How the eye’s signals travel to the brain to shape vision
Official title: Organization of Retinothalamic Circuits and their Contributions to Visual Processing in Primary Visual Cortex
Funded at Salk Institute for Biological Studies · NIH-11381012 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist-led project will map how parts of the eye send visual information through the brain to shape how we see, focusing on how different retinal signals influence the brain’s visual cortex.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Salk Institute for Biological Studies NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $475,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY036527-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381012 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with vision concerns related to the retina-brain pathways, such as certain congenital or acquired visual processing issues, though this grant uses animal models for discovery.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefit to patients may be limited during basic discovery research conducted in animal models.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how retinal signals move from the eye through the dLGN to the primary visual cortex in mice, and how these pathways create the brain’s tuning and direction selectivity. The work uses advanced imaging and circuit analysis to link specific retinal ganglion cell types with distinct brain pathways and V1 responses. Understanding these circuits could illuminate how normal vision and certain visual disorders arise. The project aims to connect cellular activity with perception, potentially informing new approaches for visual therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve our understanding of visual processing and guide future therapies for visual disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Similar circuit-mapping approaches have advanced knowledge of visual processing, though this specific retino-geniculo-cortical circuitry in the mouse is an active area with potential for novel insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stafford, Benjamin Knoell — Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Study coordinator: Stafford, Benjamin Knoell
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.