NeuroMorpho.Org is a working example of data sharing that provides openly accessible neuronal morphology data. It contains data from a variety of labeling and imaging techniques. The data can be used for morphological analysis, computational modeling, and education. The NeuroMorpho.Org team, led by Ruchi Parekh, maintains the database and has included contributions from over 30 members over the years. Common barriers to data sharing include concerns about being scooped, misuse of data, lack of time or commitment, and lack of trust, but NeuroMorpho.Org has successfully overcome these issues to create an openly accessible resource.

1. NeuroMorpho.Org
A Working Example in Data Sharing
Giorgio A. Ascoli
Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason Univ. (Fairfax, VA)

2. Bulk-loaded dye
Intracellular
Immunolabeling
Brightfield microscopy
Confocal, 2-photon microscopy
Genetic labeling
Camera lucida
Digitizing tablet
Semi-automated
Automated
a. Labeling b. Visualization c. Tracing d. Reconstruction

3. a.
b. c. d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
n.m.

10. Databases
Potential connectivity
Morphometric analysis
Computational model
Neuronal identity
Data mining, Education, Outreach

11.  Wen Q, Stepanyants A, Elston GN, Grosberg AY, Chklovskii DB (2009)
Maximization of the connectivity repertoire as a statistical principle
governing the shapes of dendritic arbors. PNAS 106(30):12536-41
 Snider J, Pillai A, Stevens CF (2010) A universal property of axonal and
dendritic arbors. Neuron 66(1):45-56
 Cuntz H, Mathy A, Häusser M (2012) A scaling law derived from optimal
dendritic wiring. PNAS 109(27):11014-8
 Gidon A, Segev I (2012) Principles governing the operation of synaptic
inhibition in dendrites. Neuron 75(2):330-41
>300 articles based on data in NeuroMorpho.Org
 China Applied Math Olympics: 100,000 downloads in 3 days (2010)
 “Site of the month” in “Neuroscience for Kids” (June 2011)
 Scientific American: F. Jabr’s “Know Your Neurons” (2012)
 Unsolicited positive reviews (e.g. M. Eisenstein’s Nature Methods
6:773, M. Hasselmo’s Frontiers PMC3035809, etc.)
 Burroughs-Wellcome conference on data sharing at Mason (2013)
NeuroMorpho.Org in academic & lay education and outreach

15. The NeuroMorpho.Org Team
Current members:
- Ruchi Parekh, Ph.D. (Project Lead)
- Rubén Armañanzas, Ph.D. (Senior Post-doc)
- Sridevi Polavaram (technician & Ph.D. student)
- Sumit Nanda (Ph.D. student)
- Ankitha Prabhu (Master's student)
- Amina Zafar (Undergraduate student)
- Victoria Chappell (Undergraduate student)
- Apoorva Veerareddy (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Arta Seyedian (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Meghan Eyerman (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Namra Ansari (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Cynthia Hoang (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Jarfa Ashrafi (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Sonja Jensen (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Stephanie Stryker (Undergraduate volunteer)

16. The NeuroMorpho.Org Team
Former members (1/3):
- Maryam Halavi, M.D., Ph.D. (Project Lead)
- Duncan Donohue (Ph.D. student)
- Sriraman Damodaran (Ph.D. student)
- Kelly A. Hamilton (Ph.D. student)
- Maurizio Bergamino (Visiting scholar)
- Praveen Mamillapalli (Research Assistant)
- Rahul Narkar (Graduate Research Assistant)
- Ratna Alekhya (Master's student)
- Julian Burke (Master's student)
- Gaurav Desai (Master's student)
- Sean Mackesey (Master's student)
- Piyush Mohan (Master's student)
- Ashutosh K. Singh (Master's student)
- Harsh Loomba (Master's student)
- Onkar A. Kurkute (Master's student)

17. The NeuroMorpho.Org Team
Former members (2/3):
- Swaminathan P.V. (Master's student)
- Shazeb Shamsi, M.S. (Master's student)
- Krishnan Subramanian (Master's student)
- Preetham Vemasani (Master's student)
- Gopal Samant (Master's student)
- Jeffrey Zamanski (Master's student)
- Jayasurya Kanukurthy (Master's student)
- Kaitlin Grainger (Undergraduate student)
- Juhi Saxena (Undergraduate student)
- Uzma Javed (Undergraduate student)
- Hasana Baraya (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Sarah Anderson (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Sheena Heslop (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Keira Coy (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Krithika Ganesh (Undergraduate volunteer)

18. The NeuroMorpho.Org Team
Former members (3/3):
- Hoang Nguyen (Undergraduate volunteer)
- Lauretta Wilkerson (Undergraduate volunteer)
Grant Support
NIH R01 NS39600
NIH R01 NS086082
MURI ONR N00014-10-1-0198
Keck NAKFI

19. Problems with data sharing
Typical reasons why somebody’s data are not available:
Creative lies: e.g. “my hard disk crashed”.
Personal commitments: e.g. “exclusive agreement with X”.
Work in progress: I’d hate to be scooped with my own data.
Matter of trust: “others will misuse/over-interpret the data”.
It is a tough world: “why should I give it away?”.
Time commitment: “too much effort, no time”.
I will do this really soon…