NSF Career Award for Liu

National Science Foundation Career Awards are a bit of misnomer, in that they are titled as though the awards are given at a career pinnacle recognize achievement. In fact, they are early career awards to support, and widen, a promising scope of inquiry by a young researcher. Tianming Liu, assistant professor of computer science in the Franklin College, was presented with just such an award after he demonstrated a new way to map the human brain:

[Liu] will map the nerve fiber connection patterns between different brain regions-called nodes or landmarks-and use the maps to identify landmarks common to all healthy human brains.

Liu's research also aims to more accurately define the functions of brain landmarks within larger connected groups. The project will lay the groundwork for better understanding of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, autism, and schizophrenia, among others.

Researchers have tried for years to clearly define the parts of the brain that control particular functions, such as language or sight. It has long been assumed that certain regions handle specific tasks. Recent research, however, indicates that individual brain functions are not confined to large, single parts, but rather depend on interactions between the nodes or landmarks scattered across the brain. Groups of connected landmarks specialize in particular functions, even though the individual landmarks might be far apart and in different regions.

Congratulations to Liu. This work will have a significant impact on our understanding of regions of the brain and the particular functions they guide. The federal awards programs at NSF also serve to motivate and inspire budding researchers and scientists to continue to think creatively.

Image: Brain landmarks on the cerebral cortex, courtesy of Tianming Liu and UGA.