The Brain Observatory

The Brain Observatory is an independent nonprofit neuroscience institute based in San Diego, California. Founded by neuroscientist Dr. Jacopo Annese, it operates at the intersection of brain research, education, and art, with a focus on building a digital repository of human brain images, models, and donor-derived datasets. Its scientific work includes high-resolution neuroimaging, digitized microscopy, postmortem brain analysis, and brain banking intended to support research, medical education, and drug development. The organization also runs public education programs, field trips, camps, and exhibitions that make neuroscience accessible to students and the broader community. It is not a drug-development biotech or pharmaceutical company, but it is a healthcare- and life-science-related nonprofit research organization.