Understanding how our brain recognizes faces through a neural hierarchy
Official title: Testing the Central Tenet of Hierarchical Information Processing through Projection Neuron Identification
Funded at Rockefeller University · NIH-11374313 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing how the brain turns seeing faces into recognizable information by tracing the step-by-step flow through brain regions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rockefeller University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $466,125 |
| NIH project number | 1R21EY038434-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374313 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions affecting social perception, such as autistic disorder, who could contribute data or benefit from future translational work.
✕Less likely to help
People without neurodevelopmental conditions or those not involved in neural studies of face processing may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how face recognition happens in the brain by examining a network of face-related areas and how information moves forward and backward through them. It aims to identify the neural steps that transform sensory input into the perception of a face, using models that mirror human brain processes. The findings could show how hierarchical processing supports social perception and why these processes may be disrupted in neurodevelopmental conditions. The work combines neural data with computational ideas to build an artificial system that mimics eye-to-brain-to-recognition pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could improve our understanding of face recognition and social perception, potentially guiding interventions for people with neurodevelopmental disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research supports that hierarchical processing plays a role in object recognition, but direct testing in this area is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Rockefeller University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freiwald, Winrich — Rockefeller University
- Study coordinator: Freiwald, Winrich
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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.