted queries to find neurons connected to specific brain areas, view overlapping 3D registered images, and use the NBLAST tool to identify similar neurons and genetic drivers. Additional resources include a new Circuit Browser for connectomics exploration, an AI chat feature for no-code data queries, and a free self-led workshop covering Python, R, and browser-based workflows. The platform also provides public APIs and full documentation for programmatic access.

Key features

  • Interactive 3D viewer for registered neuron and expression images
  • Search for neurons, brain regions, genes, and phenotypes
  • NBLAST tool to find similar neurons and genetic drivers
  • Circuit Browser for exploring Drosophila connectomics data
  • Free self-led workshop for learning VFB workflows
  • AI chat query feature with no sign-up or API key required
Best for: Neurobiologists studying Drosophila melanogaster neuroanatomy, connectivity, and gene expression.
Good for
  • Aggregates curated literature and bulk imaging data onto a single template
  • Supports multiple analysis workflows including Python, R, and 3D browser
  • Includes large, regularly updated datasets of neurons and connections
  • Offers free access to core tools and workshop materials with no installation for most routes
Watch out for
  • Core platform is not open source
  • All features require web access with no mentioned offline option
  • Some advanced analysis tools require basic programming knowledge

Virtual Fly Brain at a glance

Official website
virtualflybrain.org
Type
Dataset
Platforms
Web
Language
English
Good for
Researchers
Last checked
Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
Listed
Oct 5, 2026

Similar data sources

Other listings in Open Data & Datasets with the most in common.

BioGPS

biogps.org

Explore gene and protein functions in BioGPS, a free gene annotation portal.

Dataset

Popular in Open Data & Datasets

Well-known listings from the same topic.

All 976

Virtual Fly Brain FAQ

Is Virtual Fly Brain free to use?
The core platform and self-led workshop are free to access, with no sign-up required for most features.
What types of data are available in VFB?
VFB hosts Drosophila 3D neuroanatomy images, connectomics data, 35 million synaptic connections, gene expression patterns, and anatomy ontology terms.
Do I need programming skills to use VFB?
Basic programming knowledge helps for some analysis workflows, but most core features are accessible via a web browser with no installation.
Can I query VFB data with an AI assistant?
Yes, VFB’s AI chat feature lets you ask questions about neurons, brain regions, and connections with no sign-up or API key.
Is something wrong or out of date?

Tell us and an editor will check it.

Own this website?

Claim the listing and suggest updates yourself. An editor checks every claim first.

Claim this listing