Written by representatives of three of the leading brain research initiatives (HBP in Europe, BRAIN in the US and Brain/MINDS in Japan), together with members of the European Commission and the European Parliament, the article highlights issues from the recentSTOA workshop held at the European Parliament. The relevant issues identified at the workshop were 1) the need to coordinate and standardize the wealth of data produced, 2) the benefits of data sharing, 3) the need to educate young scientists in the integration of information technology and experimental neuroscience, and 4) the importance of ethics in brain research.

An editorial piece in the same issue of Lancet Neurology also explains the successful adjustments the Flagship HBP has made since its inception, and offers some suggestions for fruitful engagement with the scientific community in the future.