The Division of Advanced Synthetic Research was a branch of the Federation based at the Daystrom Institute campus in Okinawa.
The A500 androids that destroyed Mars on First Contact Day in 2385 originated from its lab. After that devastating event and the consequent ban on synthetics, the division was only allowed to operate theoretically, that is, to study, publish, and run simulations, but not build anything practical. When visiting in 2399, Picard described the space with its largely unused work desks as a ghost town. (PIC: "Remembrance")