Research project
SynapticConnectDB — Synaptic Connection Database
A full-stack database application for exploring synaptic connection data through charts, flow diagrams, and searchable records. It turns a large connectivity dataset into a navigable research interface instead of leaving it trapped in raw tables.
- My role
- Lead Developer
- Duration
- 3 months
- Discipline
- Research project
- Year
- 2025
01 / The problem
Researchers needed a way to query and visualise synaptic connection data without working directly from raw tables, database files, or one-off analysis notebooks.
02 / The work
Built the React + Flask application, interactive visualisation layer, export paths, caching, and production deployment around a large SQLite dataset.
03 / The outcome
Turned a connectivity dataset into a usable research interface with charts, diagrams, and downloadable results.
This case study focuses on data modelling, query surfaces, and interface architecture rather than reproducing the underlying research dataset.
At a glance
- React frontend with charts, flow diagrams, and filterable views for connectivity exploration
- Flask API querying a 770MB+ SQLite database with caching and export support
- Production deployment using Docker Compose, Nginx, SSL, and Redis
Project Overview
SynapticConnectDB is a research database platform for exploring synaptic connection data. It provides interactive visualisations and a searchable interface for researchers studying how neurons connect and communicate across brain regions.
Project Details
Technologies Used
- React 18 with React Router
- Tailwind CSS
- Recharts (data visualisation)
- XYFlow (interactive flow diagrams)
- Framer Motion (animations)
- Flask (Python) REST API
- SQLAlchemy + SQLite (~770MB database)
- Redis (caching)
- Docker Compose (production deployment)
- Nginx (reverse proxy)
- Gunicorn (WSGI server)
Key Features
- Interactive Data Visualisation: Charts and flow diagrams showing synaptic connectivity patterns
- Searchable Database: Query synaptic connections across brain regions and cell types
- CSV Export: Download filtered datasets for downstream analysis
- Real-Time Statistics: Live tracking of database metrics and usage
- Responsive UI: Modern component library with Lucide icons and animations
- Containerised Deployment: Docker Compose with SSL configuration for production
Technical Highlights
- Full-Stack Architecture: Decoupled React SPA communicating with Flask REST API
- Large Dataset Handling: Efficient queries against a 770MB+ SQLite database with pandas integration
- Production-Ready: Docker Compose with Nginx reverse proxy, SSL termination, and Redis caching